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"Probably not, but it's all I've got."
Carter leans against my car and crosses his arms over his chest. "And what if he cuts you out too?"
My shoulders straighten, and I hold my head high. "He won't. He needs me too much."
It looks as if he's thinking it over until finally, he sighs and nods. "Okay, fine. But if this doesn't work, I get to say I told you so."
"You can tattoo it on my forehead," I reply excitedly and jump into his arms. "Thank you."
After telling him that I'm going to pick up food from Jace's favorite Chinese place and that I'll meet him at the Londons’ after, I get in my car and take a deep breath. This could go horribly wrong. I may act strong, but Carter has a point. Jace could very well cut me out for this. But the risks outweigh the potential positives.
He needs his best friend.
He needs Carter.
PULLING UP TO JACE'S house, I notice that no one is home. I'm honestly not sure if that's a good thing or not. Carter might not be here yet, but he already texted me to let me know he's on his way. If this goes wrong, I'm not strong enough to break up a fight between those two.
I grab the bag of Chinese food and head inside, grateful for the key Mrs. London gave me the other day so I don't need Jace to keep letting me in. Angry music echoes throughout the house, but it sounds like it's coming from Jace's bedroom. As I get closer, I can hardly hear myself think.
Pushing open the door, the deafening sound somehow gets even louder, but as I see Jace, everything goes deadly silent. I can't hear the music that vibrates the walls. I can't feel as the bag of Chinese food falls out of my arms and lands on the floor. I'm not even sure I'm breathing, because every part of my body is fixated on Jace as he snorts a line of white powder right off his desk.
He tilts his head back, clearly enjoying the rush, but my heart is shattering right inside my chest. As he opens his eyes again, his gaze locks with mine. He scrambles to turn off the music, but I don't care to hear what he has to say. I don't know where I'm going, but I can't be here.
"Wait, Paige!"
I keep walking until I'm at the top of the stairs, and he comes running out of his room.
"Please," he begs. “Don’t go. I l—“
“Don’t say it," I snap, feeling as everything in me crumbles away. "Not like this. Because if you say it, I’ll stay. I will stay with you, and I can’t stay with someone who is bound to kill himself eventually. It’ll break me. So I’m begging you. Please. Don't say it."
Tears pour down my face as Jace drops his head, thankfully not saying the three words I genuinely cannot hear right now. I run down the stairs and out the door as fast as I can. Carter is just walking up the walkway when I reach the grass and fall to my knees. I'm trying to breathe, but I can't.
My lungs just won't seem to fill.
The sobs wrack through my body as Carter rushes over to me. "Whoa, what's wrong?"
I shake my head quickly and scramble to my feet, just trying to get to my car.
"I can't," I tell him through my tears. "I'm so sorry. I can't."
Carter watches with fear in his eyes as I get in my car and fumble with the keys. I finally manage to get the car started, and the tires screech as I speed right out of the driveway.
Away from the lies.
Away from the drugs.
Away from the love of my life.
Fury.
Rage.
Shame.
Devastation.
They all course through my body at once, taking no mercy as they rip my mind to shreds. I grab my desk chair and slam it onto the ground. Shards of wood fly in all directions, but that's not enough. The anger is still so strong I can feel it boiling over the surface.
