Page 231 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions
“Okey dokey.” Dad put the car in drive, pulling back onto the street. Only…unfortunately for us, we were too late. The boom barriers were already lowering into place and blocking the way we’d come. “Dammit.”
Dad reversed, the back-up camera flickering on.
This was fine.
There were other ways to get to the airport.
We weren’t about to get stuck behind a goddamn train.
Everything was fine.
Everything was?—
Jesus Christ.
Everything was not fine.
Dad only drove a few feet before we both realized our mistake. Because the clanging of bells were deafening now. And behind us—just like in front—there was a railroad crossing, its gates swinging closed.
I’d been so out of it, I hadn’t noticed we were trapped between two crossroads.
“No.” I seriously could not make this shit up. “No. No, no, no, no.”
“It’s fine,” Dad reassured, putting the car in park, because there was no reason to ride the break when we had no idea how long we’d be stuck. “We’ll fix this.”
“You havegotto be fucking kidding me.” My hands sunk into my hair, tugging hard enough to sting. I’d finally found my courage to turn back and go for George andthiswas how the universe repaid me?
“Call his mom,” Dad said, trying to soothe me—and failing. “I’m sure she can give you his number.”
“Okay.” I highly doubted she’d answer, considering the fact she was commanding the rest of the Miltons to pack up as we spoke.
Which meant, the most I could do was message George on Picstogram. I doubted he’d check that. Not after the last time he’d had his phone open we’d posted the picture of us—and Brendon had begun to blow up his phone. Hell, if today’s luck was any indicator, my message would go right to spam.
God.
Dammit.
One last tug.
I sagged, defeated.
There was nothing I could do. No way to fix this. By the time these damn trains had passed, George would be long gone.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t?—
It was somewhat ironic that the reason I was currently sitting in a Ryde, headed to Alex’s house—was because of Brendon. For the first time in the near decade that I’d known him, he’d actually done something tohelpme. Funny how it was his same horrible bullshit that’d inspired this rash decision.
I’d been waiting at my gate, fraught with emotion, when I’d turned my phone on for the first time since Alex had made me turn it off. Immediately my inbox was flooded with messages.
Brendon
Is this another one of your dramatic cries for attention?
A misguided attempt to make me jealous?
It’s not going to work.
