“Thanks, Hayley. I think you are the best friend I have ever had. You’re like the sister I always wanted.”
A sympathetic smile crosses her face. “I’ll meet you at the car after I say bye to Liam.”
“Okay.” I smooth my hands over my hair and apply another layer of concealer under my eyes. I fold up Killian’s shirt and put it back on his bed in his room. I close my eyes and try to remember what happened last night between us.
I think I threw myself at him and I feel ashamed.
He washed my hair.
He took care of me.
He doesn’t hate me not even a little.
I wish I could remember being in the shower with him even if I did have puke on me.
I am never drinking again.
&n
bsp; I take one last look at his room before closing the door.
A memory washes over me. “We’re a fire that never was supposed to burn, but here you are in my bed, pouring the gasoline, and I’m striking the match,” Killian whispered against my lips, and he kissed me. He kissed me long, hard, and deep. I try to remember more but my memory is hazy. He is the one who pulled away and told me to go to sleep.
Downstairs, the house is trashed worse than it would be after a party. Glass crunches under my feet and the fraternity portrait hanging on the wall is busted up. I know Killian broke it because I made him upset. Because I pushed him to tell me how he is feeling.
Liam is pushing a broom while Hayley watches. I give Liam a sad smile and Hayley follows me outside. Woodrow is sitting on the porch, holding a bloody towel over his nose.
“Are you okay?”
He looks at me with swollen eyes. “Never better.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t ask him to punch me, did you?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Then don’t sweat it.” He shrugs then winces. “I’ll live.”
I give him a weak smile. I wish I knew where Killian was, but I don’t want to stand my mother up. Hayley drives and I lay my head back on the headrest and close my eyes. I’m exhausted both mentally and physically. We meet my mom at the hotel and take our lunch out by the pool even though it is closed for the season.
“Someone had a rough night.” My mother eyes me and orders me an orange juice and pancakes. The sun is too bright, and it makes my head hurt even more.
Hayley gets a cheeseburger and fries and the smell of grease make me want to vomit. My stomach lurches and I fight against the bile rising up the back of my throat.
“You girls are too quiet. Tell me what’s wrong. Is it boy trouble?”
“I had a fight with my boyfriend,” Hayley lies to take the pressure off me, and I love her even more for doing so.
“Relationships are hard and take a lot of work. You’re young, and first loves are tough. I loved your Uncle James more than anything or anyone. I wouldn’t listen to anything bad anyone said about him. I walked away from friends and family because I swore to myself that I could fix him and that my love would be enough for him. Then I became pregnant with Liri, and I could take him letting me down, but what I couldn’t take was him not being around for her. Sometimes we have to dig deep and decide what we can live with and what we can’t live without.”
“Liam and Hayley will last.” I smile at her. “He loves her and can’t stay away from her for more than a few hours,” I tease.
“Codependency can be unhealthy.”
“It’s not like that,” Hayley tells her.
“You don’t have to explain it to me, sweetheart, I know you are trying to cover for Liri. You’re a good friend.”