Requiem by Jamie McGuire Read Free Book Online

he did something
drastic. Let it go.”
    “ I do not want him to pine for me. I don’t
want him dying because I hurt him, either!”
    Kim watched me for a moment, unaffected by
my anger. “You don’t look as tired today. Did the dreams go
away?”
    “ No,” I snapped.
    “ But you slept last
night?”
    “ Yes. Jared left town, and
it’s like I fell into a coma or something.”
    “ Interesting,” Kim said. I
turned to look at her, but she was staring out the window as if she
were searching for something.
    “ What is it?” I
asked.
    “ Nothing,” she said,
turning to face me.
    “ You’re acting
weird.”
    “ So?” Kim said in her
unapologetic way.
    “ You’re right. It’s no
different than any other day.”
    We gathered our things, and then Kim offered
to drive me to campus. I nodded in Bex’s direction as subtly as I
could, and then yanked on the passenger door of the Sentra. It
opened just a crack, and then it was stuck.
    “ Really?” I
complained.
    Kim patiently walked around the front of the
car, shooing me out of the way. With a light tug, she opened the
door without effort, and then returned to her side. We both fell
into our seats, and I waited for Kim to go through her routine of a
fake Catholic prayer before she started the engine.
    “ How this car still runs is
beyond me. How did it survive your summer road trip?”
    Kim shrugged. “She stayed behind. I rented a
car.”
    “ Oh yeah? That far? Pretty
expensive. How’d you afford it?” I asked.
    Kim slowed at a red light, and waited before
answering. “I told you, I robbed a few liquor stores on the
way.”
    “ The truth this
time.”
    “ I just told you,” Kim
said, stoic.
    “ You robbed a liquor store.
Like with a gun,” I said, dubious.
    “ And pantyhose.”
    The light turned green, and we rode in
silence until we reached campus. Kim helped me with the door, and
then we walked together, our first class being in the same
building. As we walked, I felt a burning question bubble up inside
of me. The answer was potentially something I would forever regret
knowing. Regardless, I had to know.
    “ You didn’t really rob a
liquor store, did you, Kim?” I said, feeling ridiculous for
asking.
    “ No,” she said, turning in
the direction of her class.
    I waited in the hall, watching her walk
away. I had been so preoccupied with my dreams, I failed to realize
Kim’s stories hadn’t added up, and I didn’t catch that she was
using her sarcasm to hide something. But hide what? That was all I
needed: Something new to obsess about.
    Bex was waiting for me when I walked out to
the parking lot, in the same spot the Escalade usually sat. I was
still twenty feet away when Bex relieved me of my backpack, and
escorted me the remainder of the way to the BMW. He watched me for
a moment, with his big, blue eyes.
    “ Yes,” I said, opening the
passenger door.
    A large, boyish grin radiated from one side
of his mouth to the other, and he enthusiastically commandeered the
driver’s seat once more. “Jared called, but you were in class.”
    “ Convenient.”
    “ He wanted you to be
updated the second you were finished. He hasn’t had much luck. A
few leads, he’s carrying them out today, and he’ll be home tomorrow
night as promised.”
    “ Why didn’t he call me
himself?” I asked, unable to clear the venom from my voice. The
anger stemmed from the pain of missing him. Ironically, letting an
emotion slip now and then made it easier to control
them.
    Bex sighed. “He misses you. He was afraid
hearing your voice would make it worse. He didn’t want you to talk
him into coming home.”
    One corner of my mouth turned up, but I
quickly subdued it. “I’ve got to stop by the office for a sec.”
    “ Yep,” Bex nodded, turning
in the direction of Titan.
     
    The evening consisted of homework and
dinner. Bex proved to be an accomplished cook, no doubt learning
from Lillian as Jared did. He whipped up an amazing Pasta Chick Pea
Salad, followed