Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
It was like I’d thought about her and then my phone rang. She called to ask me about school and how I was doing, but she’s always got a hidden agenda. She was really calling to talk crap on my dad because apparently, I’m the only person she can talk to about it. But just like my dad, she created this mess for herself. She let other people's opinions dictate her life and the lives of her children. When I talk to her now, there’s so much regret in her voice, but it’s never too late to change. Right? My brother and my sister might be at odds with them, but my siblings are good and forgiving people. If they truly felt that my parents were sorry for the way they’d treated them, or each other, Felipe and Glenda would try and mend that bridge. But as it stands, my parents are so fucking stubborn that they refuse to change.
So after not sleeping a wink, getting dumped on by my parents, and Mara not being home, I’m in a foul mood. I went by her place way before her early class, but she didn’t answer the door or her phone when I texted. How did everything go south so fucking fast?
One minute I was about to kiss the girl of my dreams, and the next, she was gone. Fucking Lisa and her terrible timing. I know Mara, and I know that she jumps to the worst situation first, so I’m sure she saw Lisa and thought that there was something going on, when that’s the furthest thing from the truth. The reality is that I’ve only said about four words to her even though she keeps “accidentally” bumping into me. She will carry on whole conversations without me even making a noise because I know if I open my mouth, I’ll tell her to fuck off.
That’s the problem with having parents with a bad reputation. No matter how successful my older brother is, or how rich my sister is, people are always waiting for me to prove the gossip about my family right.
“What’s up, golden boy?”
I look up in time to see Jack, Harris, and Andy waiting outside the dining hall. “If it isn’t the world's shittiest three musketeers,” I say, and they laugh as we walk inside. We usually meet up for lunch after our first classes since we’ve all got a break now.
“So how’s Operation Bubble Butt going?” Harris nudges me out of the way so he can grab the plate of pizza in front of me.
The fact that he’s even imagining Mara’s ass makes me see red. “Just like I planned.” I manage to say the words without sounding like an absolute lunatic, which is a miracle. I’d love nothing more than to throw this plate of food to the ground and punch him in the throat, but unfortunately, that sort of thing is frowned upon.
“I’m just biding my time until she turns you down.” Jack walks past me like he didn’t just sign his own death warrant.
“Don’t look so glum. I’ll take care of her.” Andy smiles like he knows they’re getting under my skin, and I’m starting to shake.
How the fuck did I think I could do this? How am I going to call off this stupid bet without them knowing what she means to me? It’s not that I care what the fuck they think; I just don’t know how the fuck I’m supposed to keep her when being with me will ruin her. My brother and my sister were able to leave my parents without a backwards glance. I’m the one left behind and forced to take care of them. I can’t drag Mara down with me, but I can’t let her go.
Frustrated, I drop my tray onto the table harder than I intended to, and the guys turn my way.
“You okay, River?” Jack asks hesitantly.
“I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I would too if I was chasing an ass like that around campus.” Harris sits down next to me, and at first I think he’s just talking to hear his own voice. Then he nudges me, and I look up.
“Fuck.” I see Mara coming into the dining hall wearing some kind of summer dress that’s so fucking short I can see the tops of her thighs. It’s like she knows I want her ass to smother me, and she’s doing this out of spite. “Gotta go.”
I hear them calling out behind me as I follow Mara to the line to get food. There’s a girl with her, and they’re talking, but I don’t care so I cut into their conversation and block Mara’s path.
“Are you avoiding me?” Her eyes widen in shock, and she looks around like she’s trying to come up with a quick lie. “Nope, don’t do that.”