The Book of Matthew (The Alex Chronicles Book 1) by K.T. Doyle Read Free Book Online Page A

trance, I smiled and nodded and said that I was.
    Once inside the practice room, he closed the door behind me and threw his coat on the floor. I draped my jacket over a chair.
    “All right,” he said, grinning. “Let’s get started.”
    Half an hour later we were sitting face to face cross-legged on the floor, about five feet apart. Both of us had an acoustic guitar nestled in our laps.
    I hadn’t learned much in those thirty minutes. I’d been too busy breathing him in. He’d mentioned something about distorted and clean electric guitar sounds, but who cares? I was studying his face, listening to his voice, searching for any sign of mutual attraction. What was he really trying to convey with his crooked smile? What was concealed behind the beauty of his dark green eyes?
    I came up empty.
    My thoughts drifted to something I thought I could figure out, something tangible.
    The kitchen.
    “I need to use the restroom,” I said.
    He raised his eyes but not his head. “Downstairs, around the corner from the kitchen.”
    I stood and shook the prickly pain of sleep from my legs. I limped across the room and made sure to close the door tight behind me.
    At the bottom of the stairs I paused and turned to look back up the stairwell to make sure Matt hadn’t followed me. There was no way of knowing if he would approve of what it was I needed to do. Then I stood for a moment, waited, and listened. The coast was clear.
    I carefully pushed the kitchen door open wide enough for me to squeeze through. Once inside the dark room, I stood motionless, waiting for my eyes to adjust.
    I fumbled for a light switch but couldn’t find it. To make the most of time, I decided to forge ahead through the dark, just in case Matt were to come wandering after me.
    Two large, bare windows above a stainless steel sink allowed in just enough moonlight for me to continue. The natural light helped guide me.
    I shuffled across the room slowly, not searching for anything; I just wanted to feel whatever memories lingered there. It has always been my belief that if you listen closely enough, a room will reveal its secrets. Walls will talk if you want them to. Rooms aren’t really all that different from humans.
    This room was small and square. Row of stainless steel tables rimmed the perimeter, and there was a walk-in freezer, its open door revealing a dark cavern inside. Stray boxes littered the floor. I didn’t open the boxes, or kick them, or try to read the scribbled writing on their lids. Just seeing the room for the first time, and being in it, was enough to calm the invisible force that beckoned me inside. For now. There’d be time enough later to explore more and look through those boxes.
    Turning to leave, I gasped in surprise at his dark form. Matt stood just inside the door, partially illuminated by thin bands of moonlight. With one quick flip of his wrist the kitchen light crackled and flickered to life.
    “What are you doing?” he asked sternly, taking a step forward.
    I squinted at the brightness. “I couldn’t find the bathroom. I thought there was another one in here.”
    He took another step. “Liar.”
    I shuffled back a few steps, feeling years of dirt and grime and crumbs grind underneath my shoes. “I—I’m not lying.”
    “There’s only one bathroom.”
    “Okay. I just—”
    “You shouldn’t be in here,” he said. He took two more steps closer and stopped just in front of me. His green eyes stared me down.
    “What do you mean? What’s the big deal?”
    “There’s nothing in here!” His voice boomed and echoed around the room.
    “I thought…I mean, I wanted…” I stammered.
    “Alex, please…” This time his voice sounded desperate and pleading.
    We searched each other’s eyes for what to do.
    With one more step Matt reached his hands out to touch my face. But then he changed his mind. Trembling, he took a step back, clenching his hands into fists. Our eyes connected for mere seconds before he changed his