“
Can you go on that, or what
?”
she asked, nodding towards the table. Kaylee rolled her eyes.
“
Right, well, bye
,”
Andrew muttered as he left for the living room and the firema
n’
s pole that still transverse the three levels of the old station, landing on the floor of the garage.
“
Bye, Drew
,”
Kaylee called before yelling out in pain
.“
Ouch! Emma, do
n’
t pinch
!
”
“
Can you
?”
she asked, pointing to the pile. Jack was laughing quietly, looking as though he was trying to keep himself from doing so and failing miserably.
“
No, I ca
n’
t, okay? Yo
u’
re so rude
!
”
“
Yo
u’
re my sister
,”
Emma retorted
.“
You ca
n’
t be rude to siblings, they just have to get over it
.
”
“
I do
n’
t know who taught you that logic bu
t
—”
“
Will you just knock already
!
”
“
Fine
!”
Kaylee all but shouted as she rapped hard on the table. Her knuckles felt the sting but she held in her wince knowing it would only make Emma laugh even harder. Jack, on the other hand, had no qualms about laughing at her anyway. He was nearly doubled over. Kaylee thought it was a bit of an over-reaction.
I
t’
s not that funny.
Emma whooped as soon as Kaylee knocked out of her turn and threw her last card, a two, unto the pile
.“
I win
!”
she declared. Jack continued chuckling even as he threw his last pair, nines, after Emm
a’
s.
“
And
I’
m second again
,”
he added unnecessarily.
Even more unnecessarily Kaylee spoke
.“
Yeah, yeah, last. I know
.”
She had lost five out of seven hands. She was getting used to it by now.
“
Believe it or not
,”
Jack said, pushing up from the table and stretching
.“
I
t’
s really not as much fun with only three players. Do you both want to head into the living room an
d
—”
“
Actually, I think
I’
ll head to the roof
,”
Emma interrupted, gathering the worn cards and shoving them in her back pocket
.“
See if Quinto
n’
s up there
.”
She rushed for the stairs and Kaylee heard her take them two at a time.
“
Did I say something
?”
Jack asked, looking bewildered at her abrupt departure
.“
Or was that her subtle way of giving us some alone time
.
”
Kaylee rolled her eyes. It was not the first suggestive comment Jack had made to her. It was part of the reason he annoyed her so frequently, with his overt and ridiculous lines that were so over the top and embarrassing. It was also part of the reason Andrew disliked him, or so Emma thought.
“
No, you were your normal charming self
,”
she answered dryly.
“
Right, obviously
,”
he said, nodding towards the living room and indicating Kaylee should follow him. She did, for lack of anywhere better to be
.“
But normally Emm
a’
s not too turned off by my charm
.
”
“
I
t’
s not you
,”
Kaylee sighed, crossing the threshold to the living room and folding herself unto one end of the couch
.“
I
t’
s the living room. Emma does
n’
t come in here
.
”
For as tough as Emma was, she could
n’
t stand to be in the living room. It offered the best view to their old home and her father was seen all too often staring out the window. Kaylee knew what he would see. Mom. Emma could
n’
t stand the sight.
“
Because o
f
…
”
Jack trailed off but nodded out the window towards the high rise. Kaylee jerked her head up towards him, surprised he understood so quickly, and nodded
.“
Poor kid
,”
Jack murmured, his eyes still faraway out the window. He turned from it and sat next to Kaylee on the couch.
“
You know
,”
he started after a comfortable moment of silence
.“
Yo
u’
re an awfully hard girl to get on her own
.
”
“
I am
?”
Kaylee asked, surprised. She had
n’
t realized he had been trying.
“
Andrew seems to have quite a hold on you
.
”
She stiffened under what felt like an accusation
.“
I
t’
s just a small building. And i
t’
s very crowded at the moment
.”
Jack laughed under his breath.
“
True
,”
he murmured and then his demeanor brightened. Kaylee eyed him suspiciously
.“
Want to get out
?
”
She laughed
.“
Oh sure
!
”
“I’
m serious. I
t’
s dark
,”
he continued, turning towards her and grabbing her hand
.“
Le
t’
s go for a walk
.
”
Kaylee drew her hand back. Her palm felt sweaty, not at all expected in this season, and she was suddenly nervous
.“
My dad would pitch a fit
,”
she offered as a weak excuse to say no.
“
Good thing he stays locked in his room and barely notices a thing then
.”
Jack grabbed her hand again and stood, tugging her with him. Kaylee frowned but followed as he pulled her to the fire pole.
“
I do
n’
t know, Jack
,”
Kaylee murmured hesitantly, staring at the pole. She very rarely left the building, just twice a week to pick vegetables when they were in season and even then her father and Andrew were watching her until she got inside the chain link fence. Kaylee was pretty sure Andrew had a rifle and ammunition put aside for those nights.
“
Do
n’
t you get at all frustrated staying locked up here like a little kid
?
”
Her eyes flashed as she spun on him, teeth grit in anger. But he merely grinned and rolled his eyes.
“C’
mon, ladies first
,”
he said with a gentle push to Kayle
e’
s lower back. She shifted away from him.
Why is it I let him talk me into things?
Kaylee half-mused, half-scolded herself as she gripped the cool pole. He chuckled at her hesitation and she grit her teeth as she glared at him before she slid to the garage. Kaylee thought Andrew and Bill might see them and attempt to stop her, but they were engrossed in the entrance door. She could hear the hiss of the blowtorch as they fused the old, metal door to the cracking frame.
Jack followed her silently and metal screeched as he pulled back an old car hood that Andrew and Bill had fashioned to block the back exit. Kaylee shifted nervously as she watched him, half hoping Andrew would hear and coming running to forbid her to leave. She blinked in surprise before scoffing at the thought.
When exactly did I lose my backbone? Forbid me? What am I, some weak, useless mess?
She did
n’
t remember always feeling so pathetic and helpless. She did
n’
t remember ever feeling so reliant on Andrew to dictate her future. And she was
n’
t sure she liked the feeling.
“
Coming
?”
Jack asked, smirking, as he looked her over from the now open doorway. With only a small, quick glance back, Kaylee steeled herself and walked past him into the cool night air.
Kaylee felt a momentary surge of panic that she displaced with a quickly drawn breath. Jack stepped out around her and moved easily into the street. He had to walk around a huddled mass on the pavement, but it did
n’
t seem to bother him.
“
Jack, that you
?
”
“I’
m going for a walk
,”
Jack answered Quinto
n’
s rough bark of a question. Though Quinton was on the rooftop, he spoke in a volume one would use when speaking just across the room. The night was so still, so quiet, that his voice did not need to be any louder.
“
W
e’
ll keep it to the east
,”
Quinton continued. In the clear air of the undisturbed night, Kaylee could easily hear a gun cock on the rooftop. She stepped out onto the pavement, walking carefully until she reached Jac
k’
s side.
“
Yo
u’
re not used to being out, are you
?”
he asked, strolling casually away from the firehouse. She had to hurry now to catch up.
“
I go to the cornfield
,”
she answered evasively, stepping nearer to him as she avoided a child drawing strained breaths on the sidewalk. He wrapped his hand around hers as she came closer. She cleared her throat and pulled her fingers away, crossing her arms over her chest instead.
“
Tha
t’
s not the same
,”
Jack continued, unaffected by her rejection
.“I’
ll bet Andy watches you from the roof the whole time
.”
Kaylee huffed and rolled her eyes.