27. Relic

Chapter twenty-seven

Relic

A gainst her wishes, I drove Macie all the way home because, after the night she'd had, there was no way I could allow her to drive those two blocks. She fainted after she told us that one of the people involved came back. I caught her before she hit the ground, and while she returned to consciousness in less than a heartbeat, her body and mind were done.

If her parents found out I drove, I told her to say she was tired and asked me to drive to be safe. She gave me a glare, but her silence was her acceptance. Luckily, I pulled up her driveway without incident, and not tempting fate, I swiftly blended into the night. The plan in my head was to walk home, sleep for a few hours, then take Lyra's car in the morning to pick up Camila from Demarius', but I had yet to make it farther than the empty lots of Macie's neighborhood. I sat on the curb and stared at the stars for two hours, my mind full, my heart heavy, my brain confused.

Someone came back. Nobody returned to the scene of a crime, and no one ever returned to the scene of a potential murder after a carjacking. Not even to save someone's life, but I was sure as hell grateful they did. If they hadn't, Macie would have died, and I shuddered at the idea.

The carjackers knew Macie, so odds were they were our age, but returning to the scene? They had to be green. I had never jacked a car a day in my life, never did anything more than pick some pockets for cash when I was a kid under Eric's supervision, and Dumpster dive for electronics as I got older, but even I knew what rules you broke and what rules you upheld when doing dirty deeds. Returning? Helping? Calling the police yourself? That wasn't shit anyone did, and that jacked me up hard in the head.

Someone green.

Someone not yet completely hardened.

Someone who still understood guilt and had a conscious.

Did people like that still exist?

Obviously, they did, and Macie was living proof.

My cell buzzed and I hoped to hell it wasn't Camila wanting me to pick her up because I was going to have some major logistical issues if that was the case. Instead, my head tilted at the surprise of Macie: You still up?

Me: Yup. I thought you'd be knocked out by now. Long day and all.

Macie: I thought so, too. I took a long shower, drank some tea, but when I got into bed, I couldn't stop my brain.

Me: I get that. How can I help?

Macie: Talk to me?

Me: Call if you want or we can text. Either works. You have a recent yearbook?

Macie: Yes to the yearbook. Why?

Me: Can I borrow it?

Macie: Yes.

I stared at my phone and thought about why I hadn't left her neighborhood yet, and it had everything to do with how awful she looked tonight. I wanted to see her again and make sure she was okay. Me: Can I come get it now? I'm in the vacant lot area.

Macie: You haven't made it home yet? It's been two hours!

I could practically feel her shouting the words, and that made me smirk. Marsh was on his way to pick me up but got sidetracked. All lies, but falsehoods were easier than the truth. I was about to walk home. Yes or no. Your call.

I watched the three buttons fade in and out for what felt like an eternity, then the magic happened. Yes. Come to the doors of the walkout basement in our backyard. I'll meet you there.