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7
HADLEY
I wakeup the next morning feeling as though I spent all night throwing back shots.
I really need to work on getting better sleep.
Combing my fingers through my hair, I shove the blankets off as I look around the mostly bare room. Londyn’s bed has already been made and her boxes are emptied out. She must have gotten up really early in order to finish unpacking. Or I just got up late, I realize as I check the time on my phone.
It’s almost noon. I never sleep this late, unless I’m hungover.
Frustrated with my laziness, I drag my ass out of bed and tear open the box where all my clothes are stuffed. I dig out a black T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and turn to take a shower, when the house next door snags my attention.
I spent half the night stressed out over if they’d do something else to me. And now I’m exhausted because of it.
I need to stop stressing about stuff so much.
Forcing myself to stop thinking about the neighbors for now, I go to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Then I get dressed and secure my hair into a high ponytail before heading downstairs to get some lunch, since it’s already past noon.
When I enter the kitchen, my dad is at the counter, dressed in a jacket, jeans, and work boots, and he’s stuffing a sandwich into a baggie.
“Where are you going?” I wonder as I collect a cup from a box and grab the juice from the fridge.
“To work.” He tosses the bagged sandwich into a lunchbox and adds a water bottle.
“It’s Saturday.” I take a sip of my juice.
“Yeah, so? People sometimes have to work on Saturdays.” He zips up the lunchbox and collects his new truck key he had made yesterday from the local locksmith. “The job I got actually requires me to work seven days a week.”
I nearly drop my cup. “So, you’re going to be working every day?”
He nods, crossing the kitchen toward the door. “It’s called a full-time job, Hadley.” He exits the house, slamming the door behind him.
I hurry across the kitchen and open the door, stepping out onto the small porch. He’s already in his truck and backing down the driveway. He turns right on the road, heading in the opposite direction of the main part of town. I make a mental note of that, wishing my car was functional so I could tail him and find out where he’s working.
“How far of a drive is it?”
Voices float from next door as Rhyland, Blaise, Alex, and Jaxon file out of their house and down the front porch. Like yesterday, they’re dressed all in black, some with studded belts, some with chains on their beltloop. Rhyland even has studded suspenders hanging from the waistband of his jeans.
“I’m not sure.” Alex tosses the keys to Rhyland.
Jaxon sighs tiredly as he reaches a black SUV with tinted windows parked out front. “I don’t feel like going to a party today.”
Rhyland rounds the front of the car and opens the driver’s side door. “It’ll be fun. And it’s by the lake. You like going to the lake.”
“I hate going to the lake,” Alex grumbles. “Can I stay home?”
“Nope,” Blaise says in a cold tone as he grabs the door handle. “You’re already in deep shit over that little stunt you pulled with …” His eyes stray toward my house, quickly finding me. He fleetingly stiffens.
Alex tracks his gaze, his lips tugging up into a smirk. “Gentlemen, we have an audience.”
Four sets of eyes lock on me. But that four hastily turns to three as Jaxon yanks open the door and climbs inside the SUV so swiftly you’d think looking at me burned his retinas or something.
“Hey, Hadley,” Rhyland greets me with a smile.
“Rhyland,” I reply in a formal tone.
He smiles amusedly while dragging his hand across his mouth.
