Fuck.
Mom doesn't have a car, so she can't come to me. And Charlie and Liam are likely asleep, or are they out of town again? I can't remember.
Maybe my cousin?
I'm about to hang up when Emily answers. Or at least I think she answers—I can barely hear her over the background music.
"Hello?" I ask, unsure if she can hear me.
"Everything okay?" she yells.
"Yeah, fine. It's all right. I'll call somebody else."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Okay, babes," she says and hangs up.
She's out and probably drunk. She can't be my savior tonight.
Have I really isolated myself so much that there's no one else I can call?
I could order a ride, but when I check my app, it says it will be another hour. And that won't help me pick up Coop and get him home.
There's only one person left, and I don't want to. He's the reason I'm in this mess to begin with, even if he isn't aware.
I expect it to go to voicemail, to be forced to call him back, but he answers on the first ring.
"Jade?"
"Hey, sorry if I woke you," I say.
"I was up. Everything okay? Cooper?"
"Oh yeah, he's okay. But…" I pause and grit my teeth, hating that I'm asking him for help. "I…um…I need a favor. My car won't start. Do you think you could pick me up?"
There's rustling on the other end of the phone.
"Where are you?"
"You know the Castle Apartment complex?"
"The one by Rudy's Auto?"
"That's the one."
"That place is a shit hole. Are you alone?"
A car starts. How is he already in the car?
"Yeah, Coop's at my mom's."
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in five. Don't hang up. That area is sketchy as fuck."
"Mateo, it's fucking Wilmont. The only thing sketchy around here is probably me. I'll see you in a few."
He starts to say my name, but I hang up. It's bad enough I had to call him, I don't need him to babysit me too.
