Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
I take a sip of my drink. “Interesting.”
Didn’t even know that was possible, but to each their own.
“What about your parents? What’s your family like?”
“My parents?” I nearly choke on my food. “Oh, uh … I don’t …” I take a deep breath. “They’re not around.”
I don’t like talking about it because it forces me to face the fact that the one person who always had my back is no longer here. And that fucking hurts.
Five years ago
As I head home, I pass by the cemetary, glancing inside the fenced area before brushing off the wind that hits the bruise on my skin. Tears well up in my eyes, and I pull down my sleeve to stop the cold from entering. But another gust that blows through my hair and into my hearing aid makes me stop and stare.
I blow out a breath before I finally decide to head inside.
There is no stone, no marking. No pebbled path or expensive-looking ornament. Not where I’m going.
All that’s left for me to stare at is the grass where the soot was discarded and a life was forfeited.
And for what? What grand purpose did his death serve?
My fingers dig into my palm so deeply it begins to bleed.
It shouldn’t have to be this way. It was too soon. I’m too young to grieve. Too young to take care of a mother who would rather drown in the idea of romance with dangerous men than live without the love she craves so desperately.
How do we keep going?
My heart weeps, but my tears refuse to budge.
“Why …?” I say through gritted teeth, my knees slowly sinking to the grass. “Why do I have to do this without you?”
I lower my head and touch the grassy ground underneath me, wishing I could rip out this heart so it wouldn’t have to hurt anymore.
“I miss you, Dad…”
Fuck cancer.
Present
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Max puts down his food. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s fine. You couldn’t have known.” I smile to ease the tension, but my throat feels dry. “Besides, I don’t need them. I can take care of myself.”
“I can tell,” he muses. “I mean, you go to this prestigious university and manage to hold your own.”
“I wouldn’t say that too loudly,” I muse, taking another bite.
“But you’ve got your own place, right?”
“Yeah, but it’s not much.”
“But you worked hard for it,” he says, taking a sip of his iced tea.
“Right …”
“I think that’s amazing. You don’t need your parents to succeed,” he says, making me feel a little prouder of my accomplishments.
“Thanks,” I say, finishing my food. “I appreciate it. The food as well.”
“Don’t mention it,” he says. “Besides, can’t let a lady go hungry.” He adds a wink, making my heart flutter a little.
Maybe not all of the Skull and Serpent Society guys are evil. “You know, you’re not half bad.”
He laughs. “Thanks. You’re not half too bad yourself either.”
I snort and playfully shove him. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah.” He pulls out his phone. “Before I forget, lemme give you my number so you can always reach me.”
I frown, confused about how we got to this point so easily already, but I’m not going to say no either. I take out my phone and copy his number.
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” He keeps staring at me with those soulful eyes like he’s taking in every inch of my face, and something about that makes me look away so he doesn’t see me blush.
“Those things in your ears…”
I frown. “Oh. They’re hearing aids.”
I take them out and show them to him, and he seems intrigued. I can see his mouth move but can’t hear anything, so I sign to him.
Can’t hear you.
He sheepishly looks at me for a few seconds before he hands them back, and I swiftly tuck them into my ears. “Sorry,” he mutters. “I didn’t realize.”
“It’s okay.”
“So you can’t hear at all without them?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Barely. I may hear some loud noise, but that’s it.”
“Does it bother you at all?”
“No. I was born with it, so this is all I’ve ever known.”
He leans on his hand as he seems even more fascinated. “Wow, so you got those when you were a kid?”
“Not these specifically since they’re too big for kid’s ears. But I did have similar ones when I was a kid, yeah.”
“But I just saw you sign.”
“My parents wanted me to learn how to speak in both languages so I could always navigate the world, even without my hearing aids.”
“That’s wonderful. I love how you just did that with your hands so fluently. Now I wish I could use sign language too.”
A smug smile forms on my face. “It’s never too late to learn.”
“You know what? You’re right. Maybe I should start.”
I take another sip of my iced tea, feeling good about this whole thing. Maybe he could be a friend after all.