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CHAPTER EIGHT

  Lincoln

  Linc: Tell me a joke.

  Dani: Wilbur must really suck at keeping you entertained.

  Linc: You're telling me…

  Dani: Am I going to have to start looking up jokes in order to entertain you at night? Also, you have to be up in four hours — correction WE have to be up in four hours. GO TO SLEEP!

  Linc: Did you just all caps me?

  Dani: My finger slipped?

  Linc: Finger slipped my ass. I think you just yelled at your elder.

  Dani: Oh please. I'm almost eighteen. You're barely twenty-two.

  Linc: Been visiting my IMDb page, huh?

  Dani: Wouldn't your ego like to know?

  Linc: Yes. It needs constant stroking. Quick, give me a compliment!

  Dani: You have a killer tattoo.

  Linc: Now that's just cruel, I'll have you know me and Bo go way back, even if he does look like shit.

  Dani: You named your tattoo?

  Linc: Is that not a thing? Do people not do that?

  Dani: Maybe people in rooms with padded walls…

  Linc: You say padded walls. I say fluffy.

  Dani: Still an asylum.

  A yellow smiley winked onto my screen, eyes spinning and tongue lolling.

  Linc: Bo's offended.

  Dani: Do you name everything?

  Linc: Would it weird you out if I named my waffle maker Chuck?

  Dani: Yes.

  Linc: Then no, I don't name everything… *whispers* sorry Chuck.

  Dani: GO TO SLEEP!

  I grinned hard at my phone. I was too nervous to sleep, not that I'd admit that to her. It helped that the next few emojis she sent were of snakes, spiders, and then a bomb going off killing them all. Wasn't sure how that was supposed to put me to sleep, but it did make me laugh.

  Linc: One joke, or maybe even a bedtime story.

  I leaned back against my pillows, waiting for her response.

  Dani: There once was a spoiled actor named Linc. He choked on Chuck while petting Wilbur, and Bo cried. The end.

  Linc: You forgot about Penny.

  Dani: Who's Penny?

  Linc: Wouldn't you like to know.

  Dani: LINCOLN GREENE — sleep. You need it. I need it. The world needs us to have it, otherwise I'm going to be really cranky tomorrow.

  Linc: When was the last time you yelled?

  Dani: That's a weird question.

  Linc: Sorry, too personal?

  Maybe I'd overstepped my boundaries. I hoped not because I really wanted to know the last time she'd raised her voice.

  Dani: Probably after the accident when I was in a wheelchair and stupid Demetri thought it would be funny to push me around downtown Seaside at epic speeds. I yelled until I was hoarse. It was a fun day.

  Linc: I'm assuming you were in the wheelchair because something was broken, and he had the audacity to push you into objects?

  Dani: That's Demetri for you. But it did cheer me up. Until then, everyone had been treating me like I was so breakable, so it was nice to have normal. He gave me that.

  Linc: I'm beginning to think it's not just the Sour Patch Kids.

  Dani: It's not.

  Linc: I feel jealous of his ability to be your friend when I seem to offend you every time I open my mouth.

  Dani: You're a better texter.

  Linc: Thanks, I think.

  Dani: Go to bed.

  Linc: Fine. And Dani?

  Dani:?

  Linc: You aren't breakable.

  Dani: Thanks.