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“Gladly,” I huff, my face so scrunched and angry I know I must look like a mad woman. “Call me when you realize I was right about her.”
My phone beeps as I storm away from them, hoping Emmett will come after me. But I accept that he’s not going to by the time I reach the end of the driveway. I glance down at the screen and see that it was Malcolm who texted me. I don’t even know what it says, but my mind is already made up. I’m going to see him right now.
17
Chapter Seventeen
I pace the end of Emmett’s driveway alone in the dark, resisting the urge to look at his and Vivian’s silhouettes moving behind the windows. My mind plays tricks on me, making me swear I can see their bodies moving closer out of the corner of my eye. I shake it all away and try to keep looking anywhere but at that window.
Unlocking my phone screen, I scroll to Malcolm’s message.
Everything okay? I’m worried about you.
I remember telling my mom I’d be home soon before we left the motel. I know I should just go home like I promised, but the idea of hanging around my room having left things this way with Emmett seems like torture. With a deep breath, I type out a reply to Malcolm.
Can you come pick me up? I’m at Emmett’s.
He messages back instantly, telling me he’s on his way. I don’t know what I want to happen when he picks me up. I just know I can’t go home right now, and I can’t stay here. I feel awkward standing just outside the manor waiting for Malcolm. I’m half hoping that Emmett will see me and come out just as Malcolm is pulling up. He’ll fly into another jealous fit, but at least it would distract him from getting wrapped around Vivian’s finger.
I spiral into a fit, trying to talk myself down. Flashes of our bodies moving together in the motel bed just a little while ago flood over me. I cling to them, hoping they’ll give me the strength I need to text Malcolm back and tell him to forget it. I could still march right back into that house and buckle my emotions down so I can stay, no matter how insane it makes me.
But then I drift back to the sight of Vivian nestling herself into his arms. Him stroking her hair, telling me that I should be more sympathetic. Those moments in the motel fell away the minute he insisted on rushing to her side. I tell myself it’s good that he brought me with him without question, but then again…he didn’t stop to think about anything before racing off. I cringe to think it had less to do with wanting me with him, an
d more to do with him not wanting to be bothered with the inconvenience of arguing or taking me home first. It’s like he couldn’t wait to get to her.
I’m still at war with myself in my mind when Malcolm’s car pulls up. I glance back one more time, wishing I’d see Emmett barreling out of the house to stop me. But he’s not there. So, I open the door to reveal Malcolm’s smiling face waiting for me to get in. Time has run out. I couldn’t make myself go back inside to Emmett, and he never came out here for me. It feels like I have no choice but to get in this car right now.
“Hey, I’m so glad you texted me,” I tell him as I slide into the passenger’s side and buckle the seatbelt. And I mean it. This isn’t where I want to be, but it’s the best option I have at this moment.
“I figured you might need an escape,” he explains, in that same pitying tone I am beginning to hate. “Things seemed pretty intense with Emmett back in that motel.”
If he only knew how intense things got after he left—just in a completely different way. Yet somehow, we still ended up back where we started, in a jealous dance around each other, with Vivian playing him like a puppet.
“It’s fucking Vivian,” I seethe, shaking my head. “She’s trying to convince Emmett his mom is missing now, too. But it’s obviously just a trick, and he’s too hung up on her to see it.”
“Those two have a lot of history. That’s hard to compete with,” he says slowly. I clench my teeth. I don’t need to be reminded of that; I am all too aware. “He shouldn’t be leaving you to worry about this.”
The love in my heart pushes through, reminding me that while Malcolm is right, Emmett has plenty of his own to worry about right now. The internal war continues as I start to feel guilty for getting so angry while they worried about his mom. Maybe they were right. Maybe I was being selfish.
“It’s complicated,” I huff, not wanting to talk about it anymore. I fight the temptation to ask what the hell he means by that. Is he so sure that’s what this is about? That they just can’t let go of their past relationship? That’s what I think, but right now I just wish someone would tell me that I’m wrong.
“Not really,” he replies curly. “If you were mine, I’d never give you any room to doubt what we had, or worry about some other girl.”
I study his face as he stares at the road. His light hair and eyes turning shades of neon as the lights outside whiz past. No room for doubt. That is what I want. That’s what I need, but I need it with Emmett. Not Malcolm. And I can only manage to attain that kind of security for brief moments here and there, before it inevitably slips away again.
“Thanks, Malcolm,” I say with a half-smile, sinking down in my seat.
“Well, I’m happy to help you take your mind off of things.” I see his hand rise hesitantly, as if he’s about to reach over the seat for some kind of comforting touch, but he puts it back down. “Where to?” he offers instead. “Want me to take you home?”
Home. Yes, I need to go home. But right now, the only thing that word makes me think of is Emmett’s arms. Even if I could go back there, I’d be watching him hold Vivian instead of me.
“No,” I answer with certainty. “I don’t want to go back home yet. I’m too anxious.”
“How about we go back to my place then,” he suggests. “We could watch a movie until you hear from Emmett.”
The thought comforts me. He just suggested that Emmett and Vivian have some kind of unfinished business, but obviously he still thinks Emmett is coming back for me at some point in the night.
“Okay.” I nod with a sharp inhale through my nose. “We can go to your place and watch a movie.”
