AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She knows.
She stared at the fire, playing with her hands. “Back in high school, I think it was more complicated for me, and I did wonder for a time after I initially left.” She studied me. “But that changed.”
I guess it had, for both of us it had.
I wasn’t sure when it had for me. Possibly it was just time and moving on, growing up.
Her lashes flicked up. “But I hope we can still be friends. I’d hate to lose that for a second time.”
I would too, and it hadn’t been her fault. It wasn’t hers any more than it was mine. We both moved on. We both changed. My smile returned. “You’d be hard-pressed to get rid of me this time.”
I’d love to be her friend. I was a good friend and could support the shit out of anyone else.
But when it came to myself…
I wasn’t so good to me sometimes and let my shit eat away at me. A direct example of that was my last semester, which I still hadn’t told my family about, my parents…
Mr. Perfect.
The label haunted me. I was never perfect even back when I knew Fawn. I busied myself by taking care of my dad and helping my sister take care of our family. I did anything I could not to feel anything back then.
Like now.
Fawn squeezing my shoulder broke me out of my daze. Her head cocked. “You okay?”
There was that question again, and once more, I overcompensated. I put on that Mr. Perfect grin, making sure everyone else was feeling good. “Fine, and we won’t forget each other this time. We’ll check in and not lose touch.”
“Promise?”
I nodded, my grin genuine this time. “I promise.”
And I planned to keep that promise for her. If she ever needed me, I’d be there. No questions asked and hoped I could keep that same promise for myself. That I’d reach out if I needed her.
“Knock. Knock.”
Thatcher’s sister, Bow, peeked her head in. Her cheeks colored. “Sorry. I heard voices and knocked, but no one answered.”
Not many could blush harder than Rainbow Reed, and she was the complete opposite of Thatch. For starters, she could be shy, and her brother was arrogant as fuck. Loved the guy, but he was. I laughed. “You’re fine. What’s up?”
She tiptoed her way inside the room like she’d break it with her mere existence. She really was the opposite of her brother. She let the door close behind her. “Sloane and I were wondering if you wanted to both go to a holiday party.”
I sat up, and Fawn did too.
“Well, Sloane’s wondering. We both heard some of the locals talking about it when we went in town for coffee today. It’s a college party.” Her cheeks brightened. “We both thought it’d be a good idea to do something fun since we’re all home anyway. I suggested a movie, but Sloane remembered the party.”
That didn’t sound like a bad idea to me, and it’d be nice to get some movement into my body. I got kind of stir-crazy when I sat for too long.
I tried to ignore the reason why and redirected my attention to Fawn. “What do you think? Wanna go?”
Her mouth parted. “Is it, um, far? I’m not sure if I, um…”
She started to fidget for some reason, playing with her hands. I almost asked what was wrong, but then Bow spoke.
“Not far at all. We’re probably going to walk since it is so close. It’s just behind my parents’ property a few houses back.”
Fawn’s hands relaxed. Actually, she visibly relaxed, and I wondered what was up. I also wondered why she asked, but maybe she didn’t want to stay out super late. Some of these properties could be pretty far out and required a long drive to get to them. It was also already getting late.
“Well, that sounds fun if you want to,” Fawn stated, and suddenly, she was asking me the question. She smiled. “Do you want to?”
