The Conch Shell of Doom (22 page)

“Yeah. Got it,” Marshall sheepishly said.

Franklin turned toward Bailey. “When your friend is well enough, take her home. And stay out of my way. You’ve all caused enough trouble already.”

“What do you mean?” Bailey didn’t go through everything just to be sent home.
 

“You’re a bunch of kids.” Franklin ran his hand around his mouth. “If Mr. Lovell doesn’t kill you, chances are I will. So when she’s awake, go home and leave me, Julie, everyone, alone. Forget this ever happened.”

Tim leaned against the kitchen counter. “We can help you.”

Franklin sighed. “You haven’t so far.”

“I’ve been trained in the ways of the ninja.”

“No you haven’t.”

Julie perked up. “I agree with them.”

“I don’t care,” Franklin hissed.

“That’s not fair.” Bailey was surprised with himself. He really
did
want to help.

“Life isn’t fair.” Franklin walked past Tim, into the kitchen, and then pulled a bottle of whiskey out of a cabinet. “Get used to it.”

Julie rose from the table and joined Franklin in the kitchen. “They may be able to help.”

“She’s right,” Tim said. “And I’m pretty much honor bound at this point, what with you saving my sister and all.”

“Honor bound? What are you smoking?” Franklin took a swig straight from the bottle. “You’re not bound by honor to do anything. This isn’t up for discussion. I don’t like kids, you’re all way out of your depth, and if you say one more word, well, good luck carrying the girl out of here by yourselves.”

Would he really kick us out? Now? No wa
y, Bailey thought. “But—”

Three minutes later, Marshall and Tim were on each side of Alexis, groaning as they struggled to hold on to her legs. Bailey followed, his back aching from bending over and holding her by the arms.

“You just had to say one more word, didn’t you?” Marshall scowled.
 

“Shut up.” Bailey noticed Alexis’s hair was gliding along the floor.
That’s not very sanitary
.

The elevator provided a nice break from carrying Alexis. Marshall let the leg he held thump on the floor.

“Dude,” Tim complained. “That’s my sister.”

Marshall wiped his brow. “And she’s heavy.”

Bailey grinned. “Says the guy with the muscles.”

The elevator doors opened at the ground level. The three of them were forced to take short steps, so they wouldn’t lose balance. Marshall struggled to hold her up with one arm as he reached into his pocket to get his keys. He opened a car door, and they shoved Alexis into the back seat.
 

“Is Sleeping Beauty ever waking up?” Marshall snapped his fingers in front of her. Nothing.

“She better.” Bailey shrugged. “She’s got to at some point. Right?”

They left Franklin’s place and headed back to Seaside Adventureland to get Alexis’s car. Bailey struggled to fight off sleep during the ride. Alexis lay asleep next to him, beautiful like an angel. She looked so good, he could have convinced himself tonight never happened, if he hadn’t witnessed the whole thing. Bailey wondered if she really was in some kind of Sleeping Beauty state, and all she needed was a kiss from Prince Charming to wake her. Normally, he’d have never dreamed of doing something so bold, but the mixture of adrenaline and fatigue gave him a drunken, courageous feeling. He’d always found her attractive, but her brush with death seemed to make him appreciate it more, sort of like he didn’t know what he had until it was almost gone. If they survived, he promised himself he’d ask her out on a date.

Marshall and Tim didn’t say much of anything in the front. They too were probably worn out from everything. An idea crept into Bailey’s mind.
 

He leaned closer to Alexis, making sure Marshall and Tim didn’t notice the movement. With them off in their own little worlds, Bailey knew it was then or never. Maybe Alexis really would wake up with a kiss. His chest tingling, he leaned closer to Alexis.
Wait.

Bailey glanced at the floorboard. Would that count as stealing a kiss? If it worked, would she throw her arms around him and return the kiss or slap him across the face? What if the kiss was considered some kind of rape? Bailey didn’t want to be a rapist, forced to spend his life ringing neighbors' doorbells and telling them he was a sexual deviant. That settled it. The entire scene was all wrong. Mission aborted.

“What are you doing?” Alexis asked.

Bailey jerked back, surprised she was awake. “Nothing. I must’ve dozed off. How are you feeling? Happy to still be in the land of the living?”

Alexis sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I feel like one of those buildings that’s been demolished with dynamite.”

“Hey, look who’s up,” Marshall said.
 

Tim whipped his head around to see her. “There she is. How was death’s door? Did it look any different from last time?”
 

“What? I don’t really remember what happened. Did we hang out with Bailey’s parents?” Alexis yawned and wiped sleep from her eyes. She might have been alive and well, but she sounded like someone who’d been through a building demolition. Marshall even turned the radio down so they could hear her.

“Har, har, har,” Bailey said. “You are a barrel of laughs.”

“You were also dead for a minute or two,” Tim said.
 

Alexis let out a slight gasp. “I was?”

Tim nodded. “You were. So quit doing that, okay? Freaks me out.”

“What was it like?” Marshall asked, turning the car onto the road leading to Seaside Adventureland. “Did you see a white light? Old family members? Or did you end up downstairs with fire and brimstone?”

“I don’t think anything happened. If it did, I don’t remember.”
 

“That’s disappointing.” Marshall’s voice trailed off. “I was hoping they’d at least have all the free Internet porn you could get your hands on.”

“Gross.” Alexis recoiled like she’d seen a dead bug. “Didn’t need that image in my head.”

“Seriously.” Bailey tried to stand up for Alexis.

“Please. Like that’s not your idea of Heaven,” Marshall quipped.

Bailey bit his tongue. It kind of was.

The car turned into Seaside Adventureland and pulled up next to Alexis’s SUV, which was the only car left in the parking lot. She was a little woozy getting out of the car. Bailey worried she’d pass out.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Just got a little light-headed.” She held on to the open car door for balance. “Tim, can you drive me home, just to be safe?”

“I would, but my ride is at Marshall’s.”

“I can do it,” Bailey volunteered.
 

She handed him the keys. “Sold.”

Marshall and Tim left. Bailey held out his arm for her to take, which she begrudgingly accepted.
 

“I hate this.”

Bailey certainly didn’t. The physical contact part, at least. Not the whole Alexis was almost deathly tired bit. “Why? You don’t want my help?”

“It’s not that. I just hate feeling so worn out. Reminds me of when I was sick.”

Bailey had no idea what to say, so he responded with, “Yeah.” He opened the passenger door and held Alexis’s hand as she got in. She
hmmed
as he buckled himself into the driver’s seat.

“Nobody’s ever driven me in my car before. It’s kind of weird.”

Bailey started the SUV. “Of all the things that happened today, you think
that’s
the weird one?”

“Hush, you,” Alexis said with a smile. She curled up and closed her eyes. Within seconds, she was snoring. Bailey normally hated the sound, but not then. He was just happy she was alive. She could’ve burped, farted, talked about some guy she liked that wasn’t named Bailey, and he’d have been fine with it. He turned the radio off to keep the noise down. She deserved a good rest.

Bailey tapped the brakes a little too hard as they approached a stoplight. He checked to see if it woke her up. It didn’t. The red traffic light’s glow gave Alexis a beautiful shine, and he couldn’t help but feel drawn in by her beauty. The girl was no ordinary Muggle. She had some magic to her. How else to explain surviving all she’d been through? Even with her asleep in the car next to him, Bailey felt himself falling under her spell. The traffic light turned green. Bailey shook himself out of his trance.

A few minutes later, the car came to a stop around the corner from his house. Bailey took one last, full gaze at Alexis before he gently nudged her. He loved how vulnerable she looked. If Bailey had any upper body strength, it would’ve been nothing to scoop her up in his arms.

He nudged her again. “Hey. We’re here.”

“Hm?” Alexis slowly stirred, opening her eyes and sitting up. “How long was I out?”

“Do you mean total time today, or just the ride?”

She yawned and bopped him on the arm. “The ride, silly.”

“The whole time.” Bailey unbuckled his seat belt. He started to get out of the SUV but hesitated, not quite ready to end their alone time. “You know you snore?”

Her face lit up, surprised at the accusation. “I do not.”

“Afraid so.”

She shook her head, the hair falling in front of her face. “And here I thought I was the perfect lady.”

“Perfect imitation, maybe.” Bailey couldn’t help but smile. It felt great to joke around with her again, to see her happy. The whole thing was icing on the cake.

She bopped him on the arm again. It was a little harder than last time, but still playful. “You’re supposed to say ‘Yes Alexis, you are the very portrait of a classy, sophisticated lady,’ or something extremely flattering to that extent.”

“Sorry, I meant to say all that stuff.” Bailey rubbed his arm, acting like the hit hurt, though it didn’t. “You didn’t have to assault me. My arms probably going to be bla—” His face hardened, the joke reminding him of the blackness that nearly took her life.

Alexis leaned in a little closer and placed a hand on his forearm. “What?”

“Sorry.” Bailey forced himself to grin and keep the light mood going. She probably knew why he stopped himself, but saying it out loud, confirming those fears, would ruin everything. “It’s just really good to see you doing better.”

“Really good to be doing better.” She rubbed his forearm.
 

Bailey looked down at her hand, his body going haywire. She was
so close to him!
Her hair smelled like strawberries. Was it one of those tender moments he’d seen in movies, where it was not only acceptable to kiss the girl, but expected? Did she even want him to kiss her? What should he do? Look her in the eyes and then go for it? Too many thoughts ran through Bailey’s head at once.
Damn you, brain! Make up your mind!

She pulled back before Bailey made a decision. The moment, if it even was one, ended. He looked in her wide, inviting eyes, her lips curling into a bashful smile. Baily couldn’t have hated himself more.
 

Oh,
now
you look her in the eyes. Curse you, brain! Make my body work better!

Alexis didn’t break eye contact. Maybe the moment could be salvaged? “You know, you’re not so bad, Bailey Southwick.”

No, it was gone. Her voice was more friend-like than anything else. Bailey wished he’d made a move. So what if she denied him? He’d never had a more perfect opportunity. It’d take a long time for him to get over his snafu.
 

“Neither are you, Alexis Carrington.”

“Thank you.” Alexis hugged him. “For everything. I mean it.”

Bailey closed his eyes and bit down on the inside of his cheeks. The hug was amazing, but he’d screwed the pooch. Trying something would only reek of desperation. Her hair tickled his face a little, only making him even more aggravated. She let him go, but her face remained inches from his.

Bailey’s mouth went dry.
No way! A second chance!
Had to be. He tried to move closer to her, but an imaginary wall inside tried to stop him. Nerves got him the first time, but with the sequel he had to go big or go home.

Bailey looked down at her inviting lips, trying to keep the one thousand and one feelings flooding his body in check. He inched a hair closer to her, and she smiled.
 

Which was the exact moment somebody opened the door and yanked him out into the street.

Bailey’s hands scraped against the asphalt, tearing some skin. He looked up to see his father, face red as a Ferrari, even under a streetlight. Earl was steaming mad. The last time Bailey saw his father that angry was three years ago, after Bailey had been caught lying about running up a cell phone bill of seven hundred dollars on some puzzle game. Lost his phone privileges for two months.

“Where the hell have you been?” Earl grabbed Bailey’s wrist and yanked him to his feet. “You didn’t call. We almost called the cops to chase you down.”

Alexis stormed out of the car. She stopped, taking a moment to steady herself. Bailey worried she’d fall down or pass out, but she pressed on. “Don’t hurt him.”

“Go home.” Earl pointed at her. “This isn’t your business.”
 

“You’re right. This is probably the cops’ business.”

Earl turned his attention back to Bailey. “Your mother’s been worried sick, thinking you’d gotten hurt or God knows what.”

“Because I was out late?” Bailey yanked his arm free. The exposed, raw skin on his hands burned. Anger swelled inside him. Being out past curfew didn’t warrant an abusive response, especially in front of Alexis. The whole thing was super embarrassing. As if the evening wasn’t bad enough already. “I’m sorry, okay? I’ll send you a telegram next time.”

“Don’t talk back to me. I'm your father, and you
will
show me some respect.”

“Why should he?” Alexis spat. “He knows you drugged him last night.”

Earl’s thousand-yard stare turned to Alexis. “Excuse me? Missy, you have no idea what you’re talking about. I love my son.”

Alexis stood next to Bailey, who smoothed out his shirt. He felt a little braver with her so close to him. Unfortunately, his fear outweighed his bravery. It was his father. There was only so much standing up to him.