He shrugged, a look of cool indifference on his face. “She likes you, man. We all do, but especially her. And you clearly don’t like her enough to let her know when you’re skipping town.”
“I have to do what I have to do,” I argued, desperation fracturing my voice.
What the hell did any of them know about what it was like to live with my dad? Ricky had a great mom. Laura’s dad seemed cool enough. They didn’t understand what it felt like to live under an iron fist. They didn’t know what it was like to fight for your life against the person who had given it to you.
Ricky’s shoulders slumped as he sighed. “Is this about your dad? Or is it more aboutyou?”
“It’s about me needing to do something with my life, away from him,” I said immediately, without hesitation. Because that was the truth. I wanted to do this as badly as I wanted to get away from Dad. I wanted to do something that heldpurpose. I wanted to prove to myself that I could, that he hadn’t beaten the strength and willpower from me.
I wanted to prove it tohim.
Then Ricky nodded, finally convinced. “Okay. But I wish you had told us. And I think that’s how Laura feels too.”
“Yeah,” I murmured, pushing my hair back. “I guess I’ll go find her.”
And I did.
On the front lawn of the school was a fountain. Sometimes, students hung out there after school to make out or read or study. I had never done any of those things. I’d never been able to spare the time. But tonight was different, and when I found Laura sitting on the concrete edge, her focus on the rippling water below, I took my chance to sit beside her.
The fountain edge was wet from the water’s spray, and I shifted at the unpleasant feeling of my pants soaking through to my boxers.
“You guyslikesitting out here? My ass iswet,” I complained in jest.
Laura didn’t laugh. She just sighed.
So, I did too.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” I said.
She swallowed and shook her head at the water.
“I didn’t want to upset you. I didn’t want you to talk me out of it.”
That got her attention, and she turned quickly to stare at me, shooting daggers directly into my heart.
“Is that what you thought I’d do? You thought I’d talk you out of it? Or were you worried you’d talk yourself out of it after you shattered my fucking heart?”
There it was again. Someone talking about her heart and how it was broken.
I didn’t mean to roll my eyes or make light of what she was saying, but that was exactly what I did. “Laura, come—"
“Oh my God, Max! You seriously don’t get it, do you? You really have no idea.”
My brow crumpled as I shook my head. “No idea about what?”
To my horror, her eyes flooded with tears and spilled over as she shouted at me, “Iloveyou!”
I squeezed my eyes shut to her tears and agonized expression and pinched the bridge of my nose. “You …what? You can’t—what?”
I was reeling. Unable to comprehend what she was saying or why she was saying it. How could she love me? Why would she? What had I done to let that happen, and why the hell hadn’t I stopped it?
Jesus, she could’ve warned me!
“You know what? Never mind,” she grumbled angrily, sniffling.
She stood from the fountain, and I snapped my eyes open to watch her walk away. A part of me, somewhere deep within and untouched, ached desperately. Was that how she felt? Was that why she didn’t want me to go?
“Where are you going?” I called after her, hurrying to my feet and storming in the direction she was heading.
