Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
It’s over, I made sure of that. So why do I feel like everything in my life before her was surviving, not living?
RAVEN
Costa del Sol, Spain
“Raven? Earth to Raven?”
When I blink, Cher comes into focus.
“What?” I sit up straighter in my seat. “Sorry, I’m tired.” I recross my legs and try looking interested, but the truth is I’m living in paradise with my best friend and Brody, and I don’t think I could be more miserable.
“Oh, honey, it will get better, I promise it will. It’s only been a couple weeks, right, Brody?” She reaches for my hand, her giant straw hat almost smacking me in the face. Brody mumbles something while he reads on his phone.
“Did we pay? Let’s get a bottle of something and take a nap on the beach.” I lean back, avoiding the hat. Cher turns to look at a couple of men who whistle as they pass. “God, men are pigs.” I roll my eyes, and Brody glances up. “I mean, besides you, of course.”
“No. This can’t happen. I refuse to watch you become a bitter bitch. It. Will. Not. Happen. We’re going out tonight to a club.” Cher slaps the table.
Brody and I groan. “I’m not going to a club,” I snap.
“Oh, yes, you are. Both of you.” She points a finger at me, her nail perfectly manicured.
“Stop pointing.” I slap her hand away.
“God, you two are literally no fun. Brody?” She turns to him.
He smirks, still looking down at his phone.
“You, Mr. Man, are not nursing a broken heart. You’re going with me tonight.” Cher leans forward, and I can’t help but smile as Brody holds up his hand to block the killer hat.
“Christ, Cher, really? Control your hat.” He frowns, his eyes darting to mine.
“You can’t still be hung up on Raven, can you? You have to give up. She’s mourning Daddy Powers.”
I groan, because I adore her, but seriously? “Cher, please try to have a filter for once.”
She sighs and sits back. “I’m only being honest for both your sakes.” She looks at him, then me.
“And Brody only has another week with us. I refuse for your black cloud to bring Brody down.” She smiles at me, picking up her drink and sipping from a straw.
I glare at her even though she’s right. I’m hardly fun. It’s like a knife has been inserted into my heart and left to fester and ooze. So yeah, I might be a little testy. And poor Brody. I know he only came to Spain because he was hoping I’d go back to him.
God, if only I could, but I’ll never look at Brody as more than a good friend. I was kind of thinking he was getting it because only an idiot would try to follow Jett Powers.
“Okay.” He sets his phone down and looks at us. “I’m thinking about staying.”
“Wait, what are you talking about? This is your senior year—you can’t stay.” I look at him, then try smiling at the waiter when he brings the check. Heaving my big leather bag up on my lap, I fish out my American Express Black Card.
I take care of all the food, and pretty much anything we do that takes credit cards. Cher had to ask her dad to rent us the apartment. Apparently, they don’t take Black Cards when you sign a lease.
It took us a solid week of searching, but we now have a cute two-bedroom apartment where we can walk to the ocean and shops. It even has a small balcony.
Unfortunately, it’s only for six months. She could only convince her dad to let her to stay for that length of time. It’s a miracle she talked her dad into allowing her a break from NYU. She somehow convinced him she needed this break to fine-tune her vision for her future fashion line.
He bought it, and here we are. Brody, on the other hand, was only supposed to stay for a couple of weeks.
“I can do my last year online, and to be honest, I’m sick of California.”
We both stare at him.
“But our apartment only has two bedrooms,” Cher says slowly as we both look at each other. Not that I really care. I don’t have the energy right now.
“I’ll keep sleeping on the pull-out couch.” He picks up his phone again. “I already switched to online classes and just emailed my parents.” He smiles as if he’s doing us a favor.
“I just…” Cher’s voice trails off as I kick her under the table.
“You stay as long as you like.” I nod at him while Cher stares at me.
“Okay, but if we are going to be like Three’s Company, you can’t flip out when we have random men coming in and out of our lives.” I close my eyes at Cher’s lack of tact.