Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry I called you pathetic,” she whispers.
“It’s okay,” I pick both our bags up off the floor and we head outside, making it just before the final bell rings.
“It’s not, though,” she shakes her head. “What I said to you was mean.”
“We all make mistakes,” I give her a look.
“Too soon, Luci,” she says as she opens the passenger door.
“Sorry,” I look up over the car. “I know I haven’t exactly been the best sister. You were right in that I don’t know you anymore,” I admit. “But I’d like to.”
“Me too,” she smiles through her wet eyes.
I call Mom as soon as we get inside and tell her Gracie vomited, so she’s home. I don’t know when it came so easy for us to lie to our parents, and we both start laughing about it. I wet a washcloth for her, saying it will help with her puffy eyes, but really, I just want her to get all that hideous makeup off.
“Are you going back to school?” She asks, ringing out the cloth before wetting it again.
“Yeah, I have that lunch tutoring thing,” I roll my eyes, mocking it, hiding the fact that it makes my day.
“You know,” she sighs. “I know Chloe’s right… you have a crush on Mr. Harrington,” she reveals. “You don’t have to admit it to me, but I won’t say anything.”
I remain silent, watching as she bites her lip before dragging the cloth across her face. More colors smear off and drip down the sink.
“I spied,” she confesses.
“What?”
“I thought maybe you’d tell Mom about Derek, so one day I followed you. I saw the way you smile and laugh with him,” she swallows. “Then I did it a couple of more times,” she pauses and my mouth gapes open. “The way you both joke and talk with such ease, like friends who obviously want so much more… I actually got jealous,” she laughs lightly. “Derek and I never looked like that.”
My heart is pounding and I plop down on the toilet, needing to sit.
“I didn’t want to admit to you that I didn’t love Derek, after all that happened, but I knew I didn’t. Because I looked nothing like the way you do.”
“Stop,” I whisper.
“The agony in the way you look at him. He has that same look when looks back at you, you know… And then I started feeling bad,” she hesitates, “because how you feel, and what you want … can never come to fruition.”
I turn away, wiping the tear that escapes.
“That’s why I got mad at you for judging me,” she sighs. “I made a stupid mistake, but I’m still smart. And you are too,” she rests her hand on my shoulder. “How did you let yourself get this way?”
A tear lands on my shirt; they’re coming down fast now.
“He’s hot and all, but a teacher, Luci?”
“I don’t know,” I bury my face in my hands, overcome with emotion.
“See, that’s the problem,” she whispers. “You’re already too far gone.”
I sob as she rubs my back.
“Stay home with me today,” she removes my hands from my face and I nod.
I think I’m dreaming when I hear my name, until I hear it again.
“Luci?”
I wake in total darkness.
“Can I turn the light on?”
“Yeah,” I answer groggily, sitting up to see what Mom wants. I wrap my blanket around me and close my eyes until they’re ready to adjust to the brightness.
“God, you were home all day and still needed to nap? Are you catching what your sister has?”
“No,” I rub my eyes.
“Well, Mr. Harrington called.” I open them, no longer caring about the light.
Gracie pauses in the doorway when she hears this, and Mom turns to her. “You look better.”
“My sister is the best nurse ever!” She runs and jumps on my bed, nearly knocking me back onto my pillow.
“I’m glad you two are getting along so well,” Mom smiles. “Anyway, he noticed you weren’t in today and wanted to make sure everything was okay, isn’t that nice?”
“Yeah,” I mumble.
“I told him you were just home being a good sister. Then he asked if you planned on being in tomorrow. He said you could make up the daily quiz you missed today first thing in the morning! Now that’s just the sweetest?”
I groan.
“It’s great, now get out Mom!” Gracie throws one of my pillows at the door.
She yells that dinner will be ready in thirty.
SHOCKED
Gracie stayed home again today, and Chloe got a ride with Ashley, so I arrive super early the next morning and wait outside his office door.
It’s getting late, and he still isn’t here. Students have already started to fill the halls, and I’m tapping my leg nervously against the locker behind me in anticipation, when I feel a small amount of air against my bare leg. I curse under my breath, realizing I already ripped my stockings.