Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 75519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
They say the truth will set you free, but all it did was bring us demons we carried for a decade.
I may have been sitting there.
However, my mind was stuck in the past.
I sat remembering her sixteenth birthday with nostalgia and contempt.
I grabbed the dress at the boutique shop where I suggested Cade find Paige’s present for her sixteenth birthday. I played it off like I only knew this shop because of some chick who dragged me there. Which was partially the truth. We were randomly walking down this street, coming out of a bar and she just hauled me in there.
The white dress on the mannequin instantly caught my attention, picturing Paige in it.
For the last month, I overheard her talking to Cade about how excited she was to finally be turning sixteen. She felt like this was the year she was going to find true love. Little did she know, I was never going to let that happen.
To hear her talking about this day as if it was the beginning of turning into a woman wasn’t something I expected. I still remembered her as the neighbor girl with pigtails and sweet smile.
“Here.” I handed the dress to Caleb. “Get her this one.”
He gazed down at it, smirking. “Since when are you a stylist?”
I was only three years older than them, and we were in much different places in our lives. I just started college and they were sophomores in high school. I was living in an apartment, running into them on the weekends. Still up each other’s asses.
Except, something happened that summer while I was moving into my new place. Paige grew up; no longer the little girl who I loved to pick on.
Bringing my attention to the tv in the corner of the boutique, I reminded, “The game is on in an hour. Get it, so we can go.”
He glanced down at his phone. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Cade and I weren’t close by any means, but there were times we hung out doing random shit and this was just one of those instances. For the rest of the day, I helped my mom who was throwing her a birthday party with some kids from school.
I wasn’t supposed to be in town, but I couldn’t miss her birthday. Especially since it was such a big deal to her. Her mom was working overtime at the hospital again. Paige practically lived at our house at that point. My parents adored her.
“You’re being awfully helpful, Adrian,” Mom said.
“I’m bored.”
“Since when do you help me with anything when you’re bored?”
Our eyes connected.
“It’s no big deal. Stop trying to make it one.”
She eyed me skeptically for a few seconds before she added, “What are you even doing home? You were just here last week.”
“Are you kicking me out?”
“Funny.” She rolled her eyes. “A mother is allowed to ask questions.”
I grinned. “So she’s allowed to annoy you?”
“Adrian!” She playfully smacked my arm. “I love that you’re home. I wish you still lived here. I’m just caught off guard that’s all.” She kissed my cheek.
I watched Paige from afar all day. The way she smiled, laughed, how if the sun hit her face just right, her eyes turned almost green. The way her hair fell around her face. I took her in like she was my favorite thing to look at.
From afar.
I never got to close until I couldn’t stay away anymore.
From the moment she opened my brother’s present, she beamed like a fucking beacon. Even at the age of sixteen, Paige was perceptive. In her innocent yet tempting way.
She baited me.
Probably knowing deep down what I hadn’t figured out.
“What do you think of the dress your brother bought me?” she questioned, walking out onto the porch.
Everyone was inside.
We were alone.
I smiled. “Looks good.”
“Yeah?” she enticed.
“Mmm hmm. How’s it feel to be sweet sixteen?”
She shrugged. “It feels the same.”
“You don’t look the same.”
“Really?” she remarked, giddy.
I nodded.
“How’s school, Paige?”
“Good.” She bit her lip. “How’s college?”
I cocked my head to the side, narrowing my gaze at her. “Do I make you nervous?”
She swallowed hard. “No.”
“No?”
“Are you bullying me again?”
“Is that what I do?” I stepped toward her. “Bully you?”
She anxiously chuckled. “You haven’t made me cry recently.”
“Should I fix that?”
She sucked in a breath as I stood in front of her.
“Since it’s your birthday, how about I kiss you instead?”
“Wha—”
I leaned forward, lightly pecking her cheek and she sucked in another breath. The scent of cherry assaulted my senses.
“Happy sweet sixteen, Paige.”
Grabbing my phone from my back pocket, I wanted to take a picture of this moment. I moved quickly. I never had a lot of time alone with her. Cade would find her soon.
I gripped onto her hip, pulling her toward me while extending out my arm to snap a photo. As soon as I positioned the angle correctly, Cade jumped into the picture, yanking her closer to him.