Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
“Figured it’s about time we made it official,” says Jeremy, gazing at Layna, tiny stars of adoration dancing in his eyes. She is too shy to show much on her face at all, embarrassed at once by all the attention. Perhaps holding hands was Jeremy’s idea and Layna is sorely regretting agreeing to it.
“Official??” asks Leland from the jukebox, shaking his butt like he’s wagging a duck tail. “Maybe it’s your wedding I’ll be a best man at! Hey, what’s that face for?”
Layna comes up to Kyle the moment she sees him. “I never got the chance … t-to apologize … for my actions. I’m so sorry, Mr. Rosen—” Her face goes wonky. “Uh … Mr. Kyleberg. Uh, no, that’s not right either.” She is now in full-blown panic. “I’m sorry for posting the video.”
Kyle smiles understandingly at her. “It’s alright. All that’s behind us now … just so long as everyone here helps me out in keeping it a secret.”
“Secret to the grave,” Layna quickly promises, letting go of Jeremy’s hand to lift hers to her heart.
“Not that anyone’s gonna see much of it anymore,” says Jeremy, sounding sulky. “Ran some searches earlier, couldn’t even find a single instance of the video online. As if the whole thing was just wiped straight out of existence.”
“You almost sound bummed about it,” says Cade, her voice flat and critical.
Jeremy grimaces. “Sorry, Mr. Kyle.” He notices Elias quite suddenly. “Hey, you’re that friend from the clinic, the guy who picked up Kyle the morning after the whole thing happened.”
Elias nods. “Yep, that’s me. Elias is the name. Pleasure to meet you. By the way, you are very observant.”
“I get it from my dad, actually,” admits Jeremy. “He’s the police chief here. Chief Rojas.”
“Ah, rings a bell,” says Elias, takes a sip of his drink, then winces. “He might have arrested me once. That … wasn’t my best night. Sorry that was your dad’s first impression of me.”
“No one has to be sorry about anything,” Kyle insists with half a laugh. “A video. A first impression. None of that matters anymore, what’s done is done.” He faces the room and lifts a drink. “Right now, I just want to say …”
“Oh, is he giving a toast?” asks Cade. She pats the counter. Becks pours a quick one. Leland stops dancing and comes up to the counter, grabs one himself. “For Jer Bear and Layna, too! Cokes, Becks, c’mon, don’t give me a heart attack.” Jeremy and Layna now join them at the counter, glasses of Coca-Cola in hand. “Go ahead, Kyle, like we never interrupted.”
Kyle meets Elias’s eyes. “I just want to say … I am feeling thankful right now. Thankful and grateful and any other word I can think of. For the love I’m feeling in this room. The love I have gotten from this town and its amazing, surprising people. I’ve not been the most forthcoming person, I know. I came to this place with a sack full of secrets over my shoulder. I wish I knew sooner how safe I’d feel in this place eventually. This is a town we all call Nowhere, like it doesn’t deserve a name, like it isn’t worthy of attention. You guys … all of you … you make it feel like Somewhere.”
“If that isn’t the cheesiest most adorable thing I’ve ever—” Becks nudges Leland, shutting him up. He plasters on a smile. “It’s great. Somewhere. I like it. Keep going.”
Kyle grins at him anyway. “You all make it feel like home. Each and every one of you.” He lifts his glass. “To all of you.”
“To all of us!” shouts Cade, joining in.
“Hell yeah, all of us,” says Becks. Leland goes to lift his glass, realizes he doesn’t have one, lifts his fist instead. “All of us!” he shouts happily.
All the glasses are clinked, and for one precious, beautiful moment, the bar looks like any normal bar. Just a handful of boring, happy humans sharing a pleasant drink and a great time among friends. A handful of people who look like anyone else, who live, breathe, and celebrate like anyone else. Kyle included, with a happy, free-as-can-be Elias by his side.
And as the small and intimate crowd of them drink and cheer and laugh into the night, Kyle finds his Reach awakened without warning, swelling with the happiness in this cramped bar. It swells until he feels each and every nuance of the joy that ripples out within all the bar’s occupants. Jeremy and Layna as they gaze curiously at each other, young love buzzing in their eyes. Leland and Becks, who share drinks and cheer each other on and crack jokes, faces wrinkled up, eyes teary with laughter. Cade, whose own heart bursts with vicarious joy at seeing her daughter truly happy and at ease for the first time in a long while, most certainly let off the hook and ungrounded far, far earlier than planned.