Free Facade by Nyrae Dawn

you.” The girls shake; then she grabs Colt’s hand and does the same. My eyes don’t leave him and I see the strange look he gives her, the way his eyes study her, and I’m about to ask him what’s so fucking interesting when I realize it doesn’t matter. I have no say over how anyone looks at her.
    “She’s my doctor,” I tease, but when Delaney whips around to me, I hold up my hand to pretend that’s what I was talking about.
    Colt’s and Cheyenne’s stares are all becoming too much. They feel like pressure bearing down on me, making me want to take my backpacking trip even farther.
    My phone beeps and I wonder who it is. Want any excuse I can find to get out of here. To stop their stares and cut off the urge to tell her not to go back to work.
    “I’m out of here.” As I make a move to turn, Casper’s hand reaches out and latches on to my arm.
    “Wait. I need to talk to you.” She studies her hand on my arm like it’s a big deal that it’s there, and curiosity spikes inside me again, but then she’s pulling it away.
    “Come on, Tiny Dancer,” Colt whispers in Cheyenne’s ear. She shivers and I imagine making Delaney do the same thing. There’s nothing sexier than making a girl shiver.
    “Maybe we’ll see you around,” Cheyenne says to her.
    As they start walking away, Colt looks back. For the first time ever, he taps his finger against the side of his head like I do, like I’ve done to him a hundred times, especially where Cheyenne is concerned, before turning around.
    There’s nothing to know…
    “Please.” Delaney’s plea pulls my attention back to her.
    “You don’t have to beg,” I tell her.
    “That’s not what I mean. Please don’t say anything. Maddox will want me to quit and without a job, we can’t keep this apartment and I don’t… I can’t go home.”
    That’s what does it. The heartbreak in her voice and how it dances on her words and calls to something inside me that I don’t understand.
Dance with me,
it says, but I don’t do that and I won’t, so I take a step backward, knowing what I’m going to do and wanting to set the thought on fire.
    Wanting to burn or bury this need in me to know why she can’t go home.
    “I don’t even know your brother. Why in the hell would I tell him?”
    “Thank you… Adrian. I appreciate that.”
    I don’t let her finish before I’m walking away. I get in my car and drive. When I can’t drive anymore, I pull over. Grab my notebook and a pen.
    Maybe nothing.
    Playing
    Front yard
    Fine
    Screeching
    Maybe everything.
    Forgotten phone.
    Maybe nothing.
    Gun in her face.
    Maybe everything.
    She can’t go home.
    Maybe nothing.
    I can’t go either.
    Maybe everything.
    Ignoring my phone, I drive again. Go until it’s late at night and my car’s coasting along on fumes again. Ironic that I’m doing the same, but I can’t just pull into a gas station and fill up. Can’t find a quick stop to make my worries go away.
    When I’m not able to drive anymore, I pull into the diner.

Chapter Eight
~Delaney~
    We’ve been crazy busy and I’m thankful for it. Usually it’s nice to have a slow night, but being around people is somehow comforting. Actually, there’s no somehow about it. I know exactly what it is. It makes no sense that I didn’t think it would be scary to be back at work so soon, but it is. It’s not often a girl has a gun pointed at her. The whole time all I could think about was Maddox and Mom. What it would do to my brother to lose me and wonder who would help take care of our mother.
    I’m not sure he would.
    Leaning over the counter, I reach for more napkins for table three. My back is to the restaurant when a loud crash sounds from behind me. I jump, my heart taking the plummet to my feet as I whip around. When I do, I come face-to-face with Adrian.
    My hand flies to my chest as I let out a heavy breath.
    “It was just a plate,” he leans toward me and whispers in my ear. “A little harder to come back than