“How did you figure it out?” she asks only before I’m about to step out of her room like she’d asked. My hand stalls on the knob.
I smirk, not that she sees. I should have expected this. I can feel her overthinking from here. Her curiosity drives her eagerness.
“Next time pay attention to when you’re signing off on a package, mail girl. Packages sent to the top floor are given a receipt copy when delivered.”
I don’t have to turn around to know her face has fallen.
“Oh, and don’t worry about your name. I had it corrected back to Casper in the system. Should be updated before your next shift,” I finish, leaving without a backward glance.
If Rory thinks she can get a jobandhide who she is without repercussions, she’s forgotten who she’s dealing with.
Nothing comes without consequence. I would know.
A cold glint settles in my eye as I shove my way through the only other door in the hall. Entering as uncaring as I had for the other.
I’d never done it before, so why start now? The Caspers’ is more of a real home to me than my actual one anyway.
“Put me in the next round,” I state rather than ask. Taking a seat beside Finn, who slowly pulls his headset from around his neck, gauging me.
It’s time I take back the reins.
“I get first pick,” I add, unyielding. Picking up the extra controller.
Several seconds draw out but I focus on the paused game on the screen instead. Unwilling to move.
He can gawk all he wants. I may have walked out on his sister, but I’m not about to do that twice in one day, so video games it is.
If I can’t have Rory back right now, then I want my friends. The hellhounds are going to be fine because I will make it that way.
Unlike her, they no longer get a say.
sixteen
Rory
“Whatdidyougetfor number two?”
“Uhm, nine.” Reading off my answer to Hailey. “What about you?”
“Same.”
The end of the pencil I’d been nibbling on stalls on my lip. She said that a little too quickly and with a little too much conviction.
“You literally just wrote that down,” I accuse.
She shrugs, unbashful.
“What about the first one? What did you get for it?”
“I couldn’t figure that one out either,” she whines.
I sit back, blowing air, and Hailey takes the opportunity as a break. Slamming her book closed as she kicks out her feet.
The angled rows of bleachers give the perfect vantage point at the boys’ practice below.
Hailey has started joining me on the days I’m not at my new job. Sure, working in the mail room doesn’t sound the most exciting but I thought it would get me away from the hellhounds.
Before everything, I would have tried back at the diner Hailey and I frequented. But I decided against it once I thought about how often Finn likes to eat there too.