Chapter 14

I was serious before: I couldn't allow fear to dictate my life. That's why I didn't let that address bother me. Because when you think about it... maybe everything that happened was just a big mind game. Maybe it was all lies, tricks, and bluffs – including this address. Peter, Jamie, and now apparently Famine knew where I lived. Yet here I was, still alive and well. So even if I couldn't trust him or both Ellison brothers... I should try to not be intimidated by them. There needs to be some bite to a bark, right guys?

That mindset allowed me to have a stress-free and exciting time the next day. Jamie has talked up this stupid junkyard so many times that my hopes were high. I even tried dressing nice (for a junkyard anyway) to really lay on the pressure: with jeans, a blue camisole, and a matching belt. He exceeded my high standards though. For a junkyard... it was pretty damn fun. It was only because of Jamie though. Him and his 6 fucking cartons of eggs he carried in a plastic bag.

The junk yard was a big field of – you guessed it – junk. There was metal drums, random household stuff, iron machinery, and a few puddles of broken glass too. Moss grew on the rows and rows of old cars and car parts. Towards the back was a massive pile of tires. There had to be hundreds of tires; it loomed higher than anything else. Yet, the white store building situated near the busy road up front didn't look abandoned. Made me wonder if this was still a working business.

"You're sure this is okay?"

"Technically no. We just hopped through a cut in the fence and trespassed."

"Yeah, but I mean this is all abandoned, right?"

"Yes, don't worry, I'm telling you this place has been out of business for years."

Remember that. Out of business for years. His fucking words, everybody.

Honestly, it did seem that way. It was 3:00 in the afternoon and there was nobody around. Jamie should know too; he and his friends sometimes hang out here. I didn't understand the hype though... until we rounded the huge tire mountain.

We were suddenly in homeless paradise – and it was so cool. I never imagined being impressed by trash... but color me fucking impressed. The clutter had been pushed aside, acting almost as walls to this hang-out spot. Against the back fence was a broken and cushion-less couch and some random chairs. Next to them were tables (upside-down buckets). Some held a few empty beer bottles; one supported a broken lamp, which was just hilarious. There was even a rusty chain that was strung like garland along the back fence. It was all so silly, but so creative and fun too.

"This is awesome. Like truly kickass," I said before smirking up to where he stood next to me. "Not sure if I should be worried though. I'm starting think you're homeless."

"You think I live here, huh?"

"It would make sense. You have no job and you spend your money carelessly," I teased

"Carelessly?"

"Yeah. You bought the jumbo eggs."

"Well, a stud like me can afford the few extra cents. And for your information toots, this is my summer cottage. It's okay to admit you're just jealous."

"That's definitely it," I laughed.

Wandering into his fortress, I noticed something else. Across from the furniture was the back of the mountain of rubber – and this fort's main attraction. One tire stood out near the peak of the 30 foot-high mountain. It was nailed up-right with a make-shift target board attached to it. Which I realized was where the eggs came in.

Jamie set the cartons down on one of the bucket tables. Then, judging the target, he drew a line in the dirt with a thin metal pipe. "Here, this is a good spot for young rookies like yourself. When you're a pro, you can throw from all the way back there," he said, pointing towards the couch against the fence.

"Should I go back there then and you stay here?"

"Says the chick with zero experience in egg sports," he scoffed, handing me an egg.

Eyeing up the high spray-painted target on the tire, I stepped up to the dirt line. Then, I did my best and chucked the egg. Damn it. Missed. I threw it too high and it shot over the mountain towards the rest of the junkyard. Hey, at least it wasn't a wimpy throw.

I nodded in thought, as if that was intentional. "Good, now I can gage how high it is."

"Uh-huh." With a cocky smile, Jamie playfully nudged me aside. When he threw his egg, he hit the target almost dead on. "See? Pro-fess-ion-al!"

"Not sure if that's something to brag about."

Yes, guys. Literally, that is what we did. We threw eggs at a tire-target on top of a tire mountain. After a few more throws, I'm both ashamed and proud to say I started kicking his sorry ass too. Even got two bullseyes! It was insanely fun – and something I had to give Jamie props for. Not sure who else can say they've ever come up with something this off-the-wall.

"You are definitely one of a kind," I smiled, observing him as he took his turn.

He cocked a teasing brow at me. "You are obsessed with me, aren't you?"

"Um, bitch, 'one of a kind' isn't always a compliment," I teased before continuing more seriously. "No, it's just... this is quite a place and quite a creative sport."

"It impresses the chicks too."

"Wow. Well, I would love to see the type of girls you pick up," I chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sure you would," he said with teasing blue eyes as we switched places.

"So, how often do you and your friends (and the masses of chicks you pick up) come here?" I threw my egg and missed by a few inches.

"Every once in a while. It's more my place than anything," he said more seriously.

"Yeah, I remember you mentioned you had a lot of casual friends. Nobody you really are super close with though, huh?"

"Naw, but I don't mind. It's fun hanging out with different people all the time," he shrugged. "It keeps things fresh and interesting. I know a lot of people; it's not like I get tired of them. People have lives, other things going on. But it's also fun meeting different people and experiencing different personalities. That's why I asked you to hang out."

Jamie truly was a unique individual. For how easy-going he was on the surface, I was realizing just how complex he was. Who else just makes friends with a random stranger? So forwardly I mean. He first asked me to hang out after very little interaction. Since then, we have hung out a lot – and I became a close friend of his very quickly. It was refreshing, but quite telling honestly.

We were a lot alike. He was a free-spirit who loved to live life and not get too serious. But he didn't want to get too serious because of all the serious things he already had to deal with. It made me wonder just how lonely he really was. The man had so many friends, but nobody he was especially close with. Plus, it's not like he had an easy life. Last night, he shared with me this dark obligation with people he wanted nothing to do with. It was something he didn't share or talk about a lot either. And beyond our constant trash talking and jokes, he was a genuinely grounded person. One that made me feel like I wasn't just a regular random friend.

Thanks to everything going on, I was scared of trusting anyone. But I wanted to trust him – and would choose to trust him. From the first time we hung out, I had a gut-feeling that he was a good person I could put my faith in. Which was something I had a hard time doing myself.

"Well, if that's why you wanted to hang out, it sounds like you're the one obsessed with me," I said in a nonchalant voice, pushing my shoulder against his to nudge him aside. I couldn't help but then turning to smile up to him. "Though I'll admit I've never been bored while with you."

He smiled sweetly down to me. "And you never will."

Smiling to myself,  turning back to the tire mountain, I grabbed another egg. "I'm curious what else you have in store for me then. Because this is some ghetto shit we're doing," I laughed.

"I'm sure this is more fun than your date with my brother though," he teased.

Ugh, great. I was wondering when he was going to give me shit for that. After throwing another egg, I plopped down in a stool a few feet away. "Trust me, it wasn't a date."

"Yeah? What was it then?" he teased as he took his turn in front of me.

"Well, your married brother even said it was just dinner and not a date. Didn't even feel close to a date," I mumbled. "It was pretty weird. I couldn't even believe he asked me."

"I can't believe you agreed," he said, hitting the target with another egg.

"Well, I just wanted to get some answers out of the guy. Which didn't work. I don't even know why he wanted to have dinner with me."

"Trust me, I gave him a hard time about that. Told him he was trying to rob the cradle with how much older he is," he chuckled, turning to face me. "Hell, I'm still giving him shit over it. He never invites a girl over."

"Really?"

"Yeah, especially one he doesn't like," he laughed.

"Exactly. That's why I'm confused about the whole thing."

"If it makes you feel better, I tried prying answers out of him, but I still have no idea what he wants with you. Peter can be so tight-lipped. But I think he might be just embarrassed I found out about the five-star chicken dinner he made for you. By the way, I finished off all the leftovers and it was pretty good for how little he cooks."

Cocking a brow, I chuckled. "Are you sure you had the leftovers? Because we had steak, not chicken."

He froze for a small moment, but quickly scoffed. He acted as if he misspoke – and was quick to move on. I thought nothing of it at the time. But as I would eventually learn... that innocent mistake in memory was a subtle arrow pointing to something much larger.

"Oh right, steak, that's what I meant. Anyway, you should feel honored. He hates cooking." Jamie moved back over to the box to grab another egg. "So Miss Josephine... want to see how far and fast I can throw? I bet I can hit the building from here."

"There's no way. That's too far. Plus, you would have to not suck at throwing," I teased, standing and peaking around the mountain to the building up front and in the distance. I could only see part of it thanks to the rows of junk and cars.

Sure enough, Jamie proved me very wrong. Moving to an opening where the building was in sight, I watched him wind up and whip the egg through the air. And I mean he fucking whipped it, guys! I was stunned by the distance and speed when I squinted and watched it explode against the back of the building.

I was also stunned by the voices that followed. Were there people there? Jamie heard too and after getting a better view, we could see a few cars outside the building. And a few people too. You know... as if this was an operating place!

The smashed egg drew some attention, and before we could duck and move out of sight, a man spotted us and yelled something. Wasn't sure what since he was across the entire lot, but from his tone, it was anything pleasant or nice.

"You fucking said this place was abandoned," I snickered, pulling him out of sight.

"It is whenever I've come here before," he shrugged.

We heard a more voices, and they were coming closer. "Well come on, let's go, clueless," I said, darting to the back fence.

"Wait, I need my eggs since I spent so much on them."

"Oh shut up," I smiled, stepping up on the couch and swinging a leg over the top of the fence.

Snagging the remaining eggs, Jamie followed and we climbed down the other side. Then, we ran into the trees for cover, staying as quiet as possible (which was difficult because it was hard not laughing). We quickly moved through the woods before rounding up to the road where he parked his truck. You better believe it too when I say I snagged the bag and pelted him with a few eggs on the way. The look of betrayal and shock was priceless – and so worth him locking me out of his truck for about 15 minutes as he laughed at me. He even pretended to leave my ass there by pulling away a few times before. So I would say were even, folks.

Though we didn't do anything too rebellious, it was still thrilling. It made me feel more comfortable again in the world. I stayed more present and didn't dwell on things I couldn't control.

However, I almost wished my confidence would have stayed dead. I should have stayed hiding inside. At least until after the Zack and Bryce's party....