Facade of Love

Chapter 346 The Boy Left Behind in the Snow

I said okay and hung up without asking more about Alice’s accident.

I had not asked Idris or Mom how Alice got hurt. It was partly because I had my own stuff to deal with and also because I was not exactly close enough to Alice to be fussing over her. For some reason I could not quite put my finger on, I just did not feel comfortable around Alice. It was probably because we were just not close.

The house was quiet, the evening shadows creeping in as I headed back to my room for a bath. After a day spent shivering in the cold, sinking into the warmth of a hot bath was pure bliss. Wrapped in the comfort of my towel, my phone buzzed from where it lay at the foot of my bed. It was Charlie, I answered it to hear his deep voice. “Are you busy?”

I paused. “No. What’s going on?”

I could not see his face and could not guess what was behind his call, so I waited.

His voice was as smooth as ever. “I just noticed it’s snowing outside. I felt like calling you.”

His tone was hard to read, but something told me he was not in the best of spirits.

I tried to lighten the mood. “Snow’s a rare guest in Lake City. It’s pretty magical this year, Isn’t it?”

“Mhm.”

hummed a response, then

the clock. It was already ten. Fresh from my bath, sleepiness was setting in, and I wondered what made Charlie ring me up

needed someone to talk to? He did not have many friends in Lake City. It would not be right to just hang up

still hesitating, his voice cut through the

hear the smile in his voice as he said,

line went dead.

lost, I shrugged it off and set it down

I was cozied up in bed, phone in hand. I noticed a

are you asleep?]

for a reply because soon after,

so late, but I’m at a loss here.

text made me frown, and I

he picked up

Scott, sorry for the late call.” Inch’s voice was