Fading Magic (Book 5 of the Ink Series)

Bowling ball

Most kids my age hang around the bowling alley or the drive in because there isn't much to do where I'm from.

Terrytown is as far away from Cherry you can get. Nobody follows the latest trends, people don't care about the things people in Cherry care about. They are enjoying the day to day. Things back home are laidback, the way I used to be. But not anymore.

Tonight I am sitting at the bar of the bowling alley looking for Charlie Knight.

"What makes you think he's going to be here?" Slade ask taking a swig of his beer. He studies the bottle. "This taste like shit."

I ignore his complaint. "Because Charlie's parents own the bowling alley." Back when I was in school Charlie was really popular because his parents owned the coolest hangout.

And I remembered on the ride across town Charlie was bragging at the party the other night how he worked late nights for his parents a couple times a week. I hope tonight is one of those nights.

"This guy isn't going to show up at a bowling alley after attacking you at a gas station." Slade puts his beer down when he appears behind the counter. "Unless he really is that fucked up."

I swallow. Charlie looks normal, not like a person who attacked someone hours ago. What kind of psycho goes to work after what he did? I can't believe I am right, there he is.

And I don't know what he will do when he sees me. But I am about to find out. I drop from the bar stool. "I'm going to talk to him."

Slade lifts his chin. "And I'll be right here watching."

I walk right up to the counter and get behind the couple waiting for shoes. In a few seconds I am going to be standing face to face with the person who tried really hard to make my life miserable.

"Thanks and have a nice time at Knights Lanes. I can help whose next," he says.

I step forward. "I need a lane. And the biggest shoe you can find so I can shove it down your throat."

Wide eyes stare at me, he isn't saying anything.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," I tell him, planting my hands on the counter. "Don't try anything because my boyfriend is right over there watching my every move."

"I'm sure he is." He places his own hands on the counter. "And I'm sure he wants to kill me."

"He could kill you." I correct him. "He could kill you without lifting a finger. He should."

He shakes his head. "But he won't."

I raise an eyebrow.

Charlie licks his lips a smug smile taking over. "This isn't how pissed off boyfriends work. If he wanted to kill me he would be over here not you."

"I came to warn you." I stare him down. "Back off. Stay far away from me. And if you ever try what you did again I can't promise you you'll make it to work the next day." There. I was intimidating.

He takes a pair of shoes from a young girl before he gives me a response. "I still want the money."

"That's too damn bad."

"What do you think would happen if I told this town they could make one phone call and have their hands on a lot of cash?" He leans in. "Do you think they would sit back and do nothing?"

I'm doing my best to keep my cool. "I wouldn't be the only one in trouble."

"I'm not the one with the secret."