Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I didn’t sleep much last night. I was bummed out after finding out Logan and Cole have returned to the States. No goodbye, no we’ll talk, nothing. Cole is just gone.
Now I don’t know when I will get a chance to speak to him. I spent the night tossing and turning while asking myself if I had dreamt it all. Maybe I had more to drink than I thought I did.
Yet, I can still feel his breath against my skin and his words have been playing on repeat in my mind. I’m beginning to feel crazy and frustrated. Looking across the room, I see Kate is still knocked out with her hair in her mouth as it sits wide open.
No longer able to lie here, I punch at the bed and sit up. Maybe a shower will help. Climbing from the bed, I grab my things and head out to the bathroom.
I’m so sleepy as I stumble my way through the hall. Murmuring from the kitchen catches my ear, telling me I’m not the only one up. Most likely, Aunt Kara and Uncle Dougie are up getting breakfast ready for everyone.
I keep quiet and keep moving to the bathroom. Hopefully the shower will help to wake me or at least give me a chance to pull myself together. I never used to feel this way about Cole, so I’m not going to allow these feelings to consume me now.
I turn my thoughts to Mum. She said she wanted to go shopping this weekend when she and Da return. I’m excited about that. It’s been a while since Mum and I have had one of our girls’ days.
Maybe Kate will want to tag along. She did mention something about wanting a new dress for some party or something. Finally able to think of something other than Cole, I finish up and get out of the shower to get dressed.
I frown at my bangs in the mirror and poke my lip out. Mum is going to have to press my hair out for me again. I don’t know what I would do without my mum. She’s the greatest.
“Ya’re going to have to learn to take care of yer own hair now. She can’t come with ya to play ball, she can’t?” I mutter to myself.
Once dressed in a pair of overalls and a T-shirt, I head back to Kate’s room. I step inside quietly, but she’s not here. I knit my brows and go to put my things in my bag.
Maybe she got up for breakfast or had to pee and went to use the guys’ bathroom. I shrug it off and go to check my phone.
My mobile rings the moment I pick it up, pulling me out of my thoughts. I’m confused, as the name on the phone is Kate’s.
Getting this strange feeling in my stomach, I pick up the call.
“Hey, where are ya?” I say as I answer.
“Mum asked me to get up and run an errand with her. We’ll be back soon. I’m calling because Aisling called.”
“What happened now?” I snort. “Did she drop her curler in the toilet again?”
“No. It … It’s more serious than that. Maybe I should wait until we get back.”
“Yer not about to do that to me. Go on, tell me what’s going on.”
She sighs. My heart is racing as I think of Cole. Could something have happened to him? Was last week the last time I will ever see him?
“It’s Jameson. They found his body down by the river. It looks like he hit his head and fell into the water. They think he drowned, not being able to lift his head from the blow to his noodle,” she says.
“What?”
That sounds so crazy. I don’t know what to say. I stumble to the bed and flop down on the edge and just stare ahead.
“But we were just with him,” I whisper.
“They said he’s been missing since the night of the bonfire. Maybe he had too much to drink and tripped or something. A man jogging found his body.”
“I saw him leave with Boyle. He doesn’t know what happened to his own cousin?”
“Ach, I hear he told the police that they separated. He went to see someone, and Jameson took off on his own.”
“That’s—”
I’m cut off as my other line beeps in. I realize that I’ve pulled my knees up to my chest and I’m slowly rocking. I don’t understand what’s going on. My friend was found dead.
“Kate, I need to call ya back. I have another call coming in. It might be Mum,” I murmur. “I’ll see ya when ya get back, yeah?”
“Aye, I’ll see ya when we get back. I love you, Deja.”
“I love you too.”
I change over to the other call, feeling like I’m watching this all from outside my body. I’m still trying to process what all Kate has told me. Nothing makes sense right now.