Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Alyssa

Tina paused her pacing to look at me, twisting a shirt in her hands. "Is he a good kisser?"

"Is grass green?" I rolled over onto my stomach on Tina's bed and smiled, fingering my lips at the memory of kissing David. "He's awesome. Seriously, like, indescribable." I sighed.

Tina rolled her eyes upwards but smiled, and then returned to pacing back and forth through her room as she packed in preparation for her move. Watching her, I realized that it didn't matter what I tried—there was no winning formula for helping her. Now that she was safe from Mr. Tinsley, I thought everything would be better, but no. Saving her meant losing her, and she seemed eager to leave.

Tina must have started packing as soon as she agreed to go. The room was already sparse, barely recognizable as she filled the boxes placed across the floor and dressers.

We'd been in her bedroom for almost forty-five minutes, and not once since my arrival had she paused to just talk. While she packed the drawers from the dresser in her closet, we talked about her new school, and then we talked about Mr. Tinsley—if that was his real name—while she packed her stuffed animals, which seemed to be in an endless supply. Still, she never told me the truth about what he did. Now, as we talked about David and the fact that I was no longer grounded, she alternated between packing her clothes, organizing her make-up, and filling a small bag of essentials she'd need before unpacking when they arrived at wherever the hell it was they were going.

"I can't believe how fast this happened," she said.

"What? You moving? It's pretty crazy." I sighed.

I didn't want to feel sad, but if death wasn't my end, I would really miss her. Again, that was if I managed to somehow survive—there was serious doubts floating in my head about the possibility. No matter how many times it happened, or how many ways Death came, it would always come as a surprise.

She paused for a moment to look at me, then continued to pack. "I meant with you and David. I've been gone what? Two days?"

"It's been three days, actually." Three days this time, but whatever was between us had been building for weeks.

At least for me, silently.

Tina threw scarves into a box, paused as though she was counting in her head, and then sat down beside me on the bed to take her first break. She pulled her legs under her and held my gaze, her eyes narrowing. "You really like him?"

"That's... Yeah. I do."

Smiling, I rolled onto my side and started to finger the threading of her bedspread. Last night had been amazing. I loved watching him experience things for the first time, even though he spent more time making me wish we were alone than playing games. The darkened corners of arcades would never look the same to me, though, and the bridge... Well, on the list the of top one hundred things I'd been able to do so far, that was pretty much number one.

Could he top it?

I hoped so.

Sighing, I flopped onto my back. "It's like I've known him longer than I have, and I can't explain it. My body tingles when he's close, you know?" I waved my hand and then pulled myself up to sitting. Dropping my hands into my lap, I took a deep breath, and added, "It's too much too soon, I know, but I don't care." I looked up to find her watching me with a small smile. "Am I crazy?"

Tina pinched her lips together and nodded. "Yes."

I leaned back and groaned. "Tell me what you really think."

She laughed and nudged my leg, urging me to look back to her. "I'm glad that he makes you feel like this, and no, you are not crazy. You're happy, which is never too soon." She patted my hand and got back up to pack. "I'm glad that you'll have him after I move."