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I grip him just as tight, fisting his jacket and fighting the swell of emotion in my throat.
“Now, you go call that girl, and you tell her how much she means to you.” He pounds me twice on the back, then gives me one of his Galloway smiles. “I love you, son.”
“Love you, too, Dad.”
I close the driver’s door for him and slap the roof of his car, standing in the driveway and waving him off. As soon as his taillights disappear down the road, I rip the phone from my back pocket and find Mikayla’s number.
It rings eight times before going to voice mail.
I hang up with a growl and try again.
And then I try one more time before sufficing with a text.
Me: I’m sorry. Please let me talk to you about this.
I stand there like an idiot, staring at my phone and begging those reply dots to start flashing.
But they never do.
And eventually I have to give up, shoving my phone away and walking back into the house thinking about my mom and how she never got to go to Disneyland.
CHAPTER33
MIKAYLA
I slipped into the house twenty minutes ago and thankfully got to my room without detection. I mean, a couple girls saw me flit from the front door and down the corridor, but I’m grateful it wasn’t Aimee or Fiona… or Teah.
She’s the nicest girl in this house, and if she gave me one of her sympathetic looks, I might just start crying. I hate crying.
I did so much of it when my dad first left. I couldn’t seem to stop. It’s like I used up a lifetime’s worth in those weeks after he walked out, and now there’s no more. Well, there’s plenty more, but I just never like them appearing.
I’d rather take burning eyeballs and this torturous tingling in my nose than give in to the tears sliding down my cheeks.
I won’t let some guy weaken me this way.
My phone buzzes with a text, and I don’t bother checking the screen. It’s no doubt another attempt from Ethan. He’s called three freaking times, and I don’t want to hear what he has to say.
Can’t he just leave me alone and let me wallow in my own private shame?
I’m not girlfriend material. I know this about myself, and I’m furious that I let him get under my skin.
The only reason I did was because of this stupid initiation.
I throw my anger back at Aimee and this whole stupid sorority. I funnel my black energy into hating my mother and Jarrod for a second.
Who forces their child to join a sorority? It’s ridiculous! Insane! Stupid! Dumb!
Flopping back onto my pillow with a little scream, I thump the mattress and nearly grab my phone to call Rachel.
But she’s probably busy with her boyfriend right now. The girl who got zero action in high school is moving in with a guy. And yeah, it’s not like I got much action in high school either, but at least I was brave enough to go after some.
Rachel was too scared to even approach guys at school.
And now she’s moving in with the love of her life becauseshe knows.
My chin starts to tremble, needles poking my eyeballs as I fight another wave of tears.
I know too.
