The cops had stopped even trying to put up fences before I could drive.

I cut the engine and clicked off my headlights, bathing everything in darkness other than the moonlight above.

The full moon hung in the sky like a searchlight that had lost its way.

Gravel crunched under my feet as I walked to the edge.

Cranes hung over the edge of the quarry pit, over the water down below. No one knew exactly how deep it was. Twenty feet? Fifty feet? A hundred feet? Or maybe it was bottomless.

All the hope and plans I had for the future had been shoved straight out of my head by a busted-up semi parked at the end of my street. Even though I’d be gone in a few months, sometimes it felt like he’d haunt me forever, standing over me with a drunken smile, telling me to stop my bitching.

At least I was still breathing. The stillness of the night roared in my ears.

I walked to the edge of the rusted, formerly-yellow crane most people jumped from. The paint was reduced to flecks that would disappear within a year. With my arms out at my sides, I stepped onto the metal. The twang of metal on metal rubbing reminded me of Bay sitting on her couch, playing for me.

I froze one step from crossing from the safe ground to the precipice of darkness.

Headlights flooded over me. I glanced over my shoulder.

A beat-up ride pulled up next to my car.

Knox popped out of his window, sitting on the door through the window opening. He drummed on his roof. “I knew I’d find you here. Have you lost your mind? Do that shit after next week. Get your ass in your fucking car.”

A laugh broke free from my chest. Leave it to Knox not to let me get away with losing my mind.

I got in my car and followed him to his place.

Both his parents’ cars were parked out front. They were pristine S-Class Mercedes, which looked even more untouchable next to Knox’s car. They’d made him work for his car, and that was what he could afford.

Knox’s parents were probably some of the nicest people there were, but I wasn’t up for being on my best behavior tonight.

“Not feeling up to playing, Mr. Polite?”

I shoved my hands into my pockets and lifted my chin.

“It’s cool. Let’s go.” We went around the side of the house and took the stairs down to the basement. He ran up the basement steps and his feet thudded overhead like he was trying to jump through the floor.

The smells of cheese, tomato, oregano and spicy meat wafted down the stairs before he even opened the basement door.

He slid the oversized pizza onto the table. “It’s Antonio’s. They ordered an extra pie.” Had this asshole called them on the drive over? He was the best kind of pain in the ass.