Burning

20

"Don't tell our family that he's here," I pulled him away and warned him.

He gave a shrug and countered, "If I don't tell them, how else would they find out?"

The nineteen-year-old lad was overly clever and had a sharp insight. Jokingly, "Since even he is chasing after this, we should probably inform your parents."

"Get out." The piercing stare directed at the back of my head felt like it could flay me alive, and I had no desire to argue with him further.

"Okay," he said with a grin and returned to the house.

I took a deep breath and slowly walked up to Richard.

I didn't look at him. I kicked the snowflakes on the ground with the tips of my toes and asked, "Why did you come?"

He hadn't contacted me once since he left the hotel that day.

He disappeared completely, and I thought it would end that way.

The wind blew through the long alley of phoenix trees, shaking off the snowflakes on the branches. I leaned to the side to avoid them.