Page 91 of The Pilot

He took two spoons from the silverware drawer and headed back to the couch. He sat next to her and handed her a spoon. “You have to eat. It’s not so bad, promise. Sit up and share with me?”

He was relieved when Ginger huffed out a breath but moved to sit upright. Her face was blotchy and dirty. Her hair a mess. She no longer looked like the put-together popular girl he’d gotten used to seeing at school. Kash kind of liked her better like this. Not miserable, of course . . . but more approachable? They were on a more even playing field out here. Both out of their element. Surviving together.

He handed her the spoon and held out the can, letting her have the first spoonful. She dipped the spoon into the tomato sauce and looked at it skeptically before opening her mouth.

Kash quickly took his own bite, and the flavor burst on his tongue. It tasted delicious, even cold.

“That wasn’t bad,” Ginger said with a tiny smile.

They shared the can of SpaghettiOs, taking turns scooping out the saucy noodles until it was empty, which was way too fast.

Kash sat back and put a hand on his belly. “I remember this feeling. Of knowing what you ate wasn’t all that much, but feeling so full you thought you were going to pop.”

“Yeah, it’s weird that I’m so stuffed,” Ginger agreed.

They sat in companionable silence, and Kash felt relaxed for the first time since they’d been stranded here.

“I’m sorry for how awful I’ve been to you. I don’t really have an excuse. I just went along with Donny because . . . well . . . I don’t know why.”

“It’s okay,” Kash said. He wasn’t the kind of kid to hold grudges. It didn’t really help anything, and just made him feel more angry.

“It’s not. I judged you badly. I won’t lie, I was pretty upset when I realized what Donny had planned, that he’d picked you to be stranded out here with me. But I know now that I was stupid. I would probably be a popsicle down at the dock if you weren’t here, telling me what to do, getting us into this house, keeping me warm at night. I appreciate it.”

Kash was surprised. He honestly hadn’t thought Ginger would actually apologize for the way she’d treated him. Or for thinking bad things about him.

“Thanks,” he told her quietly.

“When we get back, things are going to change,” she said firmly.

And Kash was thrilled she’d said when, not if. He was glad she wasn’t so lost in her head anymore that she still thought they were going to die here.

“I’ve hated everything about this experience,” she said with honesty. “But I haven’t hated having you here with me. I’m going to be a better person at school. Stand up for the nerds.”

Kash rolled his eyes. “Maybe start by not calling us ‘the nerds,’” he suggested.

She chuckled. “Right. Sorry. I mean, I am dating a band geek now.”

“How about calling him a musician instead? Words have power, you know.”

She thought about that for a moment, then nodded. “Again, you’re right. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just appreciate you making an effort. And I don’t care if you ignore me at school. Kids suck. I know that better than most.”

“I’m not going to pretend we didn’t go through what we did together.”

Together might be a stretch, as it wasn’t as if she’d done much to help their situation, but Kash was too relieved that she wasn’t crying or bitching at the moment to call her out on specifics.

“My daddy has some bigwig friends. I’m going to make sure Donny, Owen, and Scott pay for what they did. They kidnapped us. Maybe attempted murder? There’s got to be some serious charge that will stick.”

Kash hoped so, but he wasn’t holding his breath. Donny and his friends were minors. That didn’t mean they couldn’t be charged with a whole bunch of stuff, though he wasn’t sure how it all worked. But he hoped that maybe, just maybe, they’d get kicked out of school for what they did. That would make Kash’s life so much better if he didn’t have to deal with Donny and his jerk friends every day.

The alternative, that nothing happened to the three boys, was terrifying. There was no telling what they’d do next time if they got away with this.

“Do you think they know we’re missing yet?” Ginger asked softly.

“Yes,” Kash said firmly.

“I hope so.”