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,

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

he needed someone to talk to? He did not have many friends in Lake City. It would not

his voice cut through the silence.

hear the smile in his voice as he said, “Alright then. Sleep well.‘

line went

the silent phone, a bit lost, I shrugged it off and set it down

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

are

waiting for a reply because soon

I’m at a loss here. Can you try talking some sense into Mr.

me frown, and

he picked

the late call.” Inch’s voice