“He just said you’re with this Haze kid. Tell me where you are. I can come get you right now.”
I proceed to tell her exactly what happened. I start with how easily Haze tracked us down, and she listens to every word. No matter how much I wish I could stay, I know that she’s probably right. This is insane. She’s my guardian. I can’t stay here if she doesn’t want me with Haze.
“I’ll text you the address,” I say in defeat when I’m finished with the story.
She doesn’t speak for a few seconds.
“Don’t.”
“What?” I ask, certain I heard that wrong.
“I hate to admit it, but we don’t know what we’re doing. We can’t protect you right now. If what you’re saying is true, if it really took him fifteen minutes to find you, I… I think the safest place you can be right now is with him.”
Joy, surprise, disbelief—so many emotions fill me when she says that. Deep down, I’m happy because I don’t want to leave.
“Are you sure?”
“Trust me, I don’t like the idea, but this is for the best. You just need to stick it out until school’s over and you can go back home. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes,” I agree.
“We should really tell your mom about this though,” she says, guilt overwhelming her.
“Please, like she would care. She hasn’t called me once in the whole time I’ve been living with you. I’ve only talked to my dad. She’s happier not hearing from me, believe me.”
“Oh, sweetie, don’t say that. You know how she is. Lauren’s not too good with emotions. I’m sure she’s just been busy traveling with Harry,” she lies to make me feel better.
“Busy hating me maybe,” I grumble to myself. My aunt doesn’t want to admit it, but there is a reason my mother jumped at the opportunity to join my father—well, technically stepfather, but I consider him to be blood—on his work trip. The less she has to look at my face, the happier she is.
Maria fights my claims for a few more minutes and makes me promise to call her often. She also tries to get into a very awkward safe-sex conversation that I dodge like a pro.
“I have to go. I love you,” I say.
“I love you, too, honey. Be safe. I’ll be waiting for your call.”
I hang up and shove my phone in my jeans pocket. I step out of the changing room with all the clothes I don’t want in my hands, and the employee from earlier walks up to me with a black dress hanging from her left arm. She tells me that Haze wanted me to try it on. This is probably what they were talking about earlier.
“How much is it?” I ask.
“Two hundred and eighty.”
How about an organ with that?
I begin to decline but tell myself that there’s no harm in just trying it on. Minutes later, I’m out of the changing room and beyond conflicted. The dress looks like it was meant for me, even with my splint on.
“You looked fabulous.” The ginger employee smiles when I hand her the dress. I almost didn’t take it off.
“Thank y
ou. But I really don’t have that kind of money for a dress.”
“I do.”
I’m a bit surprised when an unknown voice reaches my ears. I turn my head and see a guy who’s around my age standing a few feet away from me. Black hair covers part of his eyes, and his jaw is so sharp I’m sure you can throw a cucumber at it and have instant crudités.
“I’m sorry, manners. Name’s Ryder.”
He’s cute and all, but his offer pushes him into the slightly creepy category.