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He shakes his head. “You’re leaving. I want you out of my house and out of my life.”
Reeking of bourbon and cigars, he gets up from the mattress and stands in front of me. Even with my height and build, he still has age and power over me.
Sometimes, I let him take out his aggression on me. I deserve it. All of it.
My lip trembles along with the rest of my body. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yes, you are, Ethan. I don’t want to hear another word. Your grandmother is expecting you. So is Whitmore.”
The mention of Whitmore makes me cringe. I’m not fucking going there.
“I’m eighteen now. You can’t make me go.”
He tilts his head back and laughs. “Oh, yes, I can. Your grandfather put a provision in your trust. I’m in charge of it until you’re twenty-five. I’d like to see how far you get without a cent from me.”
I roll my shoulders, unaffected by his threat. “Then, I’ll ask Grams.”
He uses my grandparents’ money against me all the time. We’ve had this fight more times than I can count, and I’m sick of it.
“Think again.” He smirks. “She won’t budge, and neither will I.”
“Then, I’ll get a job.” I come face-to-face with him, so close that our noses are almost touching. “I don’t need you or your money.”
“Maybe not, but you need my connections. One phone call is all it would take to ruin your professional hockey career. Do you want that? Because I can take away everything you’ve ever wanted in the blink of an eye.”
He doesn’t need to say it aloud, because I know what he’s thinking. I took everything from him.
“No,” I mutter, the word a whisper on my lips.
No matter how smart I think I am, he’s always one step ahead of me. He knows better.
“I’m supposed to go to Strick U with Will in the fall. Coach is expecting us.”
He shoves his hands into his pockets and steps back so he can look into my eyes. “Not anymore. I called the school and declined your acceptance. The coach was disappointed you’re not joining Will, but you have more important things to worry about. Get some help, Ethan. You need it.”
I do need help, and I hate to admit my father is right. For once, he’s calm, instead of the usual belligerent mess I have grown accustomed to over the last two years. All of my bad qualities I get from him. We’re alike in so many ways, yet we act as though we have nothing in common. I’m not Erik. I never will be. That’s all that matters to him.
He shakes his head at me one last time, disappointment and disgust registering most when he looks at the box in my hands. “You are going. End of discussion. Have your bags packed and ready. You leave after graduation.”
I consider running away. But how far would I get without money? My car would run out of gas before I made it one state over. I’m completely dependent on him, and that’s no one’s fault but my own. With my only real friends next door, I could live with the Romans. But I don’t want them to know about my old life. I keep that shit locked away along with the secrets I bury in this box.
Maybe one day I will tell Will—he should know the person he calls his best friend. But Mia? I can’t stand the thought of her looking at me any differently than she does now. Even if what she feels for me is just a childhood crush, I don’t care. The hour each night we spend together instantly repairs all the shitty parts of my days.
After my dad leaves my bedroom, I sit on the mattress and glance out the window. Mia’s room faces mine. I remember the first time I saw her as if it were yesterday. She was singing into a hairbrush, wearing nothing more than a yellow bikini with white polka dots. She’s so innocent and pure, with her pale skin and blonde hair that’s almost white, hence why she’s my little lamb.
Now, I have to break her heart along with mine. I have to say goodbye.
Chapter Two
Mia
Sneaking out the back door, I hold my breath and hope for the best. I do the same thing every night. If my older brother ever finds out that I meet his best friend in our backyard, he will kill both of us. I’ve been hanging out with Ethan Waters behind my brother’s back for months. We wait until after midnight, when our houses are silent, and then we drink soda and eat junk food while we rehash our days.
It’s the only thing I look forward to anymore. Knowing that Ethan is waiting for me, my heart races so fast my head spins. Every nerve ending in my body comes alive in anticipation of seeing him again. We both know what we’re doing is wrong. But do we care? Not really. And it’s not like we ever crossed the line, despite the nagging desire I fight to kiss Ethan every time he’s within twenty feet of me.
If Will ever discovers our secret friendship, he will lose his shit. My brother has a strict rule about his friends doing as little as looking at me, let alone hanging out with me. Ever since Ethan moved from Boston to Lower Merion last year, we’ve danced around the idea of us being together. A few times, I thought he might kiss me. Instead, Ethan stopped, his lips inches from mine as his breath warmed my skin.
The closer Ethan comes to graduating from high school, the more nervous I am about our relationship. We’ve become friends, and some days, I need him a lot more than he needs me. I live for the nights when we have this special time to ourselves. With my brother always around, I can never get close to Ethan.
