Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
However, lately she’d seemed distracted, and I’d used that to my advantage. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to skip graduation, and I didn’t want to focus on it long enough to find the reason. I just knew once it had passed, I would breathe easier.
“Would you like tea for your morning breakfast?” Miss Sandy asked.
That’s it? That was all she was going to say?
I didn’t know if I was disappointed or overjoyed, but I nodded. “Yeah. That’d be great. And could I get just some egg whites?”
She paused in the doorway. “No toast this morning?”
I usually grabbed my own food, but since Miss Sandy thought I was sick, I knew she’d prepare a tray.
I tried to give her a smile, and I suddenly had a feeling she knew I was lying. “I’m good with just tea and the egg whites. Thank you, Miss Sandy.”
“Of course, Miss Aspen.” Her smile was tender. “You feel better, okay?”
I nodded and blinked back a tear as she shut the door. I collapsed into my bed, feeling like the worst person in the world. I hated lying, but this was graduation week. I needed to stay firm. I just had to.
I picked up my phone and took a picture of Blaise’s shirt, sending it to him.
Me: You left a memento. Miss Sandy found it.
Blaise: Aw, shit. Sorry.
Blaise: Who’s Miss Sandy?
Me: Your future worst nightmare.
Blaise: That sounds ominous. I’ll probably love her. Later.
He texted, informing me that Zeke was having people over to his house if I wanted to join. I told him about the sick lie, and that I was committed. I was hoping to have the flu all week. He wished me good luck, but said maybe he’d come to get sick with me.
I laughed, tossing the phone away, and went back to planning my next camping trip. Blaise was in my head, though, so I tried to use extra caution about ensuring my safety.
My mom called twice. Once before dinner, letting me know they were meeting my brother and some of his friends, because apparently Nate was in LA for some reason. Then she called back after dinner to tell me everything he was doing, that he was living with one of his best friends and talking about starting a company with his buddies.
I listened to her, my knees pulled up to my chest, and reached out to turn off my light. The moonlight still lit the room pretty well, but it felt right to me.
Hearing how Nate was doing, that he was doing well, was like a dagger to my heart.
I didn’t know why. I think it was my mom’s tone.
When the accident happened with Owen, it set everyone in the family on a weird course. It took us a long time to heal. But that healing had been the catalyst for them wanting to make things right with Nate. Life was short. My mom had started her hippie new lifestyle. My dad enjoyed his cigars more, and they’d changed their work focus. Instead of producing, they were directing more, which I knew they enjoyed.
Having Nate as part of the family had become a big thing for my mom.
She wanted him back in the fold, and she was trying. She and my dad were both trying, and I think things were better, but this was my older brother. He seemed to enjoy life away from us, and who could blame him?
Whatever.
It was all good.
I was happy my mom was happy, and I could hear in her voice that she was.
She said Nate had asked about me. “And of course I told him how great you’re doing in school—4.2 GPA, highest honors, and you’re never in trouble. Oh, and I told him how you’re still enjoying your little camping trips.” She sighed into the phone. “Oh, honey. He looks really good. He seems happy.”
That’s all my mom wanted.
“I’m glad for that, Mom,” I told her, keeping the tears out of my voice.
“You’re such a sweetheart. How’d I luck out getting you as my daughter?”
Then she needed to go because a producer was calling her, so we hung up.
The camping trip didn’t seem as much fun after that.
I texted Blaise, but he didn’t respond.
I didn’t expect him to. He’d said he’d be partying at Zeke’s for most the night, so when it got to be around midnight, I got ready for bed and crawled in.
Ten minutes later I snagged his shirt and put it on.
19
Blaise
Aspen was hiding this week.
I knew that’s what she was doing, because I was doing the same—except from my family. I didn’t know why she was hiding, but I would find out. I was waiting for the right time to push for some answers, ’cause I’d gotten to know her a bit. The chick was a steel trap when it came to her family. I, on the other hand, needed to learn how to shut my mouth, so I was practicing.