Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 51243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
His eyes held mine, and I searched for something to say, but flashes of him inside me were the only things crossing my mind.
By the time I managed to consider So, how’s your day going? as a conversation starter, our food arrived.
Beautifully stacked waffles and yogurt towers drenched in chocolate and vanilla. They were almost too beautiful to eat, but I forced myself to pick up a fork and taste the waffle first.
I held back a moan as butter melted down my throat.
“Your rewrite was far better than the original version you turned in,” Taylor said, finally breaking the silence.
“Your team is going to suck without you when the season starts.”
“That’s not the theme of this conversation.” He smirked. “Try to stay on topic.”
“If I stay off, you’ll get mad and leave.”
“I won’t.” He picked up the syrup. “I’ll probably head back to the team a little earlier than expected.”
“Because you want to?”
He shot me a blank stare.
“You could’ve changed since I last talked to you…” I paused. “Why did you stop writing me, Taylor?”
“It’s not like you were writing me back super fast,” I said. “I felt like at one point it was one-sided.”
“You’re lying, Audrey.”
“You stopped writing too, Taylor.” I refused to take the blame. “And last I checked, we were trying to stay cordial for the umpteenth time, and it just fell apart like it always did.”
“It would be different if we tried harder this time.”
“Because of the sex?” I asked. “I’ve already told you there won’t be any more of it.”
“Okay.” He laughed. “But no, that’s not why.”
“Then what’s the reason?”
“You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a real friend.”
Something in my chest twisted. Because even when he said it like a compliment, it still sounded like a warning.
“I can’t say the same.”
“Besides Cecelia, who else have you had?”
I said nothing.
The waitress set down our plates, and I stabbed my waffle with a fork, wracking my mind for an answer.
“I have some study partners I’m close to. And when I leave here and go to nursing school, I’ll make more friends.”
“Why are you even considering nursing school?”
“So I won’t end up exactly like my parents. I can’t be like them, Taylor…”
He looked slightly confused, but he didn’t press further. He pushed his plate to my side of the table and moved next to me.
“Someone might take a picture of us together in here…”
“Good.” He stole one of my raspberries. “What do you want to do before we have to finish up work today?”
“Maybe a walk on the beach. Alone.”
“That’s not happening.” He kissed my cheek, sending every nerve in my body wild again. “I’ll join you.”
I didn’t protest.
I should have.
But by the time the moonlight hit his sheets, I wasn’t thinking about warnings or promises—only him.
BULLY YEARS: TWELFTH GRADE (FIRST SEMESTER)
TAYLOR
I’m all for the silent treatment, but you need to answer my last text.
I know it was YOU who told Jessica I had an STD. (That’s LOW AF. Even for you.)
How the hell did you get nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award and not me when we turned in our shit on the same day?
Audrey?
Audrey WTF. I can see your car in your driveway and I know you’ve read my messages.
Text me back.
No response.
For some odd reason, Audrey wasn’t at school today, and she’d left early yesterday. That was usually a sign of her parents booking a random “inspiration” trip—where they spent more time on their manuscripts than on Audrey.
I drove back to school, unsure why I even gave a damn about the lack of nomination at all. I stopped at the flower lot around the corner and bought a bouquet of white tulips for our assistant principal. I was determined to suck it up in every way possible to get to the bottom of this. We were tied in English class again, and we should’ve both been nominated. She must’ve tossed out my application somehow…
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wolff.” Mrs. Gordon smiled when I entered her office. “Is there a reason you’re back on campus?”
“Yeah, I, uh…” I extended the flowers. “I need to discuss something regarding me and Audrey.”
“Oh wow.” She held a hand over her heart. “I’m sure those will brighten her day, even if only for a little while, given the situation.”
“Yes, the situation,” I said carefully. “How exactly should I address it?”
“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to do it,” she said, lowering her voice. “There’s nothing anyone can say when someone loses both their parents.”
WHAT? My jaw dropped.
The room tilted, and the tulips slipped from my hand, hitting the tile with a soft thud.
“It’s truly awful, isn’t it?” She shook her head. “They were sideswiped on their way to pick her up yesterday…”
I stared straight ahead, completely speechless.
“I know you two have your moments, but…” She patted my shoulder. “I’m sure she appreciates your sentiment. Did you bring a card for me and the other teachers to sign?”