Vivid Lies by Alyne Robers Read Free Book Online Page A

They just live.  
    Brooklyn can get away with it because I am the opposite. While she's the balloon floating to the sky, I'm the tethered string that holds her from disappearing in the sky.  
    "What about your brother and his fiancée? They looked in love," I ask, turning in my seat to look at him.
    He sighs and turns down a narrow alley, parking in a lot behind a dreary building.
    "I think he's happy right now. Amanda makes him happy for now. That's all that matters. We can't worry about the future all the time or we forget to live in the present."
    I stare at him like he just grew another head. My voice is almost shrill when I formulate words.  
    "What do you mean we can't worry about the future? Isn't that what we all we strive for, the future? If you don't worry about it then it's just chaos and madness." I throw my hands in the air when he starts to laugh at me.  
    "If you're too busy worrying about the future, you can't live in the present."
    I fold my arms across my chest. I can't argue with this man. If Kane was a color he would be dark gray. Like charcoal. Graphite. The color of a pencil lead. It isn't dark enough to be black but I don't see enough light.  
    "This is where she works?" I ask when we stop, looking around at the littered parking lot, overflowing dumpster and broken window next door. Our Jeep is sitting untouched in the back of the lot.  
    "What did you expect?"
    "Something . . . nicer."
    "It's not the worst place she could work," Kane says as he gets out of the car. I meet him around the car to grab my bags from him.  
    "So, why are you in here as much as you are?" I ask him because it's been on my mind since Brooklyn told me about him.  
    "Working, usually. I end up wherever my subjects take me."
    "I see. Thank you for the ride, Kane," I say as I walk toward our Jeep. "I'll send cash for the gas."
    I unlock the car and throw my bags in back. I'm pretty sure I missed the boats launching but I can get some shots in still.  
    "Hey, London," Kane shouts right before I get in.  
    "How can I tell you two apart?"
    "You can't."
    "Your boyfriend can."  
    "Miles? Not a boyfriend, and we grew up with him. I'm pretty sure he guesses most of the time based on clothing or personality."
    I grin and wave as I start the car. The air conditioning died as soon as we moved to Florida, so I roll down the windows and follow Kane out of the parking lot. The neighboring businesses look as rundown as the club, and I hate that my sister is here late at night.  
    Brooklyn swears she's safe and nothing will happen to her, but she thinks she's invincible. Always has. I'm the one who reminds her that we are human. Our bones can break. Our skin can bleed. Not that she always listens.  

E IGHT

    Brooklyn
    The view outside our apartment sucks. I'm not the one looking for landscapes or the beauty in the world. That's London. But I know when I look out my window, and see the overpass and nothing but cement, that it's not pretty.  
    Back home, my bedroom window looked out over our backyard. Miles's yard was viewable, with the swings and treehouse. The grass gave in to the trees in the back. All I saw was green.  
    Now I see filth. Cars rushing to get somewhere, only to rush to get away. I lean over the railing of the fire escape with a coffee cup in one hand and a cigarette between my lips. I'm up before most of the world, so I take advantage of the rare occasion. I watch as the highway turns from lonely to overcrowded. The silence breaks with the sounds of neighbors and the traffic.  
    It's depressing.  
    "I thought you quit," I hear behind me.  
    Miles is leaning out our window, ruining my moment of solitude.  
    "I don't like to be a quitter," I mutter as I drop the cigarette butt to the alley below me.  
    I turn and hand my coffee to Miles and he backs away, letting me crawl back through the window. He takes my hand and helps me get through without face-planting. My fingers warm where our hands touch. His eyes find