Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“I didn’t want to lose you,” she says, the fight seeping from her bones. Shoulders sagging, she folds her arms in a defensive gesture.
“How could you think we had anything more than a fling? Outside the few times we fucked, we barely saw each other. That’s not a fucking relationship, Corinne.”
“It could’ve been,” she says, dashing tears from her cheeks. “But I should’ve known better. It’s always been Sadie this and Sadie that with you.” The corner of her mouth creeps into a sneer. “You took me to prom—you fucking slept with me—but you couldn’t keep your eyes off her.”
“That was years ago. Let it go, already.”
“I’m not just talking about high school!” A beat of silence infiltrates the room, poisoning the air with hurt and lies, and she glares at me. “I thought you finally wanted me…but all you wanted was a quick and dirty fuck.”
“Jesus, Corinne.” I give her my back for a few moments, fingers raking through my hair, then I turn to face her again. “My reputation is no secret. I thought that’s what you wanted, too.”
“Well aren’t you observant.”
Her snide statement drains my last bit of patience, and I storm forward until she has no choice but to plant her ass on the couch. “Not observant enough, apparently.” Staring down at her, I cross my arms. “But you were counting on that, weren’t you? Did you think I wouldn’t notice when you failed to pop out a baby?”
“I wasn’t thinking at all.”
“Bullshit,” I say with a shake of my head. “You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“I want you to leave.”
“How convenient. Now you want me to go.”
“I don’t want to do this anymore. It was a mistake.” Face bathed with tears, she sniffles. “I really am sorry.”
“The only thing you’re sorry about is getting tangled up in your own lies.” Keeping my anger in check, I brace my weight on the back of the couch and bring my face close to hers. “You and I are done. Do you understand?”
Blinking rapidly, she nods.
“And stay the fuck away from Sadie.”
“O-okay.”
Her timid voice burrows underneath my anger, and I pull back, giving her space. “I swear to God I never meant to hurt you.” I pause, watching the tears slide down her face. “The next time you get it in your head to yank on some poor idiot’s chain, think twice. You’re better than this.”
She buries her head in her hands, and I take that as my cue to leave. Maybe she really is sorry. Maybe she’s not. As I storm out of her apartment for the last time, I really don’t give a shit either way.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Sadie
“How’d it go?” Mandy settles into the seat across the table from me.
“Good. I start next term.”
“I can’t believe we’ll be going to school together again. I’m so excited.”
“Me too.” Though I’ll be on my own after she graduates next summer. It’s a scary leap—starting all over again, exploring what I want to do with my life, discovering who I really am.
It’s also exciting. The roadmap of the future is wide open, free of pressure from my father. I can do and be anything I want, and I plan to dabble in all kinds of things until I find something that speaks to me.
The cafeteria on campus is a busy place no matter the time of day, but during the traditional lunch hour, it’s exceptionally boisterous. Mandy leans forward and raises her voice to be heard over the collective chatter.
“Bryce is throwing Ash and me a birthday party. You coming?”
I hate how the mention of his name causes an ache deep in my gut. It’s hard to believe I used to watch him with all sorts of women without breaking in two, and now I can’t even talk about him without feeling like I lost something.
We’re still friends, but it’s not the same.
“Your birthday is a month away,” I point out.
“I know, but I figure if I start badgering you about it now I might wear you down enough by the time the party actually arrives.”
“I don’t know.”
“You can’t avoid him forever.”
“I realize that, Mandy.”
Ever since he showed up the morning after his confrontation with Corinne and told me she wasn’t pregnant, I’ve existed in a state of limbo.
Wanting him.
Not wanting to risk my heart anymore than I already have.
It’s been 25 days.
600 hours.
36,000 minutes.
The seconds seem endless.
“I mean, technically, you could avoid him forever, but I don’t think you want to. And I know he doesn’t want you to.”
“He wants us to take the next step, but…”
“But what? You can’t blame it on Corinne this time.” Frowning, she works the top off a plastic fruit bowl. “He’s miserable, Sadie. So are you.”
“I want to be sure.”
Her voice softens. “What aren’t you sure about?”
“We jumped into a physical relationship without really considering the consequences…or maybe we did, but we ignored them.” I pause, counting the seconds on the huge clock hanging over the entrance to the building. “And it happened so fast. One minute we’re friends, and the next we’re…” I swallow hard. “I don’t want to make that mistake again.”