Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Whoa,” Matt gasps.
“Deb,” Josh growls.
I offer him a pleading look before walking outside, and I hear his footsteps not far behind as I make my way to the valet.
“I’m sorry,” he yells, catching up.
I wrack my fingers through my hair, my eyes already watering, knowing the right thing for me to do, for my own sanity, is to say goodbye and mean it.
“I’m so sorry, Luci,” he steadies me. “She didn’t mean it. It’ll be okay.”
“It’s not though!” I cry. “I shouldn’t have let that happen!”
“It’s okay,” he soothes.
The valet is giving us both a confused look as he hands my key to another guy to retrieve my car.
“I can just get it myself,” I rudely grab the car key from him, and Josh gives them both an apologetic look before following me.
“I’m confusing myself,” I wipe my eyes.
“Okay…” His voice trails off.
“I want you, okay?” I shove at him. “Is that what you want to hear? I still want you more than anything!”
“Luci,” his eyes grow soft.
“No, but I hate you! I hate what you did to me!” I wipe my eyes again. “You lied! You went years without speaking to me! You don’t know what it’s like! When you’re trying to be with someone else, but the whole time…” my voice croaks. “The whole time I would just wish it were you instead.”
“Lu-”
“You’ve been right all along, okay?” I interrupt. “I’m trouble, and I need you to stay far away from me.”
He lunges at me, his legs squatting so that we’re eye level as he pushes his chest against me and leans in, whispering. “I can’t do that.”
“You have to,” I plead. “I just want to be me again, but I’m still trying to find it, and I can’t do that with you around.”
With that he lets me go.
“How will you get back to school?” He shouts.
“Don’t worry,” I swallow. “I’ll figure it out.”
Chapter 6
-Josh-
Fuck! I kick a nearby trashcan, watching the taillights as Luci drives away. I run my fingers through my hair, pulling a little too hard as I make my way back inside. There’s no way I’m going back to the party now.
“Did I-” Deb’s sitting in a chair in the corner of the lobby, her voice low and apologetic. I shake my head no, stopping her, as I undo my bowtie and head for the stairs.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, and I brush her off with a wave of my hand, taking the first few steps.
“Joshua!” I hear my mother’s piercing voice. “Is it true? Oh, Joshua is it true?”
“Is what, Mom?” Deb stands.
“Deborah,” she yells at her. “This is your party! You need to be out there with Matthew socializing!”
“Not tonight, Mother,” I continue up another step.
“Holly just told me the most horrendous thing!” She runs to the bottom step. “Tell me that… girl you brought here wasn’t your student?”
“No, Mom,” Deb interjects. “She was mine.”
“Oh thank goodness,” she places her hand over her heart as her other hand grabs Deb. “You’ve done a lot of stupid things, but I couldn’t possibly believe you would do something like-”
“Like what, Mother?” I close my eyes, descending a couple of stairs, my anger on the brink of exploding. “Like sleep with her?” I face both of them, throwing my hands up, “I did.”
I watch their jaws drops.
“It’s true. Are you happy?” I face Deb. “That entire year.”
I turn back towards my mother, taking in her horrified expression. “And before you go running off to Holly. She’s scum, okay? She’s a fucking liar, and you know what? I’m no better, because I’m a liar too. Does that make you happy? To know we’re perfect for each other because we’re both fucking liars? For goodness sake, she claimed a child was mine when it wasn’t! How do you even welcome her here?”
“Did you get that girl pregnant? Mom demands. “Is that why you’re still talking to her?”
Leave it to my mother to not even give a damn.
I laugh coldly.
“That girl,” I spit. “Has a name. Luci. And she was here tonight because I asked her. I like her, okay? I actually like her,” I stare daggers at Deb. “And believe it or not, I’m trying to desperately make up for fucking up big time with her, so thanks for making her feel so welcome. Both of you.”
I don’t give them time to respond before I finish climbing the stairs. I’m too buzzed to drive home, and I’m already counting down the hours until I sober up enough to get behind the wheel.
I nearly punch the wall as soon as I get to my room, and once I register the absurd and stately décor that is the life I left behind, I find myself not wanting to be here at all. Fuck waiting, I grab my clothes and have the valet call me a cab.