Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
She glanced at the trailer, and I saw a flash of sadness in her eyes before she nodded.
“What grade are you in?” I asked, hoping she was in mine.
There was silence, and I was beginning to think she wasn’t going to respond when a slight frown that looked as if she was concentrating creased her brow. This was an easy question, but she made it appear to be difficult. I started to tease her and say just that in hopes that she would smile again, but I didn’t get a chance before the door to her trailer swung open.
An older girl stepped outside. She wasn’t dressed for the cooler weather either, but for different reasons. This one had a killer body, and she was showing off all of it that she could.
“What-the-fuck-ever!” the girl yelled at whoever was inside, then let the door slam. “Bitch,” she added before looking over at us. “There you are. She’s a fucking psycho. Good luck. I’m leaving.”
The girl I had been talking to went rigid but simply nodded.
The older one shifted her gaze to me and gave me a once-over. “Who are you?” she asked, tossing her long pale-blonde hair over her shoulder, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the leather fringe purse hanging on her arm.
“Rio March,” I replied. “Just moved in a couple trailers down.”
She put the cigarette in her mouth, then lit it up before taking it out and smirking at me. “Lucky you,” she said, then shifted her gaze to the other girl. “Might want to stay out here with Rio until she leaves. She’s got work.”
She only nodded again. It wasn’t just me she didn’t talk to, it seemed.
The older girl shook her head and laughed, then took a pull from the cigarette before looking at me. “She’s not talking, is she?”
For some reason, I felt like admitting to the younger girl’s silence would be betraying a trust. I didn’t even know her, but I just didn’t feel right, doing it.
“Yeah, she is,” I lied.
The older girl raised her eyebrows. “Sure she is,” she replied. “I’m Tory, and this is Bryn. Nice to meet you, Rio,” and with that, Tory turned and headed for the main road.
The name Bryn was unique. I liked it.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
“For what?” I asked.
She blushed and ducked her head. “Ly-lying,” she replied.
I had been right. She hadn’t wanted Tory to know she wasn’t talking. I was intrigued.
“Is that your sister?” I asked.
Bryn nodded her head. We were back to silent responses again.
“GET YER SORRY ASS IN THIS TRAILER! Stop being a whore like that sister of yers!”
I watched Bryn jump just before I swung my gaze to the woman standing at the door. She looked nothing like the two girls who lived here with her.
“Yes, ma’a-a-a-m.” Bryn struggled in her response and hurried toward the stairs without another glance in my direction.
When she reached the top step, the woman aggressively grabbed her thin arm.
“Don’t you back-talk me, you lazy little shit!”
“I-I-I-I’m s-s-s-s—”
“Oh, shut the fuck up. I ain’t got all damn day to listen to you stutter like a moron,” the woman told her, then slung her into the trailer and let the door slam behind them.
Anger settled in my gut, and my hands fisted at my sides. I wanted to storm up to the door and threaten the woman, but I was barely fourteen. She could call the cops on me. Claim whatever the fuck she wanted. I was a kid.
My mom was rarely right about things in life, but she was right about there being no God. Because if there were a God, then things like this wouldn’t happen. A mom was supposed to love her kids and protect them. Not abuse them.
I had to find a way to help Bryn. Somehow.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Bryn
present day
I didn’t trust life since it had never been on my side. Watching Rio make bread pizzas with Cullen and seeing the smile on Cullen’s face had terrified me. For the most part, I fought the fear and anxiety this was causing me. Protecting Cullen from life wasn’t something I could do. No one was safe from fate. I wanted him to have moments like this.
I just didn’t want him to expect them. They were sparse. Rio was here now, but why he was here, I still wasn’t sure. He had made a phone call while we were at the grocery store, and from the small bit I’d caught at the end, it had been clear he was apologizing for canceling plans. If he’d had plans, then why stay here?
Rio leaned forward and looked at me from across Cullen’s body. We were all on the sofa with Cullen in the middle, watching the movie. Rio nodded his head toward Cullen, and I looked down to see he was asleep and slumped over on Rio’s arm. I had been so lost in my head and worried that I wasn’t sure how long he had been like that.