One; he’s still fast asleep and didn’t realize I’m still not home. Unlikely.
Two; he’d been up panicking all night to the point I put him in a stress induced coma, leaving him physically unable to assault me through text messages. More likely than the sleeping shit.
Three; he’s finally realized the boys are never going to let me get hurt so he’s finally chilled out. Again, unlikely.
Four; he’s completely given up on me, hoping it’s not too late to mold Aria into the perfect daughter who wouldn’t dream of spending nights with boys. Yeah, that seems about right. Aria has turned him into a big old marshmallow which is really working for me right now.
As Noah and I got out of bed and found our clothes, it didn’t take long to realize the house was too quiet. Rivers’ voice wasn’t sailing up the hallway, convincing Violet to make a massive breakfast and Tully’s voice wasn’t cursing him out and screaming at him to stop being a lazy prick and to make his own damn breakfast.
Coming out of Noah’s room, I see that Tully’s door is still closed and there’s not even a hint of movement within. Rivers either forgot to set the alarm on her phone or she let it go, opting to spend the day wasting away in bed.
Walking out into the living room and coming through to the kitchen, it was made clear that Rivers wasn’t there. Though, my first thought was that he could be in Tully’s room with her, but it’s a move he wouldn’t risk with Noah there which was when I realized that his shoes weren’t by the front door and his phone, keys, and wallet which usually sit on the hallway table were gone.
A horn blares in the student parking lot, snapping me back to reality as I finish off what’s left of my coffee. “Shit, that wasn’t enough,” I tell Noah as he glances around the lot, searching for the idiot who’s honking their horn. I continue rambling on. “What a strange fucking morning. Is everything going to be ass up today or is that it? I’d really like it if from now on, everything could be normal,” I add, shaking my head. “I’m definitely going to need another coffee if I plan on getting through today.”
“That bad?” he grumbles as a cringe graces his face.
“Uh huh,” I say, studying him closely as Tully’s Jeep pulling up beside Noah’s Camaro steals both of our attention.
“Shit,” I say, looking her over as she climbs out of the Jeep with her massive dark glasses on, clearly trying to deal with a nasty hangover. “I didn’t think she’d come today.”
“Yeah,” he grumbles to himself before an amused chuckle pulls from deep within him. “Neither did I.”
I watch her a moment as she walks around her Jeep and collects her things from the passenger side. Everything she does is just a bit slower and when she looks up and gives me a pathetic little smile, a painful twinge cuts through me.
She was still in bed when we left and considering we’ve only been here for a few minutes, she must have rolled out of bed and gotten straight in the car right after we left. There wouldn’t have been time to stop for coffee or get herself breakfast, and considering she’s still in the same jeans from last night and her hair hasn’t been done, I’d say it’s going to be one hell of a bad day for her.
She starts making her way up to the school and it’s almost as though she can sense him. Her head whips around and zones in on Rivers over on the other side of the lot. I hadn’t even seen him myself and I’m in a much better position to. I don’t even think Noah did.
Rivers walks up to the school with his arm thrown over Alyssa’s shoulder and I let out a sigh. At least that answers where he disappeared to this morning. I flick back to Tully just in time to see her whole world deflate. I can’t see her eyes, but something tells me that seeing them together right now is killing her.
“Fuck,” Noah murmurs as his phone chimes in the center console. “She really likes him, doesn’t she?” he questions as he releases my hand to grab the phone.
“You’ve got no idea,” I grumble, watching him as he scans over the text with a frown which quickly morphs into a cringe, sending suspicion sailing right through me. “What is it?” I question, quickly glancing up to check on Rivers as a bad feeling settles into my stomach, and sure enough, he’s standing still in the middle of the lot, checking his phone.
Fuck. That could only mean one thing; Anton Fucking Mathers.
My world crashes down around me. I hate it when he does this shit. “No,” I silently beg, looking up at him and still hoping for the best.