The Skylar Experiment : The "X" in Apex

Chapter Eighteen - Uninvited Guests

Working late tonight. Sorry kiddo :(

I stared at the cracked screen of my cellphone for a second. I'd been completing his Taser Paper while waiting for him to come home, but the entrance door never opened.

In the kitchen, I heard a muffled ding from the oven. Cookies were ready. I slid off my bed and placed the book on my nightstand.

I extracted the burning metal tray and set it on the counter, out of appetite. I made a double batch to share, knowing he'd love warm chocolatey goodness. I picked the cookies with a spatula and transferred them onto a plate, then rinsed the tray in the sink while they cooled down.

I sighed. Luc must be patrolling outside, probably bored to death.

If the guy could ingest a bowl of Maltesers like diabetes didn't exist, then he might go for some. I hadn't forgotten about him being the reason my father didn't die this week, so I gathered a portion onto a separate plate. I slipped on some socks and a jacket. It was safe to say there wasn't much that could change how appreciative I felt, even though the sight of him was still an irritant.

Outside, complete darkness had encroached. The fresh, nocturnal air gave me goosebumps as I crept unto the porch.

Wherever he hid, I knew he'd probably spotted me. I left the plate on the swinging sofa, then shambled back inside. When I regained my bed, my phone was ringing. Adam's name popped and I picked up.

"Hello?"

"Riley, hey," his voice came through. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask ahead," I replied, my arm extending toward the cookies. "What is it?"

"I just have to know... Is there something going on between you and Luc?"

I rose from the mattress, walking over to my window. "No, of course not. Why is this even a question?"

"I wasn't sure. Everyone at school talked about how you guys were arguing at the party, and today he came to pick you up and so I had to make sure before..." He stopped short.

It seemed fishy, all these weird altercations, but I had to bear with it. It wasn't like I could explain the real reason we were tight—at least to the average onlooker.

"Adam? Are you still there?"

The dog barked in the background, and a second later he answered, "Sorry, Spartacus had something in his mouth. He was chewing plastic."

I laughed and plopped on my bed. "You were saying something?"

"Uh, yeah. In fact, I wanted to make sure before I asked if you wanted to go to a movie with me after school."

It took a moment to process what he meant by that. There was the strange flutter in my stomach again.

"I just think you're really cool" he added as I said nothing. "I know we met only a week ago. Hope it's not weird."

I unfroze, and I realized I was glad he asked. Everything felt so easy with Adam and the way our meaningless conversations flowed. The movies with him would be fun.

"No, not at all. I'd love to go see a movie with you. Tomorrow?"

"Fine with me."

We debated which movie to watch, and I forgot all about the boring homework. I laid on my back with a grin stretching from ear to ear.

Talking to him was nice, soothing. He was witty and funny even over the phone, and I found myself not wanting to fall asleep. It became super late, and we had to call it quits before we'd show up to school like zombies.