“Give me a minute.” Please. I need to think, not be told what to do. As much as I love Lennox and her “help” I have to fix this myself.
The water burns, but I don’t bother adjusting it.
Yesterday was perfect. Karli was so happy, I was so happy, she didn’t seem nervous around my family at all, she was living her best life. That was what she had wanted. She invited herself to dinner in exchange for taking me home. So why isn’t she here for more? Why didn’t she come back for me?
The water turns cold as I stand there.
She wants to belong to a family. But I did a crappy job of showing her it was more than just a bargain we made. I even went so far as to tease her for inviting herself.
Stupid.
That’s where I went wrong. Amongst many other things, I’m sure. I didn’t show her where she fit. And that’s with me.
I shut off the water and hop out, then hurry to dry off and head into the room, throwing open drawers and searching for clothes that might fit.
I find an old high school hoodie and throw it on.
Wait, I run to the closet, digging around in the back. There it is. I grab it and rush downstairs.
I hope this works.
Chapter 30
Karli
Ipurposelydidn’tsetan alarm, hoping I’d sleep right through the Bentley’s French Toast Friday and the pain that accompanied missing it.
But as luck would have it, I woke up at exactly 8:05, giving me plenty of time to make it over to the Bentleys. I regret getting the week off to visit my mother as now I have nothing to distract myself besides my ironic Thanksgiving shows.
For breakfast, I went in search of ice cream. We didn’t have any, which is why I’m currently eating peach yogurt and graham crackers. It’s not half bad. I can almost pretend I’ve discovered a newer, healthier ice cream shake.
Almost.
I turned my phone off when I got home last night, and now it’s sitting face up on the edge of the couch mocking me with its pitch-black surface.
Nobody wants you.
And it’s your fault because you shut everyone out.
Stupid phone. No one wants you either.
All I want to do is turn it on and see if Juliet has given my number to Trent and now he’s desperately calling, proclaiming his love and begging me to come back.
No. Stop. I drag my eyes away from the phone and attach it to the TV screen. It’s the pivotal moment where the girl being haunted by her past has now been snatched up by the demon who is going to kill her. He reaches for her nec–
Ding!The doorbell rings. I jump and launch my yogurt in the air.
Orange gloop shoots into the sky before immediately sloshing back down on me.
I screech as it covers my hair, my pants, my shirt. Ice cream would never betray me like this.
“Karli? Are you okay?”
I freeze.
Trent? I don’t have time to run and change. Might as well let him see me at my worst. As if he hasn’t seen me at my worst a dozen times already. Would it be so unfair for him to see me at my best for once?
I pull open the door.
