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That night, when I hear the knock on the door, I get butterflies in my stomach, certain Isaac changed his mind. Again.
“I’ll get it!” I yell to Brooke, who is still hiding away in her room.
Without checking the peephole, I yank the door open, and…my jaw drops.
It’s not Isaac.
“Lyla,” I say in surprise. Trying to keep the disappointment off my face, I throw my arms around my best friend. I’m a horrible, horrible friend. The worst.
“Hi,” she says softly.
When I release her, I’ve recovered enough to say, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m starting spring break early because I dropped my classes.” She winces slightly, but I already know better than to try and change her mind. Once courses are dropped, there’s no going back. It’s too late to choose new classes, which means she’ll have to wait until the summer or fall to go back. Not that I expect her to.
And with Lyla home, in town, that means there is zero chance that Isaac will chance coming over again.
“Does…does your dad know yet?”
Lyla shakes her head. “Not yet. I came here first to see if I could crash with you in case that conversation goes as badly as I expect it to.”
“Ah, sure. But I rented out the spare room. You can have my bed, and I can sleep on the sofa for however long you need.”
“No, no. I’m not going to put you out like that. I know you have to be up early for work. I’ll…I’ll suck it up and tell my dad. He won’t throw me out or anything.”
“Of course he wouldn’t,” I assure her, trying not to cringe when she uses the wordssuckand herdadin the same sentence. “But if you need somewhere to stay, my door is always open.”
“Thank you,” she says, throwing her arms around me for another hug.
And I feel terrible for keeping everything from her. I should tell Lyla the truth about what happened between me and Isaac right now since it’s certainly over.
But I can’t seem to find the words. I don’t want to hurt Lyla when she has enough going on with dropping out of college and coming home. Isaac is going to be so freaking furious.
That’s why, as soon as Lyla gets up the courage to leave and go talk to him, I don’t bother with a text message. I call him.
“What’s wrong?” Isaac answers immediately.
“I’m fine, but…”
“But what?” he snaps, as impatient as ever. I really am going to miss the bossy man.
“I need to tell you something, but you have to promise to still act surprised and not blow up.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Holly?”
“Lyla is home.”
There’s a long pause. “It’s already spring break?”
“No. She…she dropped out and is moving back home.”
“Goddammit!” comes his explosive shout through the phone, so loud I have to pull it away from my ear.
“Isaac, please calm down. Lyla’s so worried about what you’ll say that she stopped by to see me first. She wanted to ask if she could stay with me in case you flip out. Don’t flip out, okay? Please?”
I hear his heavy breathing and give him the time he needs to get his shit together. “Thank you for warning me. And for…” He trails off, unable to say it and not needing to. “We can’t risk her finding out, so don’t call or text me again.”
“I know.”
