I curled my legs up in the library armchair. “They have more food in the kitchen. I think. If you want any.”
Kai shrugged and plopped down on a chair next to the gramophone, opposite me. “I ate this morning.”
I smiled. “How did you get here?” I asked, almost in awe. “I thought no one could get past the wall?” Kai gave me one of his crooked grinns. “I snuck out. It involved a rabid dog and twenty ducks, but that’s about the gist of it.”
I laughed. “Now that’s a story i’ve got to hear.”
The library door opened, and Gwen stepped in, immediately freezing in her tracks.
“What-”
I held out a hand. “Guinevere, come sit with us!”
Gwen smiled and plopped down on the floor. “I can’t believe you're here!” she said, bubbling over with excitement. “How did you get past the wall?” he put his hands up, as if to say, it’s a long story.
Gwen grabbed a pancake and stuffed it in her mouth. “So how is everyone? Are my parents still fighting?”
“Oh, all the time, but Jen says its nothing to worry about.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “What does jen know.”
“How’s my dad?” i asked eagerly.
“He’s okay. A little worse, but okay.”
I twisted my skirt. “Has he asked for me?”
Kai hesitated. “Yes. all the time. My mom’s looking after him right now, but as soon as I told him i was coming to see you guys, he looked ready to hop up and come with me.”
I looked down, and a heavy silence fell over us.
“How’s baby Richard Evans?” Gwen asked finally. Kai brightened, glad for a change in subject. “Oh he’s great- such a sweet little thing. I went over to see them one day, and he had pumpkin seeds all over his face.”
“Ugh, what a little monster!” Gwen giggled. “I’m never having kids so long as I live!”
I tilted my head. “Never is a long time.”
“not for me!”
I smiled. It felt so good to be with my friends again.
Gwen tapped her foot, an old impatient habit she had yet to let go of. “So, I heard Emma and Leo are dating. How’s that holding up?”
I snorted. “With Emma’s sense of faithfulness? Not so good, I bet.” Kai nodded, confirming my statement. “Better than expected of them, but not great.”
“Okay, how about the lists? I herd most girls were freaking out when they got theirs.”
“Yeah, Patricha got Cooper West as her top match, of all people.”
“I think I got him, too.” i recalled.
Kai opened his mouth to respond, when something went thump. The three of us looked up, but I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
“Probably, a book just fell or something.” Gwen said, stuffing her face.
I frowned and stood up. “I’ll go re-shelve it.”
Each stair creaked as I walked up to the second landing. Each footstep resounded on the polished tile as I made my way to the third. I felt sick.
I reached the shelf where the sound had come from, and rested a hand on it’s wood frame. I took a quick, deep breath, and stepped around to the other side.
Their was a lump of fabric, which shifted to reveal the face of a boy. He screamed, and i screamed right back.
I leapt back, knocking into the shelf opposite me. My heart pounded in my eardrums, and the boy scrambled to his feet.
It was Dioval.
“Please,” he whimpered, reaching for my hands. “You have to help me!”
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