AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, she is,” I respond.
He nods, but the disappointment in his face does not go unnoticed.
“Take a shower and come downstairs.” Before he leaves, he says, “Don’t ever fucking scare me like that again.”
“Ash? Did she see…did Shorty come back?”
“No, she didn’t.” He leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.
* * *
Once I’m showered, I throw on a plain white shirt and gray sweatpants and leave my room, grunting in pain. I walk past Shorty’s room and notice her door is open. Her bed is made but she and Sophie are nowhere to be found.
I make my way down the stairs, holding onto my side.
Mom and Dad are sitting at the island when I walk into the kitchen, and Ash leans against the counter with a protein shake in his hands.
“Hey,” I greet everyone. “Is Shorty still at Tia’s?” I ask, looking around to see if she’s nearby. She hasn’t texted me back when I asked her when she’ll be back so we can talk.
“Yeah,” Ash responds, brushing past me with his shake.
I sigh in relief, glad she won’t be here when shit’s about to hit the fan.
I feel like shit when Mom lifts her head. Her eyes are bloodshot, swollen from the tears she was most likely crying because of me. Dad glares at me with disappointment written all over his face.
I open my mouth to speak, but Dad raises one hand to stop me. “When did it start?”
I clear my throat. “Two years ago.”
Mom gasps.
Dad shakes his head.
“Why?” Mom cries.
Why? Because I was forced to leave my heart behind, and she was forced to survive without me. I wasn’t there to protect her, to keep her safe.
“You could’ve gotten yourself killed.” Dad’s voice raises an octave.
“Honey,” Mom warns Dad in a soft tone.
“No!” Dad yells and turns to me. “Do you know how worried we were, not knowing what happened to you, or where you were? What the hell were you thinking?”
With both hands in my pockets, I tear my gaze away from the disappointment spread over his face.
“But I didn’t.” That wasn’t the right thing to say, because Dad loses his shit.
“But you could have!” Dad bellows, slamming his hand on the table, and my eyes return to his.
Mom flinches.
“If it wasn’t for your brother picking your ass up, who knows what would’ve happened.”
I can’t hold it in any longer.
“Well, I wouldn’t have gone if you didn’t make me feel like shit!” I roar back.
Dad staggers back as if I ripped his heart out.
