“Jesus Truth spit it out. Is he having family problems or something?”
“Things with Avery are fine, thanks for asking.” Ruin stood in the doorway. He looked like hell. Purple smudges were under his eyes. Like he hadn’t slept for a week. “It’s Chelsea.”
My head snapped up at the mention of her name. Ruin rarely mentioned her in front of me, but then again why would he? He didn’t know I was totally infatuated with her. He still thought I saw her as a kid.
“Something happened to Chelsea?” I tried to keep my voice even and failed. Truth shot me a look.
“She’s fine, mum is just worried. Chelsea has been partying hard. Not going to classes… acting like…”
I finished for him. “Acting like you did at that age?”
He laughed. “Yeah, exactly that. But mums worried anyway. If Chelsea carries on she is going to flunk out.” He sighed. “If you don’t need me I might need to make a run down there and talk to her.”
Holding my hand up. I stared at him. “I will ring her. Have a quiet chat.”
“She’s my sister Wicked. I’ll talk to her.”
“Ruin she is part of this club. Whether she likes it or not she is one of us. If you phone her she will blow you off. And you know it.”
Every single person around the table nodded their agreement.
“You don’t think she will blow you off as well?”
Someone snickered. My brother maybe. I shot him a look.
“I can be pretty persuasive Ruin, she gives me any shit I will drive up to her fancy university and drag her back here until she sorts her head out.”
Dragging her back home sounded like a good plan to me. A really really good idea.
Not that I could dwell on that. We had business to discuss.
Namely finding Gent and Gemma. Who were still in the wind. It always amazed me how two people could totally disappear. But there what they had done.
But as soon as church was over, I would be phoning Chelsea. And I would keep phoning her until she picked up her damn phone and talked to me.
****
She didn’t pick up, not on the first call or even the sixth. It was on the seventh that I finally heard her voice for the first time in months.
She sounded sleepy like I had woken her up.
“Chelsea.”
“Wicked?” For a second she seemed surprised. “Why are you phoning? What’s happened?” Any sleepiness left her voice, making it become sharper. “Has something happened to Ruin?”
“Everyone is fine Chelsea. Stop freaking out.”
“Then why have you been calling Wicked?” Chelsea sounded bored. Like me calling her was taking up her precious time.
“Can’t I call you Chels? Just for a chat?”
Laughter spilt into my ear. “You have never once called me for a chat Wicked. Not in the years I have known you.”
“I’ve tried to ring you several times. You never pick up.”
“I’m kind of wishing I hadn’t this time either. Now tell me what you want Wicked. I need to get up and ready.”
Up and ready? It was three o’clock in the afternoon. She should have been in classes. “Where are you?”