Ten Tiny Breaths - Excerpt

Ten Tiny Breaths - Chapter Three

stage two

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DENIAL

THREE

I wander half-asleep into the kitchen to find Livie and Mia at the little dining table, playing Go Fish.

"Good morning!" Livie sings.

"Good morning!" Mia mimics.

"It's like eight a.m.," I mutter as I grab the generic jug of OJ I splurged on the other day from the fridge.

"How was work?" Livie asked.

I take a giant gulp right from the container. "Shit."

There's a sharp gasp and I find Mia's short finger stabbing the air in my direction. "Kacey just said a naughty word!" she whispers.

I cringe as I catch Livie's unimpressed glare. "I get one, okay?" I say, looking for a way to excuse myself. I'll have to watch my language if Mia's going to be hanging around.

Mia's head cocks to one side, likely considering my logic. Then, given any good five-year-old's limited attention span, my heinous infraction is quickly forgotten. She smiles and announces, "You guys are coming over for brunch. Not breakfast and not lunch."

Now it's my turn to glare at Livie. "Are we now?"

Lowering her brow, Livie gets up and comes to my side. "You said you'd try," she reminds me in a low whisper so Mia doesn't overhear.

"I said I'd be nice. I didn't say I'd swap muffin recipes with the neighbors," I respond, trying hard not to growl.

I get an eye roll. "Stop being dramatic. Storm's cool. I think you'd like her if you'd stop avoiding her. And all other living creatures."

"I'll have you know I've graciously served over a thousand cups of coffee this week to living creatures. Some questionable ones, too."

Crossing her arms, Livie's glare dissipates, but she doesn't say anything.

"I'm not avoiding people." Yes, I am. Everyone, including Barbie. And Dimples next door. Definitely him. I'm sure I've spotted his lean frame watching out the window as I came home at night a few times, but I ducked my head and sped past, my insides constricting at the thought of seeing him face-to-face again.

"Really? 'Cause Storm sure thinks you are. She came out to talk to you the other day, and you rushed into the apartment like lightning before she could say 'hi.' "

I hide behind another sip of juice. Busted. I totally did that. I heard her door unlock and the beginnings of a "Hello, Kacey," and I hurried to shut our apartment door.

"I am like lightning. Lightning Girl has a nice ring to it," I say.

Livie watches as I scan the meager contents of our fridge and my stomach protests with a perfectly timed growl. We agreed to spend as little as possible until I earned a paycheck or two so we've been living off store-brand cereal and bologna sandwiches for more than a week. Given that I need more calories than the average twenty-year-old to function, this diet left me sluggish. I guess offering to feed us earns Storm at least five points in the potential friend bank.

My tongue slides over my top teeth. "Fine."

Livie's face brightens. "That's a yes?"

I shrug, acting nonchalant. Inside, panic is rising. Livie's getting too attached to these people. Attachments are bad. Attachments lead to hurt. I make a face. "As long as she's not making bologna."

She giggles, and I know it's more than my lame joke. She knows I'm trying, and that makes her happy.

I change the subject. "How's your new school, by the way?" I'd worked the afternoon shift all week so we haven't communicated at all, besides exchanging a few kitchen-counter notes.