37
QUINTON
The ringing of my phone startles me awake, and for a moment, I’m disoriented with the lingering sleep. Patting the bed next to me, I search for my phone. When I find it, I squint while looking at the screen and see Scarlet is trying to FaceTime me.
I sit up and use the back of my hand to rub the sleep from my eyes before I answer the call.
“Hey.” Her smiling face comes into view. “Sorry, did I wake you up?”
“It’s fine. I was just resting my eyes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Why do you think something is wrong?”
“Because you are not even fake smiling. You look sad,” Scarlet points out. Dammit, why does she have to be so attentive?
“I’m fine. Just tired,” I lie. Well, it’s half of a lie. I am fucking tired, but I’m also upset.
“Is it about Aspen? Did you guys have a fight?”
I huff out a breath. I don’t particularly want to talk to Scarlet about this, but I also know she’s not going to let it go, and it’s not like I can talk to anyone else.
“I wouldn’t call it a fight. I just found something out about her, something that proved to me that everyone was right. She’s just like her father, someone who can’t be trusted.”
“What happened?”
“I found Adela’s bracelet in her room. She stole it from her. Probably to use it as blackmail or whatever was going on in her slimy mind.”
“Wait. Aspen has Adela’s bracelet?”
“Had,” I corrected her. “I took it from her.”
“Did she not explain how she got it?”
“Explain?” I ask, dumbfounded. “What is there to explain? She stole it. She stole from us, from her. I didn’t give her a chance to say anything after I found it. I don’t want to hear another word out of her mouth. Ever.”
“Quinton, I don’t think it’s what you think. The bracelet wasn’t stolen. That was just a story Adela came up with.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Adela told me that someone attacked her that night at the fundraiser. Some guy cornered her when she went to the bathroom. She said there was a girl her age who came to her rescue. Adela gave her the bracelet as a thank you, begging her not to say anything. I had no idea that it was Aspen.”
“What? No, no, that can’t be right. You are making this up. We would’ve known about that. Adela would have told me.” I keep shaking my head, trying to pull the memories from that night from my brain.
“Adela didn’t want to tell anyone. It was the first time she was allowed to go out with you guys. Dad was already so worried about her all the time, hovering over her. She thought if she told you or Dad, it would only get worse. That’s why she kept it from you.”
“Fuck!” I’m so stupid. Why didn’t I give her a chance to explain? “I gotta go, okay? I’ll call you back tomorrow.” I hang up the phone before Scarlet gets the chance to say goodbye. Shit, I feel like a fucking douchebag.
I made a mistake, and I’m man enough to admit that, but am I ready to tell Aspen? I can still see her eyes brimming with fear, my warning lingering in the air between us. I just saw red that day.
Between the bracelet and the memory of Adela, coupled with what Brittney told me, it was too much to handle.
Now I’m agonizing over doing the right thing and apologizing, something I never do, not for anyone. Apologizing means admitting you were wrong, which is something I normally avoid at all costs.
Fuck it. I don’t give myself time to think it through. All I know is I need to be near her. Getting out of bed, I get dressed quickly and head out.
On my walk to her room, I think about what I said again. I wouldn’t be surprised if she hadn’t left her room. I’m sure she’s been too afraid to even risk being seen.