Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Shock and embarrassment.
After years of reconciliation, my dad betrayed my mom’s newly earned trust.
“I think it’s true that Holly Gill manages to shove her tits in everyone’s face. And most guys have been a victim of her being a slut,” I yelled over the music, taking a long swig of my fourth or fifth beer.
“I heard he could be fired.” Anne took my beer and helped herself to a sip.
“She’s not even the one who filed the complaint.” I tried to roll my inebriated eyes.
Some other kid in study hall made the anonymous complaint. When asked about it, Holly shrugged it off and said she didn’t remember, which was not an actual denial that it didn’t happen. My dad flat-out denied it.
“Didn’t your dad cheat on your mom?” Anne continued to feed my desire to drink more beer.
“I don’t know, Anne. Did your mom try to suck my dad’s dick?”
She gasped as I tipped back my beer again, a little unstable on my feet and unaware of my surroundings, mainly, the staircase right behind me.
Thunk. Clunk. Thunk. Clunk.
I ate it with one step backward.
No one called an ambulance because we were all underaged kids drinking at Tanner Collier’s house while his parents were out of town. I could have died all in the name of keeping everyone else out of trouble. Tammy, one of the not-so-drunk girls at the party, called my “emergency contact,” aka Josephine Watts. She knew Josie was my friend of sorts and figured she’d know a way to make sure I didn’t die and everyone else didn’t get in trouble since her dad was the police chief, and he liked me.
Everything blurred from that moment on until I cracked open my eyes, completely clueless as to my whereabouts or how I got there. A warm body was pressed to my back, and gentle fingers caressed my hair.
“I’m gonna be sick,” I said before rolling out of bed to the floor. That was when I realized I was in my bedroom. I did something like a half walk, half crawl to the toilet and vomited over and over.
Josie was there, rubbing my back.
Josie was there with a glass of water.
Josie was there with her kind eyes.
Josie didn’t say a word … she was simply there.
As I sat on the cold linoleum floor, sipping the water, my other hand wiped the sweat from my forehead, only … it wasn’t sweat.
“You cut your forehead when you fell down the stairs,” Josie said. “I couldn’t find any bandages, and I didn’t want to leave you alone to run to my house for them because I’m worried you might be dying of a brain bleed, and I don’t want you to die alone.” She was kidding.
I thought. Actually, I didn’t know. After all, it was Josephine Watts. I could usually read her, but I was too drunk that night.
“Chad’s asleep. Your dad’s not home. And I think your mom took some sleeping pills and passed out on the sofa. Don’t worry. It’s not an overdose; I counted them.”
My dad was probably off accidentally boning Holly Gill. One of those freak accidents where he tripped, and his dick landed inside of her. No wonder my mom needed pills to sleep, and I wouldn’t have blamed her had she taken the whole damn bottle.
I handed Josie the glass of water and slumped to the side. Dying of a concussion felt like a welcomed opportunity compared to the pain. “I fucking hurt everywhere,” I groaned.
“You fell down a flight of stairs.” She chuckled, positioned herself behind me again, and again, held me to her, caressing me, while whispering, “I’ve got you,” in my ear.
The next morning, we were back in my bed. I had no recollection of going from the bathroom floor to my bed, but I must have at least crawled because there was no way little Josie carried me.
“My mouth tastes like ass,” I rasped while opening my eyes.
Oh my fucking head …
It pounded.
Josie was tucked under my arm on her side, hugging my torso. I didn’t want to move, but I had to take a leak before I sprang a leak in the bed.
“Your dad’s going to kill me, gut me like one of his trophies, when he finds out where you are.”
She nuzzled my neck. I didn’t want her nuzzling my neck. Well, I did, but not when I smelled like vomit and … ass.
“My dad thinks I’m at a friend’s house. And your mom is on her morning walk.”
I peeled her arm from my torso and groaned while shifting to sitting. “I’m going to shower. Thanks for … everything.”
After I made it two steps toward my bedroom door, Josie cleared her throat. “Need help?”
I glanced over my shoulder, eyes squinted.
She chewed on her lower lip, struggling to maintain eye contact with me. God, I loved her so fucking much. It was then I realized she wasn’t wearing anything but a T-shirt of mine and striped cotton panties in shades of pink. Her dark hair hung over her shoulders and fell partway over her face, hiding some of her nervousness.