Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Thinking of Kane has me missing him. I’m still annoyed that he couldn’t come with me to homecoming. Especially after our win yesterday. Everybody is going, even Ren. I don’t know what his deal is.
Matthew and Poppy act every bit as in love as they usually act. But now I’m wondering how much of that is an act and I’m also panicking because I don’t want that to be me and Kane. I never want us to cheat on each other or hurt each other and then pretend like we’re happy when we’re not. I just always want to be happy with him.
Imogen: If I tell you I miss you will you laugh at me and call me an idiot?
Kane: Probably.
Kane: Your stupid party over yet?
Imogen: We haven’t even arrived. We’re still in the limo.
Kane: Of course Martian can afford to get you a fuckin limo.
Imogen: I don’t need a limo, Kane. I just need you.
Kane: You better mean that.
Imogen: I miss you.
Kane: Soft bitch.
I laugh quietly and bite my lip.
Imogen: STFU, you miss me too.
Kane: Yeah.
Marshall rolls his eyes at my Cheshire cat smile and I look at Poppy. “Kane loves me.”
“Duh.”
“He said it.”
“No way?”
I nod, still clutching my phone to my chest.
“Y’all are whacked. Who wants love when you can fuck anything you want?” Marshall comments.
Stupidly my brother laughs, holds up his hand to high-five Marshall and declares an enthusiastic, “Right?”
“Well if that’s how you really feel I guess we don’t have shit to say to each other anymore.” Poppy snarls, her mood souring in less than half a second and I don’t blame her.
“Come on, Pops,” Matthew tries but she’s bitter now and I know there’ll be no shaking her out of it. “I was just kiddin’.”
“Was you kiddin’ when you fucked Micha?”
He blanches and his jaw drops. “That’s not… it was…”
The atmosphere in the limo stills, there’s a pause, a big one, that doesn’t last long but its significance is oppressive.
Oh my God no.
“YOU FUCKED HER?” Poppy screeches and starts hitting him with her clutch. “Oh my God. Pull over. I’m going to be sick.”
“Matthew what the fuck?” I ask but he looks horrified. He just outed himself in his panic and didn’t even mean to.
“It was just—a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Poppy asks, hitting his arm again. “Fuck you Matthew!”
“Guys, calm down,” Marshall pleads and hits his hand against the divider. It rolls down and the driver’s eyes find us in the mirror. “Pull over.”
“We’re almost at the school,” he comments and Marshall nods, looking out the window. Sure enough we’re about to pull onto school grounds.
“How could you?” I snap at my brother who at least looks ashamed.
Poppy sobs quietly, hitting my brother with her bag whenever he tries to touch her.
“It was a mistake, Pops. I didn’t mean to.”
“You lied to my face.” Her mascara is down her cheeks, she’s not going to the party. Not at all. I know her. This night ended and it hasn’t even started yet. “I asked you!”
“I didn’t want to lose you,” he whispers as she downs two large gulps of the gin. I feel her pain and the need to numb it.
“No drinking in the car,” the driver warns. “Christ, you’re all underage.”
Marshall ignores him as Poppy takes another swig and passes the bottle to me. I screw the cap back on and hand it to Marshall who looks at me with concern. I shrug my shoulders and shift closer to him as the scene plays out between them and the car rolls to a stop.
“We’ve just been together for so long. Neither of us have been with other people. I just…” Matthew explains sadly.
“Maybe this is a conversation you should have in private,” Marshall suggests.
“I don’t ever want to talk about this.” Poppy sounds so drained and defeated.
But I get it. This is so out of the blue. If their relationship out of every relationship in the world can’t remain strong and faithful, the rest of us have no hopes at all.
“Not in private. Not ever.” She goes to open the door but Matthew yanks her back.
“Poppy, I made a mistake.” Matthew’s tortured whisper has my eyes filling with tears. He’s sorry, but he’s too late. Poppy won’t forgive him for this.
“So did I,” she spits back at him, glowering at him.
This time I grab her. “Fix your face,” I say, raising my chin. “Don’t let them see. Don’t give Micha the satisfaction.”
“Micha?” she scoffs a laugh. “I’m going to KICK HER FUCKING ASS!”
“Oh shit,” Marshall whispers and I wince when she opens the door and clambers out, shutting it hard on Matthews hand. He cries out, cursing and half screaming and by this point I’m just done.
I want to check on him, I want to ask him if he’s okay but I’m so mad I feel like he deserves the pain. He grits his teeth and climbs out, barking at me to stay out of his business and relationship when I call him a fucking idiot. Marshall yanks me back and tells the driver to go around the block. He doesn’t want to go into the school while they’re fighting and I’m torn between wanting to follow them and wanting to pretend this isn’t happening.