Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Then I was scared I’d waited too long to say something. Scared that I’d be taken away and thrown into some foster system again, so I just kept going, pretending everything was fine and that my dad was around but on bed rest because of his knee.
Now, with the checks not coming in, I’m losing everything. The house was foreclosed on last week. I’ve still been sneaking in and sleeping in my old room, living there as best I can even without running water or heat, but I have nowhere else to go at the moment. I need to find a job, and quick. Maybe I could work somewhere low key. In a backroom stocking shelves or something.
At least now that I’ve turned eighteen I don’t have to worry about being tossed into some system. I just want to finish school and get my high school diploma so maybe I can find a half-decent job when I leave this town.
I wiggle my toes, trying to get a little feeling back in them. When I finally make it to the school I let out a deep breath as I open the door and warm air hits my face. I keep my head down as I make my way to my locker. I can hear the quiet giggles as I walk by. You think it would get old making fun of me, but apparently it doesn’t. I don’t even play into them, pretending I don’t hear them.
“Cat got your tongue?” I hear Jannie snicker, thinking she’s clever playing off my name. As if they haven’t been saying the joke forever. I guess that hasn't gotten old either.
“Don’t listen to them,” Ren says, leaning up against my locker. I glance over at him as I slide my coat off and put it into my locker, wondering what he wants. He never talks to me. He doesn’t make fun of me either, though. In truth, I thought he didn’t even know I existed. “Jannie is a bitch.” He says that part loud enough for everyone to hear. I suck in a breath.
“Fuck you, Ren,” Jannie shouts at him. Tension builds in my stomach. I want no part of whatever this is that is going on. My eyes are still on Ren; he’s just smiling. His smile seems nice, but his eyes still hold a hardness to them. I try to shift a little away from him, but he moves in closer to me. He towers over me like everyone does. I’m barely five foot two. His dark eyes keep on staring at me.
Every girl in school has a crush on Ren and I’m wondering why all of a sudden his attention is on me. It makes me feel uneasy. I shut my locker and pick up my backpack off the ground. I don’t say anything to him as I turn and head toward my class. He follows me. I know we have the next class together; he falls into step next to me.
“Not even a hi?” he asks. I glance over at him. “I know you can talk. Heard you talk to the teachers before. I don’t think the cat really has your tongue.” He licks his lips. I give him a half-smile. Not because I want to but in hopes that will get him to leave me alone and I can go back to being invisible.
I slip into class and head for my usual seat in the back of the room. Ren follows me, but Ben is in the seat next to mine like always. He’s just as quiet as I am. I take my seat next to Ben. Ren stares down at Ben, not saying a word, but Ben gets up and moves. I bite the inside of my cheek. I want to say something to Ren. He’s a freaking cocky jerk and I don’t like that he keeps trying to get close to me.
I pull my book out of my backpack and fish out my glasses, then slide them on and shove my face into a book, trying to block him out until class starts. I remind myself I only have a few more months left of high school and I won’t have to deal with any of this anymore.
If I can make it that long.
3
Cole
I pull up to the old house that’s seen better days. The outside is clean, but the house needs some work. I see Erica from the bank and her black Mercedes parked in the driveway. I park behind her, throwing my cruiser into park and stepping out. She hops out of her car, too.
“Cole,” she purrs. I have to fight rolling my eyes. My mother has ingrained manners into me.
“Ms. Steele.” I nod at her as I shut my car door.
“I was hoping it would be you that came.” She walks toward me, her heels clicking on the concrete driveway.