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“Sorry, Jake. I have to agree.” Hannah rests her chin on her hands. “Especially after today.”
Jake pulls a face. “Yeah sorry, guys. That was a bit insensitive. You’re right. No party.”
I rub my hands over my face. “You know what, I’m gonna go have a shower. Get out of these clothes.” I kiss the top of Hannah’s head. “You can get changed in my room, if you want?”
She nods. “Good idea.”
My phone pings with a message when I get out of the shower. I wrap my towel around my waist and pick it up off the bathroom counter. Immediately, I wish I hadn’t. My skin tingles, and the bathroom suddenly feels too hot. I sit down on the edge of the bath, blinking away the light-headedness that threatens to consume me, but the text message from the unknown number doesn’t disappear. It still sits there.
I need to talk to you. Please meet me. Sarah.
What the actual fuck? Why is she messaging me on the day of her ex-boyfriend’s funeral? The run in with the two of them at Ashley’s birthday is running through my mind,‘You won’t be happy until you’ve ruined everyone’s lives, making us all as miserable as you are.’Whilst my words to Sarah that night were true, they were harsh, and it makes my stomach twist. If I don’t go meet her, will it tip her over the edge as well? I can’t have anything else on my conscience.
Sighing, I open the message and type:
When and where?
I hit send and check my watch. I estimate there’s probably only five or ten minutes until the pizzas are ready. I can’t get away before then without it looking suspicious. I don’t want Hannah to know about Sarah reaching out. It’ll only upset her.
Three dots appear on my screen, and I wait impatiently for Sarah’s reply. My gut is telling me I shouldn’t go; that it’s probably going to cause trust issues with me and Hannah. But I need to make sure Sarah’s okay and she’s not thinking about doing anything stupid.
9PM at the park around the corner from your place?
I check my watch again. I need time to eat dinner and hang out with Hannah for a bit before I walk her home. I text back:
Make it 9:30.
After switching my phone to airplane mode, I dry myself and get dressed. The timer for the oven goes off, and I head back to the kitchen, but I’ve lost my appetite.
∞
After dinner, while Jake and I clean up, Kenzie grabs the Monopoly Deal cards and sets up a game on the coffee table. I manage to concentrate for the first couple of rounds, but my mind is still on Sarah’s text.Why does she even want to talk to me?
I bite the inside of my cheek. The guilt from my last words to her swirls around inside of me like a tornado ripping apart everything in its wake. Sarah’s been horrible to everyone. She cheated on Joel, played me, bullied Hannah. She’s even been nasty to Tiana, and probably Caley, too. But I’m not perfect. I’ve been just as bad to the people in my life after the accident. I was short-tempered with my family, I treated Hannah like shit.Who am I to call someone out? This year I’ve been just as bad as her.
It’s almost nine o’clock, and I’m getting anxious about getting Hannah home in time to go meet Sarah. I scratch my head before playing my next lot of cards. I have the Park Lane/Mayfair set so I play the rent card forcing everyone to pay me eight million each. This elicits groans from Jake and Hannah, both of them having to give me property cards to make up the cash. I get Jake’s electric company/water works set, giving me my third set of properties and I’ve won.
“Thanks a lot asshole,” Jake mutters.
His words strike like a knife, the truth gutting me. I’m no better than Sarah. Maybe that’s the real reason I hooked up with her instead of Hannah. I don’t deserve Hannah. Just like I didn’t deserve footy. That’s why all of this is happening to me. My shoulder, the concussion, the headaches. I should’ve died in the accident with Dad. Losing the people and things I love most must be payback. That’s the whole reason I pushed Hannah away in the first place. When I glance over at her, my stomach swirls. Now I’ve dragged her into this whole mess. Sarah made her life hell to get to me. Everything keeps coming back to me. I’m the cause of everything.
Stretching and faking a yawn, I glance over at Hannah. “I’m beat. You ready to go? I’ll walk you home.”
Her cheeks redden and she bites her lip, glancing at Kenzie and Jake. “I, uh, kind of told Mum and Dad I was staying here tonight. I didn’t think you’d want to be alone after the funeral.”
Shit. Not what I had planned.“Yeah of course,” I say instead, forcing myself to smile.How am I going to get around this?“Um, I just remembered I need to ask JD something. I’m gonna go out the back and give him a call. Why don’t you guys put on a movie? I’ll be right back.” I press my lips to Hannah’s forehead and make my way out to the backyard.
Putting my phone up to my ear in case I’m followed, I pretend to have a brief conversation with JD, all the while thinking about what excuse I can give to get out of the house without Hannah wanting to come with me. Just before heading back inside, I type out a quick text message to JD:Do me a favour. Don’t type anything in the group chat for the next hour.
Three dots appear straight away, and I wait to see his response.
No worries. You gonna explain why?
At this stage, I’ll say anything for Hannah not to find out about me going to meet Sarah.
Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow. Cheers mate.
Exhaling, I head back inside, grabbing a jacket. I duck my head into the living room and say, “Just heading to JD’s quickly. I’ve gotta help him with something. I’ll be back in a little bit.”
