Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 50770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
She doesn’t type back right away, instead I wait for the bubbles to pop up and when she does respond, I don’t even know what to say.
Sophie
Just like I didn’t deserve to get ignored my entire freaking life because you’re “sick” with Lupus. Half the time I still think you’re faking it for attention, attention I never got, so yeah, I slept with him, but if you say something just know I’ll tell him you’re not well and I’ll make you look like the biggest liar on the planet, so pick your battles, sis. I had a good time, and so did he, what’s the harm?
Unbelievable!
Me
The HARM is that he thinks he was with me, and it’s you instead!
Sophie
Go with it, what’s the worst that could happen? He gets more sex? He gets more attention? You’re lame and you’re lucky I showed up, now he’s still interested, meanwhile you were passed out sick, you should be saying thank you.
I don’t even know how to respond to her and I don’t have time or the patience to when mom suddenly calls.
“Hi!” I sound way too cheerful to be talking to her, my voice is high pitched, I’m still sweating and could pass out at any minute. “Everything okay?”
Mom sighs heavily on the phone. “Sophie said you had a hard night last night?”
I’m so angry I could cry, it’s just instinctual to want to cry when I’m mad at her or the world or my stupid sickness. “Not really.” I answer honestly. “I just decided to go to bed because I had a slight fever and then kind of passed out, but I’m fine, I swear.”
“It’s nice your sister’s paying attention and is worried about you.”
See, this is where I get pissed because my sister only does that in order to deflect from herself, but because she knows it drives me crazy, I don’t want to be the center of attention and she only makes it worse by constantly doing this to my parents when she wants to get me grounded to the stupid house.
Mom is quiet for a few seconds. “You know, maybe you should rest.”
I also know they start paying attention to the ring cameras the minute they’re worried about me, which also means that I can’t have Quinn over because they’ll see it immediately.
What is with this sabotage? It’s not like she even has his number! She just doesn’t want me to be happy.
“Mom.” I try to speak as clearly as possible. “Please don’t make me stay home, I’m fine, plus I’m on a break, right? I even went on the canoe the other day, went to a movie, I probably overdid it a bit but I’m truly good, I’m taking my meds, I’m hydrated, I’m good.”
I feel like it’s the perfect argument, instead she curses under her breath. “I just worry and I’m not there.”
Worry, my ass, but it’s still nice to hear. “I’m good.”
“Why don’t you just stay home for the day, take a nice lukewarm bath and then I can put in a call to Dr. H—“
“—Mom.” I interrupt, nothing sounds worse than a lukewarm bath right now, especially after last night. “I promise if I start feeling worse, I’ll go to the doctor, but right now I just want to relax and go for a walk.”
I leave out that I want to walk into the actual ocean.
Instead, my mom just answers, “Oh honey, I’m headed into another meeting, just, go for your walk but call me if you need anything, I’ll text Sophie later—hi! So great to meet you!”
She forgot I was still on the phone, so I hang up first and start walking. I need to get out; I need the fresh sea breeze—what I really need is to hang out with Quinn. It feels freeing, but now I don’t know if I can face him, I’m not sure I can keep myself from confessing everything, not just what I’m sick with but what happened with my twin.
It’s so messed up.
I would so love the ice cream he offered me last night. How did things get so messed up so fast?
I grab my purse and a pair of sunglasses and leave the house, power walking down the boardwalk like my life depends on it.
Ice cream. I’ll eat ice cream. I repeat that mantra in my head a dozen times as I round the corner and come to a complete and total stop.
It’s Sophie, and she’s with Quinn.
Wait, what?
Maybe it was a random meeting?
I had my phone with me all night and while she knows my passcode she would never, right? Never.
He starts laughing and leans in, then pulls her against his chest and kisses her head.
He thinks he’s kissing mine.
He thinks it’s me.
This is freaking diabolical.
I start walking toward them, then stop when she turns in my direction. Her eyes say it all. She pats his face and then walks toward me. I round the corner and try not to hyperventilate.