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Things had snowballed together. Stress spread through me like ink spilled on paper. As I rounded the building, I paused and took a deep, ragged breath. Falling apart would do me no good.
Emery had gotten a room on the first floor, thankfully. The second level was ten times worse, each depleted door looking as if it led to a different variation of hell. I found the correct room and knocked softly, steeling my nerves for what would come next.
Not two seconds later, Emery was standing in front of me. With her golden, rose hued hair perfectly plaited, and her floral sundress without a wrinkle, she looked way too refreshed.
I scowled at her. “Did you even check before opening the door?”
“Yeah. I saw a pissed off fire breathing dragon and knew it was you.”
She moved aside before I could shove her out of the way.
“Ew.” I stared at dark green carpet that might have been blue once, and hideous pinstriped walls.
“I know it’s not the Royal Penthouse, but it’s somewhere to get our bearings. I did a bed-bug check, by the way. We’re good.”
“Excellent,” I deadpanned, moving towards a chair that had seen much better days. “Although, at this point in my life, bed-bugs would be the least of my problems.”
She shut and locked the door before coming to join me. “Why? What happened with Nika?”
I sat down and crossed my ankles. “What do you mean, what happened with Nika?”
“She messaged me that you were coming to talk to her. So, what happened?”
“She was fucking my dad. And you knew about it. How do you think that conversation went? She’s an unapologetic skank.”
“That’s not right. She’s still your--.”
“She was never my friend. And if you defend what she did, neither were you. Jesus Christ. We’re not talking about some boy I had a crush on, or even Mickey. We’re talking about my dad. The selfish asshole who raised me!” I stood from the chair, sending it sailing into the wall.
Emery flinched, taking a step backward. It made me want to wring her damn neck. Clearly, I wasn’t as capable as I thought because I wasn’t ready to deal with this yet. It wasn’t simply because someone I considered a friend had been doing god knows what with my father.
I just…
I missed him so damn much.
I hated him too, more than I’d ever hated anyone. I needed him to tell me what to do and he wasn’t here. No one was here that could help me. I’d always been alone on some level, carrying a sense of not belonging, but never like this.
I didn’t want a pity party or to feel sorry for myself, but it would’ve been nice to have someone I could talk to, share my problems and secrets with. At this point, I didn’t have the friends I thought I did, and the first man I fell for came with a whole cesspool of problems.
I jammed the palms of my hands into my eyes, rubbing furiously and trying not to cry.
“Nono,” Emery stressed, sounding as helpless as I felt. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how.”
“I know, but I—I can’t talk about this with you. Okay? Not now.”
“So, let’s not talk right now. We just drove for, like, ever. I’m sure we’re both tired and I’m starving. Are you hungry?”
At the mention of food, my stomach replied with a tiny cry for help. Scrubbing my hands over my face, I smoothed down my hair and nodded, pretending that mini break down didn’t just happen.
“I didn’t bring any food. Did you?” I asked, clearing my throat after I heard how strange my voice sounded.
“No, but there’s a gas station advertising pizza dogs and slushies just down the street.”
“You’re driving,” I tossed over my shoulder, already heading for the door.
I was near comatose when Em pulled into the lot of a green and white gas station.
As soon as I seen the food ads plastered all over the window, I knew this had been the right move. Eat, sleep, and then we could talk. It’d been a long day. Maybe I’d wake with a clear mind. I needed one to be able to piece together some kind of agenda.
