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“Fuck that, Reese.” She pushes to stand, putting me at a serious height disadvantage as she places her hands on her hips and glares down at me. “I was worried, and scared that you were going to do something stupid. And I…”
“And you…” I prompt, needing her to continue. Needing some honesty, if that is what’s falling from her lips right now.
She sighs, her eyes dropping from mine for a beat as her anger at my reaction ebbs away. “I didn’t want you to be alone. What Oak said… it wasn’t true. You’re not—”
“Don’t,” I spit. “Don’t fucking stand there and lie to my face. Everything Oak said was true and you know it.”
Ripping my eyes from her, I storm toward the door, which doesn’t take all that much effort seeing as this beach hut isn’t much bigger than my sock drawer.
“No, Reese. Wait.” Her fingers wrap around my upper arm, but her weak grip is nothing, and I rip myself free with ease.
Spinning on her, I force her back against the wall, pinning her arms beside her as I glare down at her.
My breath is rank, but she doesn’t so much as flinch, staring up at me with as much fire in her eyes as I feel burning through my veins.
“I don’t need you, Olivia. I don’t need your pity or your—”
“This isn’t pity, Reese. It’s concern, because I… because I care. There, you happy? I care, okay? I care about what Oak said to you, I care about what happened with your dad, about why you left this summer, about why you think it was my fault. I fucking care, and I shouldn’t, I know that. You’ve been nothing but a fucking dick to me for years. Even when we were friends, there was something different between us, like you only put up with me because Oak wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Yeah, because that was how it was.”
I shake my head. “I don’t believe you.”
“So? Do you really think I care about your opinion about me?”
“Yes. I do.”
My chest heaves and my nostrils flare as I try to keep it together. Try not to wrap my hand around her throat. I’ve no idea if I’d squeeze the life out of her or kiss her until we both drown in each other. I’m too confused over her coming after me when everyone else is happy enough to wash their hands of me.
“I… I can’t fucking do this.”
I release her in a rush and storm to the door once more, swinging it open and wincing against the morning sun.
The storm might be long gone, but evidence of it covers every inch of the beach beyond.
“Reese, please don’t do this,” she begs.
But it’s too late. I’m gone.
I can’t fucking do this.
The thought that she’s telling me the truth, that she does actually care, is too fucking much.
“Reese,” she cries, her voice cracking as my legs take me away from her.
The lingering wind from the night before blows my hair as the sun warms my skin.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I check that I turned it off before continuing forward and once again leaving her behind.
“Reese, please. Come back.” Her voice barely carries to me, and I’m not sure if I’m impressed or disappointed that she’s not chasing after me.
It’s not until I’ve hit the car park and am heading toward one of the seafront cafés that I realise I probably fucked up.
I look back over my shoulder, half expecting to see her watching me, and my heart sinks when I don’t.
“Fuck,” I mutter, my fists curling at my sides as confusion wars within me.
Did she really come all this way so that I wasn’t alone after what I discovered last night?
