“A couple of years ago, I got in trouble for hopping a rail that was three feet high,” Vaughn said when Jamie only stared Jason down. “Their security office is a mobile trailer that’s one loose screw from being condemned. We can get in.”
“We’ll get in trouble if we’re caught,” Jason continued to argue.
Realizing the longer we hesitated, the deeper the crap Ever found himself in, I said, “And our friend will get in trouble if we don’t try.” Turning on my heel, I started back for the carnival.
“Do you see anything?”
I was currently crouched on Vaughn’s shoulders, forgetting all about the dress I wore, and peering into the dirty window of the trailer Ever was being kept in. Pretty soon, the cops would arrive, and because of all the crap Ever had given them before, they’d have no trouble identifying him. I knew my insolent best friend well enough by now to know that he hadn’t told the security guards squat. Not even his name.
Looking around the rectangular room that was empty save for an old desk and several chairs pushed against the wall, I spotted my friend sitting in one of them. Ever’s hands were tied with plastic cuffs, and his eyes were closed, appearing perfectly relaxed as he leaned his head against the wall. With parents as rich as his, who foolishly bailed him out of trouble every time, I guess he had no reason to worry.
“I see him!”
“Is he alone?” Jamie questioned a little too casually. Rescuing Ever had been my idea, but now that we were actually doing it, I couldn’t keep my heart from racing. I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. Right now, they felt like one and the same.
“No. There’s a guard with him, but he looks bored. Distracting him should be a piece of cake.”
“Oh, really?” Jamie said. I heard the challenge in his voice long before I gazed down at him. He was standing close while Jason served as the lookout a few feet away. Before I could respond, his hands circled my waist and carefully pulled me from Vaughn’s shoulder. “Then work your magic,” he whispered as soon as my body was pressed against his.
I couldn’t quite catch my breath as I stared into brown eyes that always seemed so full. What was happening to me? I’d been crushing on Ever for weeks, but those feelings were nothing compared to what Jamie had done to me in a matter of days.
I heard a throat clear and then, “Uh, guys?”
Vaughn was watching us, and I could tell he was more than suspicious and just a little weirded out. Stepping away from Jamie, I made my way around the trailer, blocking out the sound of them whispering—more like arguing—as soon I was out of sight. When I reached the trailer door, I took a deep breath before knocking. Immediately, I heard chair legs scraping across the floor and then the fall of heavy feet growing louder. Seconds later, the door creaked as it swung open, revealing a bespectacled older man with kind eyes and a white bushy beard. He reminded me a little of Santa Claus except without the huge gut and the flying reindeer, of course.
Immediately, I knew what to say to draw him away from the trailer. “Hi, c-could you help me? I lost my p-parents, and some weird man keeps following me.”
“Oh, you poor thing!” he said, rushing down the short steps. “Come inside, where you’ll be safe while I check things out.” I began to panic when he ushered me inside the trailer and locked the door behind him before shuffling away.
Crap! Crap! Crap!
Now what?
“Bee?” I spun around at the sound of Ever’s voice. “What are you doing here?” he asked, sitting up with a frown.
“Well,” I huffed, planting my hands on my hips, “I was busting you out, but it looks like we’ll have to go to plan B.”
Despite being in handcuffs and a world of trouble, he flashed me a crooked smile. Seeing it, I waited for my heart to skip a beat as it had done so many times before, but there was nothing. Had I been cured or plagued by something much stronger?
“Which is?”
I have no idea.
Rushing to the window I’d peeked through moments ago, I quickly unlocked it, but when I tried to push it open, it wouldn’t budge. My frustration grew, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before the guard came back.
“I might be able to help you get that open if you untie me.”
Peering through the darkness outside, I saw the guard scanning the area with his flashlight. I just hoped the guys had hidden well enough. I grabbed the pair of scissors I’d spotted on the desk, then rushed over to Ever, who held up his hands. I looked for an opening, somewhere to cut the plastic, but they were so tight it would be impossible to free Ever without hurting him.
“Just do it,” he said, sensing the reason for my hesitation. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Forcing the sharp end of the scissors between the cuff and his hand, I cringed the moment his skin split and blood oozed from the wound. He hissed from the pain, so I quickly cut away the plastic, though it was tougher than it looked. Once the plastic gave, I did the next one, and in no time, Ever was free. He quickly stood from the chair, but our eyes widened the moment we heard footsteps approaching.
We made a break for the window. “You go first,” we both said at the same time.
I was shaking my head before he could argue. “If we’re caught, you’ll be in a lot more trouble than I will. You could go to juvie.”
With the same defiance that got us into this mess, he shrugged. “Then I’ll go to juvie. I’m not leaving you.”
“You will be if you get arrested, and then I’ll have to deal with your cousin all summer alone.” Ever had been refereeing us all week, and even though I was sure he was sick of it by now, he saw my point.
“Fine, but as soon as I’m through, I’m pulling you out. No exceptions.”
“Deal.”
Grabbing both sides of the window frame, he pulled himself up and over with ease. I wasn’t so sure it would be that easy for me. Even though we were the same height, Ever had way more upper body strength.
None of that mattered a moment later when the trailer door opened, and the guard stepped inside.
“I’m afraid there’s no one out there. How about we just give your parent’s a call?” The guard looked ready to say more until he noticed the empty chair where Ever had been and the plastic cuffs lying on the floor. “What the—where’d he go?”
Realizing I was the one to set Ever free, his face turned a tomato red. “Why, you little bitch.”
I took a step back and then two more when he charged toward me. Seeing the look in his eyes, I realized he wasn’t quite as nice as I’d thought. I searched for somewhere to run, but there was nowhere to go, and pretty soon, I was backed into a corner. He reached for me, and my heart squeezed painfully tight. As I wondered if I was having a heart attack, I heard something crack, and then his eyes widened. I’d just managed to jump out of the way when he toppled over.
And standing there, holding a tree branch of all things, was Jamie.
Oh, no no no… What had he done?
“Come on!” he said when I continued to stand there, staring at him through wide eyes. Taking my hand, he dragged me behind him out of the trailer and into the night. Ever, Jason, and Vaughn were all waiting for us outside. None of us stopped running until we reached our bikes, and then we pedaled as fast as we could all the way home.