Free Shadow Bound (Wraith) by Angel Lawson

it was pushing things under the rug.
    “Just talk. I don’t want fighting and crying and avoiding phone calls. Break up with him. Or don’t. Make things clear. It’s up to you. But avoiding him isn’t going to solve anything.”
    “Fine,” I said. I picked up my entire suitcase and dumped it all in the laundry basket before following her down the stairs.
    “He’s on the porch. He didn’t want to come inside in case you didn’t want to see him.” We stopped in the foyer. I hesitated by the door and she asked, “Do you want me to go with you?”
    “No. I’m okay.”
    She gave me a quick hug. “Growing up stinks.”
    I tried to smile, but couldn’t and just opened the door. Connor sat on the porch swing, rocking it back and forth with his long legs. He jumped up when he saw me.
    “Hey.”
    I did not reply.
    “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
    The purple bags under his eyes looked worse than before and his eyes were wide and intense.
    “I can’t believe you did that.”
    “It was stupid. Completely stupid. I don’t even know what I was doing.” He was being kind of weird. Hyper.
    “Right. Like tagging private property isn’t against the law. That carries serious jail time. I can’t believe you would risk everything for a rush.”
    I sat on the swing hoping he’d join me and calm down a little, but he continued pacing.
    “I’m serious, I didn’t know what was happening. One minute I’m drawing on my bed, and the next I’m being pushed face first into a brick wall. Ask the cops. I didn’t put up any kind of fight.”
    “What are you talking about? You expect me to believe you transported down there or something?” I started to laugh, even though there was nothing funny about this. “You know I’m open-minded, but I’m not dumb. It would have been nice if you had waited until after our trip.”
    He stopped pacing and kneeled before me, reaching for my hands which I crossed over my stomach.
    “I’m serious. I was on my bed. Sketching. My bag was packed. I went to bed early so I could get up and get down there. I didn’t want to waste another minute. Then I just got really inspired. This drawing. It was amazing. Wings and red and I couldn’t wait to show it to you. I admit it, I was planning on painting it down at the ruins when I got back, but not that night. And not on the side of some real estate office downtown. Trust me on that.”
    He ran his hands over his head, making his hair as wild as his eyes. “I want to,” I told him.
    “Then believe me.”
    We stared at one another for a minute and I considered just forgiving him. Telling him what he wanted to hear. Instead I said, “I know about the meds.”
    His back straightened. “What meds?”
    “Your meds. You aren’t taking them. And you haven’t been for weeks.”
    “How?” he narrowed his eyes. “You went through my stuff?”
    “God, Connor,” I said, jumping off the swing. “It’s not about how I found out. You can’t even deny it. Did you stop because of her? You did, didn’t you?” He opened his mouth, but I cut him off. “Don’t lie to me,” I said and he clamped it back shut before speaking.
    “I know she’s been trying to contact you. How? Because she told me when she showed up in my room the other night. I don’t know what she needs, but that girl isn’t finished with this side of the world.”
    That got his attention. “You saw her?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me? We had a deal. We tell each other when we see them.” The frantic look from before was turning increasingly manic.
    “Water tower,” I said.
    He whispered back, “Water tower.”
    “I was going to tell you. At the beach. Where you never showed because your skinny ass was locked up. Again.”
    “What did she say?”
    “Nothing of importance.”
    “Tell me. What did she say?”
    “Nothing. She was confused or lost or something. She said she couldn’t reach you, but you already know that. There’s no way she would come to