As though part of me wants to run.
And I do.
I’ve always known I’d have to tell her eventually. I just never thought Logan would pull the rug from under me. Ashley stares at Dia in expectation of a reaction. Probably thinks Dia should be disgusted by me, her own best friend, but Dia’s known about me and Logan since the moment it happened. I called her bawling my eyes out afterward.
“Oh my God.” Ashley’s face collapses as it dawns on her. “Everybody knows, don’t they?”
I wince at her betrayed expression. I should apologize, beg her to let me explain, tell her how much I regret it, but a high-pitched voice splits my ears in two before I can try and salvage what’s left of my family.
“Babeees!” Arms are thrown around Dia’s and my necks from behind. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I need a beer pong partner. Who’s down?”
I flip my head back to see a wasted Lacey smiling at us. Her eyes are bloodshot and her breath reeks of liquor. I know what you’re thinking—Weren’t we done with her? I thought so, but she liked one of Dia’s pictures on Instagram a few days back, and apparently that makes them friends again. I don’t answer her, guiding my attention back to my sister.
Problem is, she’s gone.
Damn it, Lacey.
I unlink Lacey’s arm from my neck, exchanging glances with Dia, whose eyes say, “I’ve got this,” and I nod, grateful when she starts making chitchat with the cheer captain. Conveniently, that’s when my phone goes off in my pocket, and I pluck it out, convinced things can’t possibly get any worse.
Until I read the alarm I set for 11:50 p.m.
Meet Zac in 10.
Fuck.
Can’t believe I almost forgot about Xavier with the category four shit hurricane sweeping through my life. My phone pings again, this time, with a text.
Zac:I’m already here.
What do I do? Go meet up with my hotter-than-hell pen pal or chase my sister to the ends of the earth to apologize?
Another text from Xavier pops on my screen.
Zac:I can’t fucking wait for this to be real, L.
His message settles it. I have the rest of my life to make it up to Ashley. Beg until my knees bruise. Pick up the pieces and earn her forgiveness.
But this…
This is now.
I check my phone again.
11:52 p.m.
“Hey, D, I’m not feeling too well,” I tell Dia. “Mind if I go lay down in Finn’s room or something?”
“What’s wrong?” she worries, guiding her left palm to my forehead to check for a fever.
“I don’t know, it’s just… with everything that’s happened with Ashley, I need a break,” I improvise.
“Say no more.” Dia cracks a sad smile, traps me into a hug, and whispers into my ear. “Third floor, last door at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks.” I nod as I pull away and set off for the staircase on the other side of the house.
I realize, while patting my jeans pockets halfway to the stairs, that I lost my keys somewhere in this circus—my house keys, car keys, work keys. All gone. This night just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?
“Aveena? Holy shit, is that you?” a masculine voice asks before I can reach the stairs. I swivel to find Axel staring at me with ulterior motives and bad intentions glimmering in his eyes. I’m starting to think that’s just this guy’s default mode.