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She rolls her eyes. “You're so rude, you know that? But fine, I'll give the stupid key back.”
“And then you'll leave as soon as you've said whatever you came here to say?” I continue, then add, “And you won't show up like this again?”
Sighing, she tucks her legs under herself, making a show of getting herself comfortable. “Whatever.”
Working harder than I ever have to keep my agitation under wraps, I leave her in the living room to retrieve a bottle of water from the garage. But by the time I come back some three or so minutes later, India is waiting for me in the hallway by the door.
“You know what?” she says, snatching the water from my hand. “I've changed my mind. Thank you for the water, but I won't be staying.”
Confused by her sudden change of heart, I step to the side to let her pass, too relieved by the fact that she's leaving to give a thought to what's behind the one-eighty.
“Um, right, okay.”
She flicks her hair over her shoulder and stares me down with an intensity that borders on unhinged. Something has happened in the small amount of time I've been gone to reignite the rage inside her that I thought had flickered out. “I don't know who the fuck you think you are to lie to me for six months, pining after your ex like some fucking pathetic teenage boy, but you know what? You'll get what's coming to you. Because a girl like Althea Sparkes ain't ever gonna be happy with a small-town mechanic who's going nowhere in life. She'll drop you as soon as she's bored, just like she did before. Karma's coming for you both, best believe I made sure of that.”
Then she throws my key right at my face and saunters out the front door.
Bemused, I watch as she climbs into her car and drives away, then I cast a look up and down the street to check for hidden photographers. The last thing I need is some pap taking photos of India leaving my house naked except for a trench coat and hooker heels. I don't know how the hell I'd explain it to Thea if she saw it online before I had a chance to tell her myself.
And I will tell her as soon as I call her back. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that she'll have enough trust in me to believe my story.
Checking my phone, I find several missed video calls from Thea and a text message sent about twenty minutes ago.
Thea
Tried to stay awake for you, but I can barely keep my eyes open. Sorry I'm missing our nightly video chat, but hopefully it's okay because I'm coming home to you tomorrow. Can't wait to see you. I've missed you so much. Sweet dreams, Cole. I love you.
Cole
I love you too, princess. I'll meet you at the airport in the morning.
Except, that isn’t what happens.
When morning comes, I arrive at the airport twenty minutes early and wait for her with a bunch of flowers in my hand and a smile on my face.
I wait.
And I wait.
And I wait.
When the first flight from New York arrives and I see no sign of her, I figure she must have been delayed. I tell myself with confidence that everything's okay and she'll be on the next one.
But then, the next flight comes and she's not on that one either.
In fact, she’s not on any of them.
She doesn’t come home at all.
The lightof the dawn streams in through the window and bathes the room in gold. But that's not what wakes me up. It's the relentless ringing of my phone rattling on the table beside me that jolts me out of my sleep.
With bleary eyes, I hit the answer button and hold it to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Thea?” Leighton's voice is a shrill and panicked shriek.
My heart stops at the sound of it and something dark begins to fester in my gut. “What's wrong?”
