Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 91560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Slowing my pace, I approach with caution, noticing the way she stands with her back to my driver’s side door, her arms folded, her chin tucked in. She scuffs the pavement with the toe of her shoe, teeth grazing her lip. She hasn’t seen me.
There goes my heart again, this time softening at how miserable she looks. How alone. Damn Tiana. I have all the reason in the world to hate Maya, but even I would not have gone that far. I wouldn’t have dreamed of it.
My foot crunches a piece of broken glass, and her head snaps up all at once. Color floods her cheeks. “I hope you’re satisfied.”
“What?”
“You heard me, and you know what I mean,” she snaps. “You would’ve gotten the picture by now. I’m sure you’re the first person she sent it to.”
“What do I have to do with it?” I counter, folding my arms the way she’s folded hers. Does anybody see us together back here? I don’t think so. Still, I don’t feel like standing here all day, inviting attention.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that she told me to stay the hell away from you before she finally left me alone? I think that’s a pretty good start.”
Could she be any more obvious? It would be funny if it wasn’t so damn sad. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I didn’t tell her to do that.”
“Well, it’s been done.” She lifts her lip in a snarl full of hatred. “That’s not even the worst of my problems, thanks to you.”
“I already told you—”
“Yeah, I know what he told me, but you’re still the reason why it happened. She slashed my tires,” she concludes with a tremble in her voice. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. Get the car towed, I guess.”
“You came over here to tell me that? You waited for me?”
“Forgive me, but I just came out and found them that way. I figured I would hide out back here for a little bit while I try to get myself together.”
From the look of it she has not gotten herself together. She looks pitiful and something in me stirs. I look around at the now emptying parking lot. She is going to be stuck here for a while if she has to wait for a tow truck.
“Come on,” I announce, using the key fob to unlock the door. “I’ll drive you home.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“I don’t remember asking whether you want me to or not. I’m leaving right now, so make up your mind. Come with me or hang around so everybody can congratulate you on your photo shoot.”
A tremor runs through her, but she says nothing, refusing to look at me. She does, however, round the front of the truck and climb in beside me. I guess I’ll have to take it as a victory, though I don’t feel very victorious. I can’t remember the last time I did.
10
MAYA
And there I was, thinking my birthday was going pretty decent.
Before the shit with Tiana, things were quiet. No, there wouldn’t be anybody to celebrate with me, but at least I could be alone. I could have peace and quiet. What’s a birthday, anyway? I’m one year older. Big deal. My life’s not going to change all that much just because I’m eighteen now.
Even if it does, I know better than to think it will change in a positive way.
Now here I am. Everybody in school has seen me topless, or as good as. I want to burn my clothes after lying on the bathroom floor. I want to scrub my skin until it’s raw, though I know that won’t remove the shame. Nothing will.
On top of everything else, I have to sit with Tucker, who I know must have seen the picture. Tiana would’ve sent it to him before anybody else. I would ask him why she’s so fucking twisted, but I don’t think I would get a straight answer, anyway. So what’s the point?
The air in the truck is charged, so thick I can barely suck a breath into my lungs. At least he’s driving me home and not taking me some place else, which was definitely a possibility that flashed through my head before I accepted his offer. Eventually, I’m going to have to have my car towed, and the tires changed, which means I might have to explain it to Dad.
Then again, that would mean him actually paying attention to me. As it is, he can’t be bothered to take me to dinner tonight. He’s working too late for that. We’ll go out tomorrow, though I honestly wish we wouldn’t. I don’t look forward to having to sit across from him and play happy father and daughter for the sake of the other people in the restaurant. No doubt they look at us and admire what they think they see. They might even consider me lucky to have an attentive dad. If they only knew. I gave up my illusions about him a long time ago.