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When I reach the car, I find that Easton did follow me. Smart thinking. Climbing into the car, I sit in the driver’s seat, trying to figure out where the hell to go next. My fingers drum against the steering wheel without thought.
“What are we going to do now? You look as lost as you did when you came in here? I’m guessing Valerie wasn’t of any help?”
“Well, I mean she was, and she wasn’t. She doesn’t know where Harper is, but she did shed some light on a couple of things. I think I may have been wrong about her.”
“What do you mean by that?” Confusion bleeds into Easton’s face.
I shake my head. I don’t have time to explain this to him.
“Let’s just say I was wrong.” At least about what she’s been up to the last few years. I start the car and pull out of the parking spot.
“Where are we going?” he asks a second later.
“To find Harper,” I answer without ever taking my eyes off the road.
10
Harper
“You can come home whenever you want, sweetie,” my mother assures me as if I need to be told twice. I love spending time with my parents. I’d take a home-cooked meal over cafeteria slop any day, but both of them work so hard running their cleaning business, the last thing I want is to be a burden to them.
That’s why I worked so hard for my scholarship, and why I live off-campus, so I can save up every little bit of money I have to buy the things I need over asking my parents for money.
“I know, Mom,” I give her a smile. “I’ve just been busy. Classes are crazy, and the workload is a lot. You know how I get about my grades.” That’s not a lie. At least not fully. Though the only thing crazy at Blackthorn is Warren.
“Yes, yes,” her hazel eyes soften, and she reaches into her pocket, “your father and I want you to have this. You never ask for anything, and we know you have the scholarship, but maybe you could use the cash for something.”
I open my mouth to object, but my mother shakes her head and grabs my hand, pressing the warm dollar bills into it.
“Take it, please.” The pleading in her voice stops me in my tracks. Even though I don’t want to take it, I bite the inside of my cheek and take it, nodding my head.
She smiles and releases my hand. I shove the wad of cash into my pocket, bumping into my phone. Shit. My phone. It’s been off all day. I can’t imagine the shit storm I’ll be walking back into when I get back to Blackthorn.
I know without a doubt that Warren is pissed, probably ripping the campus to shreds trying to find me. Something that feels like satisfaction coats me from the inside out. For once, I outsmarted him, tricked him. I left without him even knowing.
Pulling out my phone, I turn the device on. As soon as the thing is on, it starts to go off, just as I suspected it would.
“Popular, huh?” My mom grins, her eyes lighting up as she makes another loaf of bread. If she isn’t cleaning for a living, she’s cooking. It’s like she doesn’t know what relaxation is.
“Yeah,” I lie, refusing to tell her it’s some crazed asshole who thinks he can control me and everything I do. Looking down at my phone, I find I have thirty text messages or more, plus numerous voicemails.
It’s a good thing I’m heading back to Blackthorn today. God forbid the psycho go an entire night without me. Walking into the tiny living room, I prepare myself to calm him and almost chuckle when my phone starts ringing, his name flashing across the screen.
I hit the green answer key and hold the phone to my ear.
“Yes, can I help you?” I speak calmly into the receiver. I shouldn’t want to stir the pot of crazy, but I do. Warren deserves to feel the same pain I have.
“What the fuck, Harper? Where are you? I’ve looked everywhere for you. I swear to god, you better have a good excuse. You didn’t think you could escape me…”
“I’m not stupid, Warren. I just needed some time away from you. You’re mental, and it’s exhausting dealing with you.”
“Where are you?” Is all he says, his voice clipped.
“On my way back to Blackthorn. I’ll be leaving in a few minutes to catch the bus.”
“No, you won’t. Stay right where you fucking are. I’ll come and pick you up.” An objection sits heavy on my tongue, but Warren interrupts me before I can speak. “And if you think about disobeying me, I’ll march right up to the administration building and tell them everything I know.”
“Your threats are getting old,” I taunt.
