AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s good that you saw that.”
“Yeah, well…I hope Devon doesn’t start sleeping with Jasmine again. That’d be awful.”
Oh the weight of her problems. She’s in rehab and she’s worrying that her boyfriend might cheat on her.
“I think you have more important issues to deal with,” I said lightly.
“I know, but still…it’d be just like him to use this as an excuse. He’d probably say something like he couldn’t handle the pressure of having his girlfriend in rehab so he slept with Jasmine when he was weak.”
“Should’ve stuck with Carter.”
Mandy was silent at that. We both knew Carter wouldn’t ever cheat on her, even for all his loud-mouthed reputation. We both knew the real Carter and he’s not weak like Devon. But Mandy had chosen and she’d chosen what was more comfortable for her.
“So should I tell Mom and Dad where you’re hiding out at? Or keep my mouth shut?”
“Tray told ‘em I was in Pedlam. I’d prefer if they believed that.” But I didn’t want her to feel like she owed me anything.
“Okay, Mom and Dad are fine as long as you’re not with Tray. Someone must’ve told them that you guys are dating for them to ever show up there. I bet that went off well when they heard that. Mom and Dad hate Tray. Especially Mom, but you’d think Dad would hate him more.”
“I think they’ll forget about it when they get there,” I said dryly, reaching for my coffee.
“Yeah. Good point.” Mandy yawned on her end.
“I’m going to go, but I’ll call you later.”
“Okay. Thanks for calling, sis.”
“Yeah. Bye.”
“Love you.”
My phone halted, mid-motion when I heard her. I found myself pulling the phone back to my ear and I said softly, “Love you too.”
I did. It’s why I did what I did for her.
Hell. I’d even started to love the fourteen year old punk.
*
School was easier to get through than what I’d thought. Maybe it was because I knew things were in motion. Maybe it was because I knew that my life, and Tray’s, would irrevocably be changed. Somehow. Or maybe it was because I wasn’t quite ready for what was coming.
I was itching to get inside that warehouse.
But I’d swim after school. That’d help. Hopefully Coach would even have us race today. I had energy to burn. And, of course, none of it had to do with the fact that I’d slept from eight at night till five-thirty in the morning. That’s like…nine and a half hours of sleep.
Tray: zero.
I still felt bad about that.
I was surprised, a good surprise, to see that Brady had first and second period with me. Who’da thunk it.
Brady waved me over in first period. Tray looked half dead in second period, but I didn’t need to worry. Carter sat beside him and was keeping him awake, by annoying him.
Molly grinned welcomingly as I sat beside her. This was my third or fourth time actually going to XX. I still liked to skip for study hall, but just pretended that I kept forgetting.
Brady slid into a seat at the table behind us with another swimmer, Lexie.
I introduced Molly to them and I thought Molly would die happy. Brady and Lexie immediately enfolded her in their clique.
