HAPTER 43
JESS
I stormed into the house to find Josh on his way out. His face mirrored shock for a split second, but it was so fast and then replaced by boredom.
“Where are you coming from?” he asked, scowling at me like I was the shunned family member who ruined the few days we had with our parents. But I couldn’t help it; it all just came flooding out of me at once, and I was sorry for it.
“None of your business,” I challenged him. “Just like you’re not telling me where you’re going in the middle of the night.” I saw the defiance in his eyes, and I knew he wouldn’t tell me, so I stalled past him, up the stairs, and dropped myself onto my bed face–first, wishing the bedding would just suffocate me because facing the world tomorrow seemed impossible.
Sleep didn’t come until past 4, and when it did, my alarm blared so loudly it split straight through my mind. “Ugh,” I groaned and flipped over. The night was hot and sweaty, and my air conditioner wasn’t doing anything to help.
I dragged myself through a shower and lugged my heavy limbs. down the stairs to the kitchen, where my parents no doubt waited to scold me.
I peeked around the corner and saw my mother and father sipping coffee. My soul craved caffeine.
15:20
CHAPTER 13
I walked in sheepishly. “Morning,” I squeaked, and my mother gave me a sweet smile–last night had been forgotten. My dad. got up and pulled me into a hug. Sorry, kiddo,” he said. We shouldn’t have just sprung that on you last night. I know we travel a lot.” I nodded, swallowing hard to keep the tears away.
“Anything else bothering you dear?” My mother asked, the motherly bond somewhere inside her probably telling her something was off. I wanted to tell her about Bryan and what happened, but I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth for some reason. They just stayed inside, locked down, eating away at me bit by bit. “Nope. All good.” I heard a car honk outside and internally sighed in relief. Sam was here to pick me up from school.
I kissed my parents on the cheek, grabbed a fruit, and hurried out of the house before my mother prodded me any further. I skipped a few steps and smiled when I saw Luara and Sam in the car. It’s been a while since all three of us were together. Senior year was almost over, and somehow, we had all drifted apart.
I wanted to blame our pact, but I knew that wasn’t the real reason. “Hey girl,” Sam chimed and looked at me in the rearview mirror, her eyes widening a little, “Why do you look like death. warmed up?”
I sat back, rolling my eyes. “Gee, thanks,” I groaned. I couldn’t sleep…”
“Any chance a dark and broody linebacker has anything to do with that?” I slapped a palm over my face and dragged it down slowly.
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