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Applause rings out and this time it is deafening.
Raising my glass, I smile and add, “To the future of MediaHire.”
“To MediaHire,” the audience replies.
I leave the stage and immediately head to the bar where Noelle is. She is not looking at me. She is staring at her glass and her mood seems to have soured even more. I wish I knew what was wrong so I could help her. When I reach her, I kiss her cheek and can feel Chris glaring at me. Good, let him know she is off-limits.
But I can’t pretend I’m not worried. Because I am.
“Hey, is everything okay?”
“God, are you going to ask me that all night long? How many times do I have to say yes?”
Whoa. What is this about? “I’m sorry, it’s just that you look like you have something on your chest, and I was trying to show you I’m here for you.”
She looks at me and whispers, “Just leave me alone, will you?” And she heads for the bathroom.
What the hell am I missing?
Chapter Thirteen
Noelle
Iturnoffthefaucet and tear out paper towels to dry my hands. I know I was a bitch to Maverick, and he didn’t deserve it at all, but I just can’t deal with him right now. I can’t be here, but I have to and it’s killing me.
Staring at the ringing phone atop my purse, I silently pray for my mom to answer but the fifth time that night, the call disconnects and the line goes dead. It’s been a week and things are pretty much the same between her and Dad and my world is crumbling because my foundation is turning to dust.
Shutting my eyes tightly, I clench my fist in frustration.
Why isn’t my mom picking up? She’s home alone tonight and I have no way to check up on her.
I’m at a loss on who to call. Aunt Jessica is working a shift at the police department tonight and she’s unavailable.
Sighing, I send my mom a text message.
Please call me when you see this, mom. I need to know if you’re okay.
I throw the phone into my purse and exhale deeply. Planting my palms on the surface of the porcelain sink, I hang my head and close my eyes.
Useless. I feel completely useless.
Nothing’s working and I’m tired of pretending it is. Last three days, on a phone call with my father, he was insistent on his decision. A divorce is happening and nothing else. Pleading with him to see reason was ineffective and a waste of time. My father always weighs each decision he makes and may take his time, but once he makes up his mind, there is no turning back.
Sniffing, I delicately brush way the tears from my eyes with my fingers. Avoiding my eyes in the mirror, I tear out a paper napkin and carefully dab my face, then reapply my eye-shadow and lip gloss.
Never let them see you break, my Aunt Jessica always tells my mother whenever she starts her crying fits. I’ve never understood its meaning, until now. I’m at a point in my life where the shitty things are rearing its ugly heads and I’m taking it upon myself to not let any of it get to me.
But, goddamn, it’s so hard. My parents have been together for a long time, spanning three decades. How am I supposed to feel okay with them splitting? Slap on a pleasant smile all day and pretend everything is okay?
“Never let them see you break,” I whisper as I replace the cap of the gloss.
Especially Maverick.
A lump of guilt hangs in my throat and I swallow it down. Am I a terrible person for acting the way I did? I’m supposed to be here acting as his girlfriend, and instead I snap at him and hide in the bathroom.
Maybe I should tell him the truth, make him understand what I’m going through.
But I am nothing to him. Why would he care? We’re just fake dating partners. I know I’m growing to care about him more than I should and now with what’s happening with my parents, I wonder if I should just cut my losses and stop this now.
