Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Some people were loud in their opinion, even people you never heard a peep from usually. Cassie dug into her lunch with gusto and there was no question that she was thrilled with this new turn of events.
Mandy’s crew were the only ones not saying much and in fact were looking like they wanted to disappear through the walls. Except the Kelly girl who wasn’t even sitting at their table. When did that happen?
I always wondered why she bothered. I’d seen her more than once giving Mandy some not very pleasant looks behind her back, and she’d tried to step in once during cheerleading practice before being shut down by Mandy. Still, it was hard to tell with these people what was real and what wasn’t.
Me, I was wondering what kind of hell that monster was going to unleash on me next behind this. I’m getting pretty sick and tired of her and whoever else she has helping her messing with me.
I’ve been keeping things under wraps because of Jace. I know that if I show the slightest inkling of what I truly feel he’d freak. And since I don’t want him to go there either, and get himself in trouble, I’ve been semi pretending that I don’t know what’s what.
Plus I like the way he takes care of me. The way he stands over me, makes me feel protected, loved. I don’t think Mandy’s responsible for half the things he does, but I do know she’s dangerous.
I got a kick out of Jace shutting her down each and every time she came after me with her petty shit. What girl wouldn’t feel like that if her hot jock of a boyfriend stood up to his ex for her and put her in her place?
But now I’m afraid. Afraid that what’s been happening with me has brought about this change. What is it he’d said earlier? This is something he had to do? I put my fork back on the plate with the speared pineapple chunk still on it, feeling sick to my stomach.
This was all my fault. Even though someone else was behind the attacks, Jace wouldn’t be going to such measures if it hadn’t been for me. “What’s bothering you baby?”
He’d stopped eating and turned to look at me. The others were busy having their own conversations and the rest of the room was as noisy as to be expected. But this was not the place or time for this conversation.
I didn’t know that I was crying until his fingers wiped the tears away. “No, it’s nothing.” I grabbed his arm when he started to get up from his chair, keeping him in place. Who knows what craziness he was about to do.
“Then why the fuck are you crying?” At least he’d leaned in so no one else could hear. I looked at him and felt my heart squeeze. How can I tell him that he was breaking my heart? That seeing this change in him was like watching something die?
I knew that the boy I met was gone. Not that I loved him any less, no. My pain was for the fact that the happy go lucky goof was no more. That the boy with the infectious grin had vanished right before my eyes.
Even with his sometimes overbearing, over protective manner, he was still a teenager. This was no teen sitting next to me. And it was all because of me.
“Why are you acting this way? Can’t we go back to the day before? Was it the explosion? Is there something you’re not telling me?” He wiped my face and shook his head. By then the others had noticed and the table was deathly silent.
“I told you, there’s nothing for you to worry about. By the way we’re taking a little trip in a day or two.” Way to change the subject.
“A trip?”
“Yes remember, I told you Track needs you to do him a favor? I can’t tell you about it now though we’ll save it for later when we get home.” I nodded my head and he wiped away the last of my tears.
“And then I think I’ll take you to the island, maybe invite everyone to come along. I think we could all use a break from this place.”
“What island?” Look at me, mention a trip and I all but forgot I was upset two seconds ago.
“My family’s of course.
“Your family owns an island?” It’s safe to say that I don’t know the half of what all they own, though I know it’s a lot from the whispers. But an island? He just grinned and lifted my fork with the forgotten fruit to my lips.
He’s very slick. No sooner had he mentioned it to me than he had the whole table talking. He’d just invited everyone and of course they said yes, except Tammy and Belle said yes with stipulations. They had to ask their parents first.