All bets were off now that Beatrice-Rose was showing her true self. So far from the sweet and vulnerable persona she had going the first time we met.
“You’re so pathetic. I feel nothing but sorry for you,” I said.
Kara came up beside me, placing her hand on my shoulder. She peered down at Beatrice-Rose. “Wow. You’re really embarrassing yourself.”
The older lady pulled Catnip back. The dog calmed down, but her eyes were trained on Beatrice-Rose, ready to attack if needed.
Beatrice-Rose got up, brushing away the hair that had fallen across her face, her extensions barely hanging on her hair. One plopped onto the floor. Her eyes widened in embarrassment as she kicked it away.
“I’m going to sue you!” she spat at me.
“For what? For attacking me?” I nodded at the small audience surrounding us. “We have at least five witnesses who saw everything.”
Kara snorted beside me. Beatrice-Rose narrowed her eyes at her. I could almost see the wheels whirling in her devious mind.
“You’re vulgar and cheap. I always wondered what Cameron saw in you.”
“Oh my God, Beatrice-Rose!” Kara exclaimed, her eyes wide as she held her hands up. “Surprise me once in your life, will you? Say something intelligent. Oh wait, I forgot. Ask me if I give a flying fuck first.” She raised an eyebrow. “That’s right, I don’t.”
Beatrice-Rose sneered at Kara. Her head jerked toward Justin, motioning with her chin. Justin sighed and got up. He took a threatening step toward Kara.
Before he could do anything, I got in his face. “Do you want me to beat you up again? Because this time I’ll aim lower.”
Justin turned red. I knew he was going to hit me even before he raised his fist, but he froze. I felt someone approach from behind me.
Theo. He positioned himself protectively in front of me. I turned my head and spotted Beth beside me, offering moral support. Her blue hair and mismatched eyes winking at me. I felt my heart expand as if it would burst with happiness. They were here for me, here to support me. Touched, I blinked back my tears.
Theo didn’t say anything, just looked tall and intimidating and big enough to beat the hell out of Justin. He crossed his arms, his head turned down as he glared at Justin.
Justin backed away. “I wasn’t doing anything, man.”
“Leave,” Theo whispered dangerously.
Justin held his hands up, grabbed his drink, and walked away. Beatrice-Rose looked from us to him, then back to us. She had a look of hate on her face.
“This isn’t over,” she warned before grabbing her purse from her seat and walking away.
“Bye, bitch. I hope your favorite dessert is disappointment because that’s what you’ll be having for a while,” Kara singsonged.
When Beatrice-Rose was gone, Kara and Beth opened their arms to me. I swallowed a sob-hiccup and happily joined the group hug. Theo cleared his throat and awkwardly patted our backs.
I let out a contented sigh.
Chapter Three
Veronica
It had been a week since I last saw Caleb. A week of torture. A week of unsent texts and canceled phone calls. A week of mostly sleepless nights. The sleep I managed to get only lasted a few hours and was fitful and disrupted by nightmares. I’d wake up more exhausted than when I went to bed.
I often dreamed about Caleb asking me to fight for him, to run after him, but when I did, I never seemed to reach him. He always vanished whenever I got close.
I missed him.
People always say you never know how much a person means to you until they’re gone. My mom had passed away, but I had always known what she meant to me. Caleb, though… I didn’t know he was such a big part of my life until he was gone.
Almost every day after Caleb left, Beth, Theo, and sometimes even Damon came over to hang out at Kara’s. I didn’t know how Damon had eased in, but he was now a part of the group. It touched me how supportive they were. I’d never had real friends before.
I worked almost every day at the garage that week and was surprised to find Damon working there one day.