Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
I don’t do much to doll up on school picture day, so I suppose it would be easier for me to go to her. She’s the one doing me the favor, after all. “Sure, I’ll be there in a few,” I text back.
I’ve tried to think as little about my situation and what happened with Landon as possible, but when I’m done texting Hannah, my gaze is drawn to the little blue arrow on the top left-hand side of my message screen. Beside it, a number one is in a blue bubble, indicating there’s a message I haven’t checked.
I know there is.
I saw the notification on my screen as soon as I woke up.
Javi’s view on his morning run.
I’ve never had a reason to feel as dirty as I felt then, getting that text from him that I’m quickly coming to associate with a “thinking of you” gesture.
Meanwhile, I spent half the night awake because I couldn’t stop reliving the feeling of Landon’s fingers between my legs.
My heart sinks just thinking that. I tell myself I should read the message and send him a quick one back, but I know my heart won’t be in it, so I don’t.
Instead, I head downstairs and make myself some oatmeal since I can eat that quickly. I chop up a couple of strawberries to put on top, then I scarf it down so I can get out of here without encountering the other people in the house, mercifully still busy upstairs with their morning routines.
I shoot Mom a quick text on my way out the door to let her know I have to stop at Hannah’s before school so she doesn’t worry, then I book it to my car.
___
When I get to Hannah’s house, everything is a bit chaotic.
Apparently, Anae hired a stylist to do her hair and makeup today. Judging by the way she’s barking at them, I don’t think they’re doing a good job.
I’m not sure where Hannah gets ready anymore. It used to be her bathroom, but the night of the party is the only time I’ve slept here since she was moved to the attic. She doesn’t have a bathroom up there, and there’s certainly not enough light to do makeup.
Reluctant as I am to enter the lair of the beast, since I don’t find Hannah and we’re short on time, I poke my head into Anae’s bedroom.
“Hey, do you know where Hannah is?”
“How should I know?” Anae snaps. “Probably scurrying around the basement with the rest of the rats.”
Wow. Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
“Allrighty then.”
“Wait,” she says sharply, slapping away the hand of the woman doing her hair and turning around in her spinny chair to face me. “Don’t go anywhere until I’m done in here. I want to talk to you and Hannah together before I leave for school.”
I frown, unsure what that’s all about, but as the poor woman doing her hair looks near tears, I decide I should probably let them get back to… whatever they’re doing.
Since I’ve looked everywhere else, I trudge up the closet steps in one of the guest rooms they don’t use and find Hannah in the attic.
This room was never meant to be a bedroom. It’s big enough to be a storage space, but not much else. Only the middle of the room is tall enough to stand up straight in. The roof slopes on both sides, rendering much of the space useless. They also used this as storage space prior to putting Hannah up here, so there are totes and boxes filling the narrow spaces on either side.
I can’t be in this “room” without becoming enraged, so I focus my attention on Hannah, sitting on a little blue storage ottoman by the window since it’s the best source of light. In front of her is a scratched accent table they used to have in the foyer, but they moved it up here when Jackie bought an expensive new one. Apparently, Hannah is using it as her vanity, because she’s leaning over it now, applying mascara.
My problems fade away and my plan to turn the pool house into her place comes back full force. I got distracted with my own life, but I need to get back to that project. I’m convinced if I actually make the space habitable for her, maybe she’ll change her mind about staying there. It’s only a pool house, but it would be so much nicer than this fucking bullshit.
I know she loves this house, but I want to burn it down—with the Richards women still inside.
“Oh, you should have texted me that you were here,” Hannah says, sitting back and popping the mascara wand back into the tube.
“They make you get ready in here? It’s as dark as a dungeon. You can’t even use your old bathroom? It’s literally empty. Nobody’s using it.”