“T.J.!” Sydney almost tackled me to the floor. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” I hugged her back tightly, and looked up into her face. Her eyes were all red and swollen. She had been really worried. Stenway got to his feet and came over, holding his hand out awkwardly.

  I glared up at him, still holding on to Sydney. “They almost kept me here.” Stenway stopped. “They are worried that something will happen to me and they don’t think I’ll be safe at home. With my parents and Sydney. They wanted me to stay. And they took my book.” I felt Sydney tense and I looked up at her. She was glaring at Stenway too, now.

  Her voice was shaky as she spoke. “You didn’t tell me that was a possibility.” She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and squeezed tightly. “Come on, Tyler, we’re getting out of here.”

  Behind us, Dr. Tellivar coughed gently. “Pardon me, Ms. Kelly, but I’m very certain your sister could use something to eat. She is not feeling her best.” He smiled down at me. “She was very brave.” Sydney hugged me again, so tight I thought I was going to pop out an eyeball. The doctor continued, looking at Stenway. “She made a good impression on Briony, too.”

  Sydney’s head shot up. “Who?”

  I whispered at her, “I’ll tell you about it later, I really am so hungry.” She nodded reluctantly.

  Stenway was saying, “Well, I am surprised. I didn’t realize she was still here.” He looked at me. “Did they say if you’d get your book back at all?”

  “Why, so you can use it like you’ve been using me?”

  “I didn’t think you would come if I told you too.” He took a step back. “I wasn’t given a choice in this. They needed to talk to you, and I didn’t think you’d come if I just asked.”

  “No, you just like being sneaky. You’re a sneaky.. A sneaky…”

  “Boy.” Sydney bit the word out.

  “Yeah, a sneaky boy.” As it came out of my mouth, it sounded a little too much like Clive speaking, but it was too late now. “You’re just a sneaky boy who never learned how to treat people right.” My legs were shaking again. “Sydney, I have to sit down or something.”

  Dr. Tellivar consulted a little book from one of the tables. “There is a train station about three blocks away. Let me find something for you to snack on, young lady, and we will get you out the door.” He leaned close to Sydney and glanced at Stenway. “I know you three are not on the best of terms right now, but you should have him go with you. We are not in a nice part of town.” She nodded. He straightened, calling out to Stenway. “You probably have about fifteen minutes, if there is anyone here you want to speak to.” With that, he turned and left the room.

  Sydney guided me over to a couch and we sat down together. Sydney started crying again, softly, but I think she was just relieved that it was all over. Stenway paced in front of the door for a few minutes, then made a decision, swiping his pass and heading down the same corridor as the doctor. Sydney sat up and watched him, curiously, then turned to me. “What was that person the doctor was talking about?”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Not now, Syd. It was nothing.” I slumped against my couch, thinking about nothing but food.

  “A woman?”

  “Syd. I don’t want to do this with you. Yes, kind of. Older than all of us but not an adult.”

  “Like closer to Mom and Dad’s age? Or more like Mr. Left?”

  I opened my eyes slightly to glare at her. “Why don’t you spend your time thinking about getting us food and getting us home.”

  Sydney turned back to me. “I’m sorry, Tyler. I will.” She hopped up and grabbed the book that Dr. Tellivar had been looking at, and spent the next few minutes looking through it, but she kept glancing back at the door. She was irritated.

  But I was irritated too. If she and Stenway decided to have it out about that Briony person, I would scream at both of them. I’m not really a screamer, but I think I could make it work. I was curious about Briony, too, but mostly because she reminded me of someone. I couldn’t place her though. Something she said, or did maybe?

  The door bounced open and Stenway came back, with Dr. Tellivar right behind him. “Good timing,” the doctor smiled over Stenway’s shoulder at me. He held out a few cereal bars. “I am sorry this was all I could find for you. It will hold you over though. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Ms. Kelly.” I took the bars from his hand and we shook hands, and he immediately vanished back behind the door.

  Stenway motioned towards the door. “Let’s go.”

  Sydney held up the little book that she’d been reading. “Do you know where we are going?”

  “Yes, I’m very familiar with this area. We haven’t got much time to catch the train.”

  Sydney grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “Come on, Tyler.” In an awkward silence, we walked back to the elevator, the gleaming white, door lined hallway, and out into the gloom of the little bookstore. The lady at the desk barely looked up at us as we tugged on our coats and I slung my backpack onto my shoulders, feeling how light it was. Stenway gathered up our passes and handed them back to the lady at the desk in silence. We walked out the door into the bright sunshine, blinking a little bit.

  Sydney started down the path in one direction, pulling me with her.

  “It’s this way.” We looked back. Stenway was still standing on the steps, pointing straight across the street. I stopped and looked at Sydney. She frowned.

  “The map said this way.”

  “True, but this way will get us there quicker. Come on. We don’t have a lot of time.”

  There was a light in Sydney’s eyes as she opened her mouth but I nudged her hard in the ribs. “Leave it alone, ok. Let’s just get home.”

  She deflated. “All right. For now.”

  We followed Stenway, quiet, down an actual maze of streets, finally arriving in what was, for sure, not a “nice part of town.” Still, we were able to get tickets and get seated quickly, with no problems, which I was thankful for.

  The ride back was intensely awkward. I spent most of the trip watching Sydney, who passed the time by glaring at Stenway, who pretended to be interested in what was passing by our windows. I fell asleep near the end, though, and woke up with my head on Sydney’s shoulder. “Sorry.”

  We ended up getting home around dinner time; I thought about going straight up to bed. But Mom and Dad were home and neither Sydney nor I felt like explaining what happened that day. We answered their questions about our day as best as we could, and I almost fell asleep in my bowl of beef stroganoff. I took a bath right after dinner, and went right to bed.