Overlooked(1)(224)

“I don’t know, I’ll distract her in the kitchen and you go out the front door.”

Avery laughs, and I cover her mouth with my hand.

“What’s so funny?”

She creases her brow and pulls my hand away, “Did we have sex last night?”

“I’m offended you don’t remember.”

“I remember you putting your hand over my mouth. And I remember a pretty good dream.”

“Dream?”

“Not a dream then?”

“No. Focus. We have to get you out of here without her knowing.”

I should think it was a mistake having her stay here last night, but all I can think of is wanting more of it. Even though I know it’s a mistake.

A mistake that makes me even more angry at myself, for putting myself ahead of Piper. Piper has to come first. I can’t forget that.





Avery

After Knox leaves the room, I pick my clothes up off the floor and pull them on, making as little noise as possible.

Sleeping in Knox’s strong arms all night was too wonderful for words. And it turns out that the dream I had about him last night was real in all its glory. It’s no wonder I slept in and that was a dream I didn’t want to wake up from. And one I hope he’ll let us repeat. Assuming I can get out of the house without Piper seeing me.

I creak the door open and creep into the hallway. At the top of the stairs, I strain my ears to try to figure out what room Piper’s in.

At first I can’t hear anything, so I take a couple steps down the stairs, my feet coming into view to anyone in the living room.

“Avery,” Piper says, sobbing, her voice coming from the living room.

Why is she sobbing? My heart races, and I rush down the rest of the steps.

They’re standing in the center of the living room, Knox is holding Piper as she sobs against him. Her eyes are rimmed in red, and she wipes her nose on her sleeve as she looks at me.

Panicking, I hurry over to them, and rub her back. “What’s wrong?”

What if she’s upset because I stayed over? Knox will be furious, but hopefully not at me. Why didn’t I set my alarm on my phone? Why today, of all days, did I have to sleep in?

I flick my eyes up to Knox and he shrugs, his eyes wide. Piper cries harder against his chest. He hugs her tight but she’s in hysterics, her body heaving as she cries. Knox breathes heavily through his nose, his body tense.

“Talk to us, Piper. You’ll feel better, and maybe we can help you,” I say.

“My surprise. It’s ruined,” she says and wails against Knox.

Part of me wants to tell her to stop overreacting. Nothing is this bad. But Knox’s face is taut, and I bite my tongue.

“What was the surprise?” I ask in my nicest voice.

“It’s not fair,” she says between sobs.

Knox picks her up and carries her to the couch. He sits down, cradling Piper on his lap. She looks tiny against his massive frame.

I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want to intrude on them, but I want to help them both. Neither are looking at me, Piper’s face is buried in Knox’s chest, and Knox is looking helplessly at his daughter. I end up perching on the coffee table across from them.

“What was the surprise?” Knox asks.

“I was following my dream,” Piper says. As she speaks, she looks at me.

My eyes widen, remembering the conversation I had with her a couple of weeks ago. She asked me if she should follow her dreams, and I said always. I was in too much of a rush to leave before Knox got home bother asking what that dream was.

“What dream?” Knox asks.

Piper dissolves into another fit of tears, and Knox visibly tenses even more.

“Avery said to follow my dream.” I flinch as Piper says my name. I’m officially a part of this.

“We should all follow our dreams,” I say quietly, my eyes on Knox.

He doesn’t react as I speak. I don’t think his body could get any more tense to begin with.

“Piper, you need to tell us what the surprise was,” Knox says, his voice strained.

I’m sure he thinks it’s a boy. At least, that’s what I’m thinking it is. Did he break up with her on the morning of the graduation? Is this was a young broken heart looks like?

“No,” she whispers.

“I mean it, Piper, What was the surprise?” Knox says, his voice stern.

“No! I said no I’m not telling you. I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“You don’t have to, but if you want us to help you, we need to know. Come on, sweetie, you’ll feel better to say it out loud,” I say, reaching over to stroke down her arm.

“What was the surprise?” Knox says again, his teeth gritted.

“She’s not coming,” Piper wails.