Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
Besides, all of this is bullshit anyway, isn’t it?
Because she’s in love with him. And she made the right choice, picking him.
So nothing has really changed.
Well, except the whole dead friendship part.
Standing at the door, my fingers grasping the knob so tightly, I go, “Great story. I specifically liked the part about how our years-long friendship is now flushed down the toilet.”
“Hey, you did it first when you kissed my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, but then didn’t you already explain how she wouldn’t have been your girlfriend if I hadn’t pushed her toward you?” I look him in the eyes as I continue, “Because we both know if I’d gone for her, you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
So maybe there’s still a little anger left over from my fucking grieving process.
Hatred flashes through his eyes for a second before he says, “You know what, I think I’m gonna give her a call after all. And then I’m going to ask her to make a choice.”
I changed my mind.
Maybe I will break his legs and leave him on the floor before I leave.
“Between you and me.”
I want to say things but I won’t give him the satisfaction.
He won’t get a single thing from me after tonight.
So I hold my silence.
“And who do you think she’s gonna pick? The love of her life or the guy who makes her sick with hate.”
I take one final look at him and his smirking face before leaving.
When I reach my bike, I dial Ledger’s number. He picks up even before the first ring is done. Meaning he’s as hard up as me.
To fuck someone up.
Good.
I’m volunteering.
“Hey,” he says, his voice alert.
“Meet me at Yo Mama’s in twenty minutes.”
“Fuck yes.”
I know Homer won’t like it, more bruises. He already almost lost his shit when I showed up looking like roadkill for my first day at his office, but he’s just gonna have to suck it up.
I’ve got a dead body to bury.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sitting huddled by the barred window of my dorm room, I write in my diary.
Or try to.
But no words will come and neither will sleep.
But then my phone lights up with a call and I get jarred awake.
As if from a trance.
Instead of the name ‘Bossman’ flashing like I expected, it’s a number.
I have it memorized. I know who it belongs to.
And my heart starts beating so loud that I’m surprised that the 24/7 warden camped out at the front reception doesn’t come barging into my room, checking to see what the ruckus is all about.
With shaking fingers, I accept the call and put the phone to my ear. “Lucas?”
“Hey,” he greets me.
“What… You’re calling me,” I say.
“I figured I should.”
“How did you… How did you get this number? No one has this number. No one even knows…”
Oh.
Someone does have this number.
Him.
He’s the only person who has it and he gave it to Lucas. Didn’t he?
He gave my number to Lucas to call.
And I don’t have to wonder about his intentions; I already know.
He did it to help me. He did it to help Lucas.
To help bring us together.
“I’ve been calling you all day,” Lucas says then.
“Uh, my phone…” I lick my lips. “I keep it switched off. We aren’t allowed phones at St. Mary’s.”
He goes silent for a second before going, disinterestedly, “Right. Okay. Anyway.”
And I have to admit that his disinterest in my affairs pricks me a little.
But it’s okay.
There are other things to worry about than my ex-boyfriend not being interested in my reform school.
“Listen, about last night,” Lucas begins. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I took things too far.”
I wrap my arm around my midriff and whisper, “You were angry.”
He sighs. “I was.”
I bite my lip. “Because of everything that happened.”
“Yeah. I…” His voice drifts off and I dig my fingers in my waist, waiting for him to speak. Then, “You hurt me, Echo. What happened hurt me. And I’ve been angry at you ever since. I’m not sure what I’m angrier about though, the fact that you ran away when I gave you that ring or that only hours later I found you kissing my best friend.”
I flinch.
“For the longest time,” he continues, “I thought that those two were connected. That you said no because you were going behind my back. That all the hatred you felt for him, all the ways you told me he made you sick was a lie. You were screwing around with him and —”
“Lucas, no,” I cut him off. “My running away, saying no to you, had nothing to do with him. It was me. It was my weird hang-up. I would never, not ever, go behind your back. Not with your best friend. Not with anyone. And I’m so sorry that you felt that way. That I made you feel that way. It was never my intention. If I could go back and undo all the damage that I’ve done, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’d… I’d take back everything that I did. And Lucas, I… Everything that you said last night… It was true. I was a bad girlfriend. I made you wait. I made you… And then I said no when you proposed to me…”