AllFreeNovel
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Everyone’s disappointed in you. You’re pathetic.
I check the time. It’s a quarter after seven—still pretty early. My parents have already left for work, I’m sure. They’re both high-achieving workaholics. I think they do a good job of managing their work-life balance. I’ve never felt slighted.
I need to get up and get ready before I’m due downstairs for breakfast at eight. If I don’t make a prompt appearance, Margaret will come looking for me.
I race to my bathroom and shower quickly. Then I head for my closet and get dressed. I search the closet floor for the knife, but I can’t find it. I check behind my shoes and purses and under piles of discarded clothes and other accumulated stuff, but it’s nowhere to be found. In a panic, I head to Jason’s room.
He answers the door wearing nothing but a pair of faded blue jeans that hang low on his waist. My gaze travels down his chiseled chest, past his pecs, to his washboard abs. Is that a six-pack? Or eight? There’s no time to count them because I’m distracted by the thin line of dark hair that runs down from his belly button and disappears beneath the waistband of his jeans. My mouth goes dry. OMG, his hips are lean, and he’s got a V, just like the male models on social media. He’s freaking ripped.
“Sorry,” he says as he rubs his damp hair on a towel. “I just got out of the shower.”
“It’s okay.” My voice comes out weak and breathy as I try not to stare at his body. “I don’t mind.”
He grins at me. “What’s up?”
Suddenly I remember the reason why I came. “Where’s the knife? I can’t find it.” I can tell from the look on his face that I’m not going to like the answer.
He drapes the towel around his neck. “I returned it to the kitchen last night, after I spoke with your parents.”
My stomach drops. “So, they know?”
He nods. “Have they said anything to you this morning?”
“No. I haven’t seen them today. I’m pretty sure they’ve already left for work.”
“They said they were going to talk to you.” He reaches out to touch my arm. “Hey, relax. They promised me they wouldn’t give you a hard time about it.”
“Thanks,” I tell him. “I’ll let you finish getting dressed. Breakfast is at eight.”
As I turn to walk back to my room, I see my mom heading toward me. She’s dressed for work in a suit and blouse. My pulse picks up speed.Oh, crap, here it comes.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” she says when she reaches me.
“I thought you’d already left for work.”
“Your dad left a little while ago but I thought I’d stay and have a little chat with you before I leave.” She nods to my door. “Can we sit in your room?”
I open my bedroom door and follow her inside. “It’s about the knife, isn’t it?”
She sits at the foot of my bed. “Jason told us what happened last night.”
“I didn’t cut myself, I swear.”
She gives me a sad smile. “I’m really glad to hear that, honey. But what concerns your father and me is that you had a knife in your bedroom to begin with. We’ve talked about this many times before, and you promised us you wouldn’t hide sharp implements.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I didn’t use it.”
“Did the voice tell you to cut yourself?”
I nod.
“We’re glad you didn’t, but I hope you can see why we’re so worried. If Jason hadn’t come along when he did, we don’t know what might have happened.”
I sit beside my mom and stare straight ahead. “I haven’t cut myself in a long time.”
Mom puts her arm around me and pulls me close. “I know, sweetie. And I’m very proud of you. So is your dad.” She’s silent for a moment. Then, she says, “I’ve asked Jason to search your room periodically. You know that Margaret and I do as well.”
“Yes.”
