That day, none of my stones were left unturned and none of my secrets were left unsaid. Those stones built a wall between us and everyone else in that high school. My secrets fortified our friendship and lifted so much weight off my shoulders that I honestly believed I had enough strength to fly away from the problems I had at home.
Some problems though weighed enough to keep me firmly grounded.
Chapter 3
Jax
Summer finally cameafter what had been a damn long year. That Sophomore Kill Day prank caused something to happen to my relationship with Aubrey. I saw her for more than just the little girl my brother hung out with and as part of my life.
Or part of me. I couldn’t figure out which. Without her around, and with Jay protecting the hell out of her, I freaking missed the little spitfire.
So, week after week, I’d played nice. I said hi to her in the halls, I walked with her and Jay to school, I tried to eat lunch with them when Katie wasn’t around.
I’d made a fucking effort the rest of the school year, even got her to go to a few parties with Jay and me.
Not that I needed her or him to talk to me or anything. Life was just better when she did. Plus she was my friend too.
Kind of.
I’d found during the rest of the school year, I sort of saw red every time she was with my brother alone.
So, about a month into summer, I took another step in making peace. I called her to invite her to a bonfire party.
Aubrey’s dad was the one who answered the phone.
He never answered.
He must have come home early, and I was shit out of luck because he said she couldn’t do anything. Frustrated and confused, I hit end on my cell phone harder than I wanted.
Jay came up behind me. “Who’d you just call?”
“I called Aubrey’s house. Thought maybe she’d want to go to the party. Why doesn’t she have a goddamn cell phone?” I mumbled, still staring at my phone.
“She coming?” Jay said, climbing up on one of the kitchen barstools.
“No, her dad answered.”
“Frank answered?” he almost yelled.
“Yeah, man. Weird, right?”
Jay looked a little panicked. Then his mouth snapped shut like a locked box. He shrugged his shoulders and looked away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He scooted off the barstool and headed toward the foyer. “Let’s go upstairs and get ready for this party.”
I grabbed his arm. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He tried to yank his arm free, but we both knew I was stronger. Jay wasn’t weak, but I was still older and meaner. Jay had always been the baby, the one everyone loved, the perfect child who never got into fights. Fights had their benefits though. I could beat Jay in a fist fight any day.
He glared at me when my grip tightened. “Jax, you’re eighteen. Act like an adult. Let go of me, and let me get ready. I’m not telling you shit.”
My baby brother’s eyes iced over like mine did when I was set on something.
“Fuck,” I mumbled and let him go. I knew I wasn’t getting anything out of him.
We both got ready and went to the party in silence.