Trying to Live With the Dead (The Veil Diaries #1)

by B.L. Brunnemer

“Sorry, I’m just tired,” he offered in a normal tone. He dropped his bag and took the empty bench. His knees bumped my legs under the table, so I scooted over, giving him more room. “Hi, Tired, I’m Alexis.” I smiled at him, hoping a corny joke would cheer him up or at least make him less grumpy.

“Things don’t always come out right when I talk to girls. Or people in general.” His fingers started tapping against his leg. “Ethan and Isaac say that I have terminal foot in mouth disease.”

Alexis: I’m alive. Zeke: Some days alive is the best you get. But, there’s always tomorrow.

“Beautiful is sick, we make Beautiful better,” he told me,

“We show up and bring you things to make you feel better,” Miles said, adjusting his glasses. “We bring movies and blankets to keep the sick one on the couch, and if it’s Zeke, we all sit on him to keep him there,” Asher added, like this was perfectly normal behavior.

“Beautiful is sick, so we’re here to smother her back to health,” Ethan declared before turning and sitting on the floor between Miles and me.

Alexis: I’m bringing coffee to the table! Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to put some pants on. There was a long silence. I was about to put my phone down when it vibrated again. Ethan: Beautiful wins, because she’s pantless. Asher: Yeah, pantless girls always win. Zeke: Agreed. Isaac: You cheat, Red. Miles: Ignore us and get dressed, please.

“You are unique, and that’s not a bad thing in a world full of carbon copies.”

“Did you even change your clothes?” I asked doubtfully. He smirked as he looked down at his outfit. “Yeah, these are clean,” he simply said.

“Zeke, I look like shit,” I groaned, wiping more tears away. The corner of his mouth twitched as he focused on doing something with his phone. “The guys wanted proof you were alive and awake.” He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. “I put ‘Getting suffocated by Asher’ in the text, just so you know.”

“Hey, why didn’t you warn Miles to go easy?” Isaac accused someone. “It’s Miles,” several voices answered at once.

There are just some things you can’t say in a room full of guys.

“Ally girl, why are you standing on the counter?” he asked, smiling. I sat down on the counter and grinned wickedly. “Because Zeke hid the chips too high for me to reach. Or so he thought.”

Why does everyone keep thinking Zeke was a bad guy? If someone had one conversation…. no, two…. Okay, I can see how they might think he’s an asshole.

“He’s being a chicken shit,” Zeke announced still watching the movie.

Zeke came in next, his hair wet but combed. He had actually shaved this morning. It made him look more “the scary guy next door” rather than his usual “menace to society” look.

I narrowed my eyes at him then scooted up behind his seat. I took my freezing hands and shoved them down his back under his shirt and jacket. He shouted, wiggled, and cursed. “Oh look, I found a heater!” I taunted as he continued to complain.

I might not want to date the guy, but I didn’t want to have him shit himself if Zeke sneezed.

“How do you get him to listen to you?” He was genuinely curious. “Boobs,” I told him plainly. I took my eyes off Isaac and looked at Asher. “And big eyes, a soft voice, and a good pout if he resists.”