A hard tap sounds behind me and I blink, keeping my eyes on him a moment longer, before running for the front door.

Yanking it open, I muster a smile, swinging the keys in the air in faux enthusiasm, and set them in the questioning officer’s hand. The man at his side gives me a tight-lipped grin as if to apologize for his partner, and within ten minutes, they’re gone.

As soon as the lock is clicked in place, I take a settling breath, flattening my palm against my forehead.

I head out back, but Ransom is gone.

Staring at the still locked gate at the far side of my yard, I lean against the frame, confusion bringing a frown to my face.

I may not have realized it right away, but he saved my ass last night in a big way, and again just now.

He went out of his way and he did it without my asking, without reason and for zero gain. I pretty much depreciated the situation and still he pushed me to go, as if it was his place, as if compelled.

What’s most troubling, though, is the crestfallen look in his eyes, as if it killed him to do as he did. He tried to hide it behind anger and frustration, but I saw it.

Why did you have to go and help me, Ransom Rossi?

My shoulders seem to fall on their own, a long sigh leaving me.

Opening my palm, I run my finger over the golden J key chain my mom gave me for my birthday.

Shit, my mom!

I head back to my room to grab my phone, so I can let her in on what happened with my car, or the version the police provided me with.

I plan to talk to Ransom at school this afternoon, but I don’t get the chance, because he isn’t there.

None of the three are.

Not today, or the rest of the week.

It shouldn’t bother me that I don’t know where they are or why they stay gone, so I tell myself it doesn’t.

Chapter 10

When Scott said wear white, I thought it was his way of being an ass and letting me in on how he connected the dots from the little ‘devil’ and ‘blank canvas’ nonsense at lunch on the first day of school, as if I hadn’t noticed then.

Sitting here at the party, however, I now know it was simply his way of being ominous, leaving me to assume his true meaning—a purposeful mind twister, or it would be, for someone who cared enough to obsess over it.