Page 98 of Promising You
My mind is so consumed with thoughts of Garret and Ava that I forget all about the time. When I get back to Moorhurst, I have no time for dinner. It’s not like I’m hungry anyway after hearing the Ava news. I take a quick shower, then hurry to the library to meet Carson.
“Where’s Garret tonight?” Carson asks as we’re setting up our laptops.
“He’s in his room doing homework.” I actually have no idea what he’s doing, but it’s the first lie that comes to mind.
“When I was at the gym earlier I saw him going to the pool. I thought he couldn’t swim with his injury.”
“He can swim. He just can’t swim for hours like he used to.” I start searching my laptop for the outline file I started so we can make this meeting as short as possible. I want to get back to the dorm and talk to Harper about the Garret situation.
“So how exactly did he injure himself? I don’t think you ever told me.”
“What?” I glance up, irritated by his nonstop questions. “Sorry, I didn’t hear what you asked me.” I open an outline file, but it’s for the wrong class. I really need to label my files better.
“How did Garret hurt his shoulder or chest or whatever he hurt?”
“He was shot.” I blurt it out, then freeze as I realize what I’ve said. “I mean, he shot himself. Cleaning his gun.” I’m talking fast and I’m sure Carson knows I’m lying. I forget about my file search and focus on what Garret’s dad told me to say should this topic ever come up.
Carson’s watching me like one of those private detectives on TV, examining my face for any clues that I might be lying. “What do you mean he was shot? Who shot him?”
A nervous laugh comes out. “Nobody shot him. He shot himself cleaning his gun. And he’s really embarrassed about it, so don’t tell anyone. And don’t say anything to Garret.”
“What kind of gun was it?”
“How should I know? I don’t know anything about guns. He was hunting, so whatever you use for those.” Now I’m off script. Garret’s dad didn’t say what type of gun and he definitely didn’t mention hunting. Why wasn’t he more specific? He should know that people will ask these questions.
“Hunters use shotguns. You’re saying Garret shot himself in the chest with a shotgun? So he was aiming it at himself when he cleaned it? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I really don’t know how it happened. Maybe it wasn’t a shotgun. Can we just work on the outline? I started a file but I can’t find it.”
“Does Garret have other types of guns? Like handguns?”
“I don’t know. I don’t ask.”
“He has a bad temper, Jade. That night at the party he was really out of control. And if he has guns, then you never know what will happen if he—”
I grip his forearm. “Carson, trust me. Garret’s not going to kill me with a shotgun or any other type of gun, so you have nothing to worry about.” I finally click on the file we need.
Carson starts to ask me more about Garret, but I cut him off and talk nonstop about the assignment. I just want to get out of here.
After a couple hours we finalize the outline and walk back to the dorms together. I prepare myself for another one of his Garret lectures, but instead Carson tells me some story about this girl he went to high school with who is now in a semi-famous band. Luckily, we make it back to the dorms without a single mention of Garret.
Harper’s not in her room when I get back. I consider going up to see Garret, but I don’t. I’m still too pissed off at him. He left five messages on my phone and I delete all of them without even listening to what they said. Around 10 he stops by my room.
“I’m going to sleep,” I say, standing at the door. “You should, too. You look tired.”
“I can’t sleep if you’re mad at me. Let’s just talk. Can I come in?”
I step aside, letting him go past me.
“Tell me what you want, Jade.”
“You sound like Katherine. Are you thinking you can buy me something and I’ll forget about the fact that you lied to me? Again?”
“I didn’t lie. I—” He stops, knowing that I consider withholding the truth to be lying. “And no, I’m not trying to buy you anything. I’m just trying to figure out what you want me to do here. I can’t go back and change the past.”
“Did you sleep with Ava last October?”
He looks confused so I explain.
