Appreciating her making this easier for me, I seize the opportunity to shut that chapter of my life.
For good.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” I swing her bedroom door open, dashing down the stairs without looking back.
“Fuck you!” she shouts.
“No, thank you,” I fire back, slamming the front door and sprinting toward my car. Kendrick’s call goes to voicemail before I can answer, so I call him back.
“What’s wrong?” I say the second he picks up, putting my phone on speakerphone and tossing it onto the passenger seat as I drive away.
“Have you talked to Alex today?” Kendrick blurts, the panic in his voice unmissable.
“No?”
“Damn it. Where the fuck is he?”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“I can’t reach him. Something happened with Kass.”
I hit the brakes so abruptly someone honks at me. Pulling over to the side of the road, I grab my phone and turn up the volume all the way.
“What happened to Kass?”
“I wanted to tell her. I never meant for her to find out this way. I’m so fucking stupid,” Kendrick rambles.
“Kendrick, what the fuck happened to Kass?” I growl, his semi-breakdown testing my resolve. I need answers. And fast. He tells me Kass heard about her dad wanting to meet up with Kendrick at some restaurant, showed up there herself, and found out her parents got a divorce because he was banging one of his students, who also happens to be Kass’s boss.
“Damn. And I thought my family was fucked-up,” I mutter. “How’d she take it?”
“How do you think? She freaked. She went apeshit on me and took off. I can’t find her anywhere. She’s not at home, she’s not at Morgan’s. I’m worried something’s happened to her.”
I want to smack him for letting her drive in this state.
“I need to talk to Alex,” Kendrick adds. “They used to date. He knows her better than anyone. He knows where she would go in a moment like this.”
I almost laugh.
Yeah, right.
“Don’t worry. She’s a smart girl. I’m sure she won’t do anything stupid,” I reassure the both of us.
A distraught Kendrick hangs up the phone, leaving me to fend for myself against a million worst-case scenarios. I sit there, racking my brain for five minutes before I finally figure it out. Igniting the engine, I rejoin the traffic and speed down the street at full speed.
I think I know exactly where she went.
Kassidy
My heart in my throat and tears blazing my eyes, I stare blankly into the void ahead of me and wait. For what, you ask? Something—anything. Maybe, if I’m lucky, Will’s tree house will collapse and put me out of my misery. As long as it brings this horrible day to an end, I’m on board.
I haven’t cried once. Correction: I haven’t let myself cry once. I knocked some sense into myself as quickly as Daddy dearest walked out on us—sorry, too soon? He doesn’t deserve my pain. Did it stop the tears from trying me? Did it stop the painful pit from taking residency in my throat? Not one bit. But I won’t break down for someone who doesn’t care.
My father is a cheating, college-girl-banging piece of trash.
There, I said it.
Now I just have to learn to live with it.
I rub my eyes, which are terribly swollen from repressing my emotions, and make a mental note of looking up “can you get eye problems from holding back tears?” later.
I’m not sure why I came here, really. Why my shattered heart lead me to Will’s tree house. From the moment I watched Dale’s dwindle into my rearview mirror, I knew I couldn’t go home. Then memories of the night Will took me to his “secret spot” resurfaced. I remembered how quiet, gorgeous, and peaceful it was there and found myself taking the exit without realizing it.
My phone lights up with another one of my brother’s messages, and I consider powering it off.
Kendrick: Where are you?
Kendrick: Where the fuck are you?
Kendrick: You’re not home.
Kendrick: Mom is worried sick.
Kendrick: Kass, at least tell us you’re okay.
Kendrick: That’s it. I’m calling the cops.
Kendrick: Okay I’m not calling the cops but come home.
I snort at his last text. He can call the cops all he wants; I have nothing to say to either of them right now. I’m about to delete his messages when I hear branches cracking.
I stiffen up.
Five buck says the Universe heard my prayer and sent a big-ass bear. Although, I have to admit, being devoured by a bear isn’t exactly what I was going for.
“Thank fucking God.” A familiar voice startles me.
My gaze descends to the ground.
He’s right there.
Staring up at me with worry, doubt, and relief in his eyes.
Will.
Never mind, I’ll take the bear.
“You’re here,” he pants.
Was he… running?
He came all this way for me? How did he even know where to find me? I sure didn’t tell him about what happened. Come to think of it, I didn’t text him once today. I’m quickly reminded of why I didn’t text him.
Right. He’s sleeping with Callie again.
“What are you doing here?” I zero in on the sunset.
He scoffs. “You’re asking me? News flash, this is still my tree house.”
I don’t grant him a response, wishing he’d retire to Callie’s bed and leave me alone. I’ve been hurt enough for one day.
“What are you doing here?” he returns the question.
“Oh, you know, just contemplating how people are heartless liars who will inevitably disappoint you in the end.”
I purse my lips in anticipation of a snarky reply that never comes. Dumbfounded, I look down at him.
“What? No sarcastic remark? No ‘I warned you about feelings, control freak?’” I scoff.
I get everything but a joke.
I get a look.
One that reeks of pity.
He knows.
Great.
“I take it from the sad puppy eyes that you know?”
He nods faintly.
“Kendrick is worried sick, Kass. You need to go home. Or at least call your brother.”
That explains it. He’s here as Kendrick’s messenger.
“So that’s why you’re here.” I scoff, hugging my knees to my chest as though it’ll keep my ruptured heart from completely shattering. “Kendrick sent you.”
He frowns. “What? No. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”
Lies.
“I’m here because you went through hell today and I was worried about you. Is that a crime?”
“I’m fine. You can go now.” I switch up on him, and he pulls a surprised face, assessing me carefully before climbing up the old ladder without a word.
Crap.
I don’t move a muscle, my knees still operating as shields between my heart and impending pain. I pretend like his presence doesn’t affect me. And I pretend even harder when he plops down by my side.