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The girls come back from their latest shopping trip with a dozen bags, and are more than happy to attack Camden's fancy rosé champagne after.
I drink more than I should, so I opt to pass on the pain killers before bed—a decision I regret when I wake up with cold sweat and a pressing weight on my chest.
I force myself to sit up and drag myself to the kitchen for water and my meds. Back in my room, I check my shiny red phone.
Five in the morning. Camden will be here in just a few hours. I don't see the point of trying to go back to sleep.
It's eight in New York, so I decide to try Willow's phone, on audio only. She doesn't need to see me in pain, or hear about our mother's mess right now, just before school.
She answers almost immediately. "Hey! I'm on my way to school, I only have five. How are you doing? You don't usually call at this time."
"I was awake, so I figured I'd try to call you, as I missed you yesterday. You're all good, right?"
"Yep," she says, making theppop. "Well, one of the girls who always talks shit about me tried to trip me up yesterday, but the teacher saw her and she got detention. I didn't even fall."
"I'd still want to punch her, but that makes me feel better." I grin. "I have news. I'm going back to town."
"What?" she screeches. "Town, as in Thorn Falls, as in the place you hate most on Earth?"
"I wouldn't say themost. It's not like I know many other places. In fact, it's not like I know anywhere except Thorn Falls and LA."
"You can add New York to that list, soon."
I don't have the heart to tell her I no longer have enough cash to travel there in November. It's two months away; I might be able to replenish my savings enough for it if I find a job in town.
Except I know how hard to find honest work is in Thorn Falls.
"The bell's ringing in three, tell me what's going on. I'm worried, Morgan."
I would be in her shoes, too. "I got into Rothford. Tuition's paid for. It's a lot better than LACC."
"Rothford? Why would you even apply?"
I bite my lip, trying to come up with something she'd believe. I shouldn't have dropped that bomb on her way to school without thinking it through.
"I didn't. A friend of mine didn't like that I went to comunity school, so he made them look at my file, and they let me in."
"He? What he? You have a male friend who'd do that?" She's baffled.
God, I should have gotten my story straight before the call. "I…can't talk about him in the thirty seconds we have before the bell ring. Call you tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? No, I'm calling during my lunch break. You have a freaking boyfriend you didn't tell me about! I want thewholestory." At least she sounds more excited than worried now.
"Tomorrow," I insist. "I don't have a lot of free time today."
In fact, I have none.
Today's Friday.
ChapterThirty-Nine
As I hang up, I remember that today's not only the first day Camden effectively owns me, it also happens to be the date of a more joyous event: my payday. The café processes our salaries every two weeks on Fridays.
I worked a fair bit recently, and the Sunday outdoor music idea was excellent for tips, so I'm looking forward to learning how much I made.
After sending everything in my account to the thugs, I purposely didn't look at it—the balance might have triggered a panic attack. But I can start again. I'll find a job, and save up—if only to be able to pay for that flight at Thanksgiving. I don't want to disappoint Willow.Before this summer, we've never spent more than a day apart in all our lives, and I haven't seen her for months. I miss her.
I check my banking app, hoping for something north of fifteen hundred, and gasp at the number on display.
