Tempted Hearts (bxb)

Chapter 17 - Shooklock

"No, to the right a little more!" she whispered with frustration laced in her throat.

I nearly performed her iconic full-body eye roll as I took a small step to the right, my shoulders nearly giving in. "You know," I stopped to let out a small grunt, "This would be a lot easier if Jake was doing this instead."

Lilly let out a delirious laugh, and I could feel her losing her concentration slightly. "Jake's never on the bottom, Max," she teased, finally steadying her breathing and clasping onto the top of the garage's flat roof, her weight lifting off of me. I rubbed my shoulders back to health and swung my arms a little.

I still found it humorous that she had no idea that her brother was into boys, and more specifically, me.

"Jokes aside, a six-foot bodybuilder would have definitely been a more viable choice," I continued, dismissing her overly level-headed mindset within the situation. I was shitting myself while she seemed perfectly fine, as if entering a school at night or someone's house unpermitted was her Fri-daily task.

Out of all the crazy schemes Lilly had ever proposed, this was somehow not it. No, the craziest was most definitely the school. This was a close second, though. We stood outside Emily's home in the dead of night, Lilly now off of my shoulders and on top of the garage, with pretty clear intentions.

She took a look around from up top, staying in a crouched position so as to not be seen by any night-owl neighbours. Both of us were wearing our darkest black clothing, with hoodies and skinny jeans, which I was not happy about wearing, by the way. It was scorching hot on the way there, but the night seemed to cool down once we finally arrived, or maybe it was just the fear turning my body ice cold.

I watched from below as Lilly peered into the nearest window, she had to jump to get close to it, but it didn't seem like anyone was there. We'd previously seen Emily's mother fast asleep in the living room, and judging by the number of empty bottles surrounding her and the stories that Emily had told us, it didn't seem like she'd be waking up or moving anytime soon.

"Can you see anything?" I tried to project my voice while simultaneously keeping it down.

"No... it's way too fucking dark," she responded.

"I still can't believe you managed to talk me into this, this is definitely against the law."

Lilly's head then popped over the side of the garage roof and she looked down at me, her brown hair dangling all around her face. "We could potentially stop a murderer and save Emily if we manage to find anything in here. Her life just seems to have way too much to do with Charlie's, and you know what he's like," she went on.

"Now, get up here," she ordered, reaching her hand out as far as she could.

I jumped, missing her hand. "Oh come on, cheerleader." Her comment sent flashbacks of my days on the squad through my mind, when times were easier, less confusing... and less illegal.

My second attempt was successful as I grabbed her hand, but she let go just seconds later, causing me to fall to the grassy floor.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

I groaned slightly. "Yeah... I'm fine." I brushed the grass off of my spy uniform.

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Yeah, I'll just have to find another way in," I said, looking around the exterior of the house.

From what I could tell, she looked rather stumped, unable to think clearly with her primary task at the front of her mind. "Hey, I know we should have thought of this earlier..." she began, grasping my attention. "But maybe you should look around for a ladder?" She grinned sarcastically, awaiting my annoyed response as if I were about to say 'You couldn't have thought of that sooner?'.