Vulnerable by Elise Pehrson Read Free Book Online Page A

someone—moving on the other side of the quaint wooden door. Some footsteps echoing louder through some infinite space behind Apartment 258, some clattering, a chair moving, and the turning of a doorknob.
                “Michael!” came Millie ’s voice as she opened the door; a smile was stretched across her exhausted face. There were crescent-shaped shadows of purple turning to a black in some odd color spectrum beneath her slightly sunken-in eyes. Her usually long, wavy blonde strands were messily knotted in a couple of balls on the top of her head, and the buttons on her floral blouse were buttoned up through the wrong slots. Nevertheless, she still looked happy and positively radiant.
                “Millie,” he cracked. Her smile didn’t waiver as she waited for him to clear his throat behind a red flush. “How… you loo—how are you?” He fidgeted with his shirt flaps and shoved his hands in his pockets.
                “I’m great! Never better! You?” Her voice sounded anxious and shaky. Michael’s thoughts drifted back to the resident that lived next to Haley and his surprise at Michael’s presence.
                “How was hanging out with Haley?” He continued despite the edginess coming from Millie ’s presence.
                Her crystal eyes widened “Oh!” her voice sounded surprised; her face even more so. “I—It was great! Lots of fun! Heh,” she let out a few wispy chuckles that sounded nothing less than extremely false, but Michael wasn’t one to pry—at least not directly. Besides, something didn’t feel right about this whole situation. What was going on? Michael felt as though Millie ’s friend Haley didn’t even exist, but Millie was so perfect… she couldn’t possibly lie if her life depended on it, right?
                “So… are you ready?” Michael asked hesitantly. Millie moved her neck strangely as her face crumpled in confusion. There was an empty space of lost words before Millie remembered why Michael had come in the first place.
                “Oh! Right! The Youth Retreat!” She tapped her forehead and winked one deeply mauve eye. She smiled, “Do you have your camping stuff? I was up all night trying to get everything ready. Which is why—,” she stroked the air up and down, motioning towards her body, “—I look like this.” She laughed again, this time more steady. Michael’s nerves eased up a bit, but something still didn’t feel quite right.
                “Yeah, I’ve got it all in the trunk of my car! Did y—Millie?” her eyes emptied of life as soon as his lips motioned the second half of his sentence. “Mill? What’s gong on?” He tried to be more compassionate, but she was in an odd sort of trance almost. He hovered his hand over her placid face. “What did I say?”
                She blinked and shook her head as though to release a disgusting thought from her mind. “N-nothing, I’m sorry, I’m hearing things or something from the lack of sleep. Anyways, let’s get going, shall we?”
                The car ride was thick with nervous air, and Michael wasn’t quite sure what to do. “What stations are good on the radio here?” he asked casually. She shrugged. He kissed his lips together and scrunched them to the side of his face. After a couple more minutes passed by, he asked another aimless question, “So what are we going to do on this trip?” This time he got a verbal response.     
                Her voice hinted a smile, “It’s always really fun. We usually start out by hiking around the campgrounds—you know, getting a feel for the place—and then we set up our tents and get comfortable. Then we usually all go over what we’ll be doing for the next few days—canoeing, scripture studying, things like that—and then we just make food and relax until the first event comes