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My father has been my protector for the last six years, while I basically let no one else into my life and neither did he. Oh, I became friendly with the staff here at Lancaster Prep but that’s different. They don’t feel like friends, no matter how many conversations I find myself in with Vivian or whoever else. They’re authority figures, not my friends.
Arch feels like a friend, but more than that.
He feels like he could be my everything.
“Hey.” He tugs me closer with his arm, pressing his lips against my forehead as we walk. “You’re awfully quiet.”
“Thinking,” I tell him, my voice soft.
“Hopefully about nothing bad.” He’s trying to play it off but I can tell.
He might be a little worried.
“Nothing bad at all,” I agree, refusing to let my sad memories and emotions weigh me down. “You really did make today pretty great, Arch.”
“Yeah?” He glances down at me with the faintest smile on his perfect lips.
“Yeah.”
We approach the house and trepidation fills me. I left a single lamp on before I left and I can tell it’s still lit, its light shining from behind the closed curtains. I turn to Arch as his arm slips off my shoulders and give him a quick hug. “Thank you.”
“Happy Birthday.” He presses his mouth to the top of my head in a soft kiss before making a sweet offer. “Want me to go in with you?”
Who is this person and what has he done with the flippant, arrogant boy I despised for years?
Shaking my head, I reluctantly pull away from him. “I’ll be okay.”
“Can I confess something to you?”
I’m frowning. “Of course.”
“I told JJ I would go with him to that party tonight,” he admits, his voice low. “The one Cadence is throwing. Remember?”
My frown deepens, hating how I feel when her name drops from his lips.
Jealous, when I have no reason to be. He’s not with her tonight.
He’s with me.
“But then I turned him down. I didn’t want to go to that party. I’d rather be with you. Alone.” He grabs my hand and pulls me close, whispering in my ear, “Tell your dad you were at Cadence’s party if he asks where you were. That might make things easier on you.”
He pulls away before I can reply, offering a sweet smile as he starts walking backward. “Go inside, Daze.”
Smiling faintly, I watch him, realizing he’s not going to turn and walk like a normal person until I’m in the house so I do as he says: unlock the door and hurry inside, leaning against it for a moment and closing my eyes once I’m inside the house, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Where in the world have you been?”
I crack my eyes open to find my father sitting on the edge of the couch, his hair standing up on end as if he’s been tugging on it for the last few hours.
“I told you I was going out,” I say, my voice trembling.
He jumps to his feet, concern etched in his features. “I was worried about you.”
“Did you text me?” I glance at my phone to find I have no texts from anyone. Nothing unusual.
“No. I only got home about thirty minutes ago and when I realized you weren’t here, I started to panic. But then I checkedFind My Phoneand saw you were driving home. Or more like someone was bringing you back here.”
“Yeah, I got a ride back. I went to a, uh, a party.” I nod, remembering what Arch said. Using his excuse.
