No, no, no, no. I couldn’t leave. Not now. I’d lost everything. My parents, Adam, Mr. Reynolds. They’d all abandoned me when I needed them the most, and just when I had found myself a new family at the academy, they robbed me of that as well. It wasn’t that I’d hate returning to Stewart’s Landing. I still had great friends who went there. It had become my home. What made me sick was the all too familiar pit in my stomach that forced me to acknowledge my greatest fear. Did my parents really not care? The first time they sent me away, it had been for my own good. The academy gave me opportunities my parents couldn’t provide for me at the time. But that wasn’t the problem anymore.
It didn’t matter how hard I tried. It didn’t matter that I left all my friends without objection. It didn’t matter that I spent the last fifteen months bending over backwards to make everyone happy. It didn’t matter that I studied more hours at night than I slept to ensure I’d get perfect grades. It didn’t matter that I stomached this nauseating social scene without protest. One slipup, and I was as disposable to them as a used dishrag.
“We just need things to calm down around here. What I’m trying to do is for everyone’s best interest,” Mom kept assuring. “With people like the Marins as friends, your father and I will have the clout to get you into whatever college you want-”
“And at what price?” I finally snapped. “You treat people like Reese as if they’re trash, but you’ve never bothered looking past your own snobbery. He’s a good person. I’d rather be on the wrong side of the tracks than have to sell my dignity to the highest bidder.” My stomach was growling something fierce, but I buried the hunger down as I slung my book bag over my shoulder and stormed out of the kitchen.
Mom’s heels clacked right behind me as she continued in her rant, cutting in front of me before I made it to the foyer. “You are not to see him again.”
As if on cue, the front doorbell rang. I stole a nervous glance at the clock. It was only five to seven. Reese wasn’t seriously here…was he?
Mom cast me one last cautionary stare before answering. Long blonde hair and a breezy canary yellow dress lit up the porch, and Mom immediately straightened up.
“Hi, Mrs. Montgomery.” Carly said it sweetly enough, but there was hesitation in her delivery. She’d clearly overheard the conversation.
I could have tackled the girl with a hug as I pushed past Mom. “I have to get to school. Try not to pack my bags while I’m gone.”
My mother would never dare keep the fight going so long as company was around, and I happily took my exit, slamming the front door behind me.
“What’s up?” I asked, making my getaway down the driveway.
She bit her lower lip, only on the right side. A telltale sign she was nervous. “I just wanted to say I was sorry.”
“Sorry?” I knew I’d been a bit preoccupied as of late, but had I really not realized we’d been fighting?
“We were all talking last night about some things.” She winced. “And then taking into account what happened with the photo yesterday, it kind of hit me how insensitive we’ve been. You went through a lot, and I know I’ve been critical of you, rather than supportive. I mean, it’s your business what you choose to do, with Blackburn or otherwise.”
“Ah…thanks.” Like Kelsey, it was the last thing I expected to hear from her.
“It’s just…you’ve also been acting really weird, too. You know you can talk to me, Kat. About anything.”
“There’s just a lot going on right now, stuff I can’t explain.”
Carly cocked a groomed eyebrow at me as we came to a stop at the curbside. Yeah, this girl wouldn’t be taking no for an answer.
She knew how to keep her wits when she needed to, but believability right now wasn’t my greatest ally. And the fact made my heart sink. Car was my best friend, for better or for worst. Not being able to tell her anything wasn’t helping anyone. It just put more distance between us. I missed confiding in her.
“Whatever’s going on, I might be able to help,” she further insisted. “I’m a good listener.”
“It’s complicated,” I muttered.
She folded her arms, leaning against the streetlight. “And I’ve got time.”For you.
“I’m being stalked, for starters.”
Her mouth dropped. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve been getting creepy text messages from an unknown number. Plus, some freak in a hoodie is following me around. I already tried talking to the cops, but they refuse to hear me out.”