Big City Villain | BOOK ONE

Chapter Twenty-Two: I Can't Tell You.

Coal's P.O.V.:

I left the hospital as quickly as I could. Taking my phone out of my back pocket, I dialed Charlie's number and waited rather impatiently for him to answer.

"What do you want, Coal?" his voice asked. I closed my eyes, remembering that weird conversation earlier about us not being best friends anymore. You see, when I say he's not my best friend anymore, I'm never serious, but Charlie never jokes about it, he's always dead serious on this subject.

"Is Elora there with you?" I asked quickly, cutting to the chase.

"Yeah, we're on our date right now. What do you want, Coal?"

"Give her the phone."

There was a sigh from Charlie, but then a muffled sound as the phone was handed to someone else. "Hey, Coal!" Elora said, sounding forced happy on the other line.

I hung up without saying a word. Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I stomped my way back home. Except, my feet took me elsewhere, and I found myself again on my favorite edge of the brick building.

I was beyond annoyed. Elora has an alibi, a rather airtight alibi and it's frustrating because I can't break it no matter which angle I looked it over. But maybe it isn't her. Maybe City Sweeper is hiding right under my nose. But then again, I did not ask where they were. And my pride was keeping me from calling Charlie to see where they were. It's not like it matters, they're probably at McDonald's or something.

My thoughts slowed as the music changed. This time I remembered my headphones and something like a slow love song was playing. All Of Me by John Legend, I think. It only caused my mood to further sour. Benny and Betty have always been the 'it' couple, and now I'm third wheeling with my best friend and his girlfriend. Oh wait, I'm not his best friend anymore.

I would have skipped the song, but according to Pandora, I've used up all my skips eighteen horrible songs ago. My life just increasingly gets more and more amazing, doesn't it?

"Shouldn't you be at home, Headphones?"

I turned around to find Molly, or rather Storm, standing behind me. I frowned. "And yet you never report me. What's with that?"

Her exposed cheeks slightly reddened and she averted her eyes as she walked up to me. "I've always believed you about that girl Sophie Daley. I don't think it's your fault."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Well, then you're the first."

Storm looked me up and down, her gray eyes trailing along my arms, shoulders, neck and finally up to my face. "You work out."

Um. How do you respond to that? I flexed my muscles and grinned wide. "Checking me out, Storm? Like what you see?"

Storm's face only reddened even more as a blush spread across her face and down her neck. She cleared her throat and quickly looked away. "Wow, do you ever get over yourself?" She shook her head but handed me a note. "Found this on my window earlier."

I frowned and took it. "You already show-" A frog in my throat caused me to clear my throat loudly. "You already showed your dad?"

"No. He's on duty tonight."

"Well, you should. Why do you think I would care?"

She took it back quickly and stuffed it into one her many hidden pockets. "You just seem to know a lot about City Sweeper."