Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“So, if I get you drug tested you’ll pass?” she questions.
I want to say I would, but what if the smoke she blew into my mouth shows in the test?
“Well… I’m not sure…” When her brows rise to her forehead, I try to backpedal. “What I mean is, I didn’t smoke today.”
“Today?”
Damn it, this is coming out all wrong! “I don’t smoke—” I begin, trying to figure out how to explain myself, but before I can finish my sentence, she’s already turning her back on me.
“Consider yourself grounded from life indefinitely.”
“Mom, can you please listen to me?” I beg, chasing her down the stairs.
“No, Harper, I’ve had enough of this. You’re a year and a half away from graduating and set on destroying your future. Until I see a change in your behavior, you’re grounded.”
Ugh! I can’t believe this. She never listens to a damn word I say.
“I hate you!” I yell out of anger.
“That’s okay,” she yells back. “Then I know I’m doing my job as your mom.”
I go back into my room and flop onto my bed. This has got to be the worst day ever. The worst year ever! It’s like every time I think I’m taking a step forward, I get pushed three back. I get Mom had me young and didn’t have a chance to go to college, but I’m not her. I’m going to get my degree. She doesn’t have to be so damn strict. If she knew all the shit my friends do and how bad their grades are, she’d be thankful she has a daughter as behaved as I am. But she doesn’t care. Nothing I do is ever good enough. While Dad stumbles around like a drunk fool, she focuses on whether I’m one minute late.
Suddenly feeling claustrophobic in my room, in this house, I jump out of bed and head straight for my window. Pushing it up, I look back into my room. When Mom finds me gone, she’s going to be pissed. But really, what more can she ground me from? She’s already taken everything away.
I climb through my window, which leads to the roof. From there, I jump down onto the air-conditioning unit and then onto the ground, like I’ve done a million times.
Once I’m down, I begin my walk through the neighborhood. I have no clue where I’m going. Am I running away? I probably should’ve grabbed some clothes if I was…
Oh well, too late now. I honestly just need to get away, to have a moment to myself, to take a deep breath. I’m just so sick of everything.
I walk until I reach Melissa’s house. I don’t really want to hang out with her, but hiding out here would be perfect since her parents probably aren’t home. I knock a few times and finally Dennis answers.
“What’s up?”
“Melissa home?”
Dennis’s brows furrow in confusion. “She’s at Richie’s…”
Hmm… interesting. In all the time I’ve been friends with her, she’s never hung out with Richie without her brother or me being there. “Okay, thanks.”
I continue to walk down our street and when I get to Richie’s house, I consider whether I should knock and find out if Dennis is right. A part of me says I shouldn’t care. We broke up. But another part of me wants to know if my best friend really is that disloyal.
When I knock on the door, Richie’s mom, Anita, answers. “Harper, how are you?” She’s dressed in her usual attire. An expensive dress and matching heels, like she’s just come home from the office, even though she doesn’t even work. Richie, Melissa, and I might all live in the same neighborhood and go to the same school, but that’s where the similarities end. They both come from families with money, while my family lives paycheck to paycheck. The only reason we could even afford the house we live in is because my mom works for the home builder, so she got a good deal on the house.
“I’m good,” I tell her, not wanting to get into the truth. “Is Richie home?”
“Sure, dear. He’s in the basement with Melissa. Go on down.” A huge knot forms in my stomach at her words. He’s not just hanging out with Melissa, he’s in the basement with her. There’s only one reason we ever hang out in the basement—to make out.
“You know what? I just remembered I have to get home.”
Anita tilts her head slightly to the side, obviously confused, but she doesn’t question me. “Okay, bye, Harper.”
I reach into my back pocket to pull my phone out and text Melissa, but then remember my mom has it. There’s no way Richie and Melissa would hook up an hour after Richie and I broke up, right? Melissa might be a bitch, but she’s my friend. She would never do that to me. But the more I think about it, the more I believe they would. And for some reason, the thought of them hooking up doesn’t even bother me. If Melissa wants to be with him, then whatever. The two of them can have each other. I just don’t have it in me to care anymore.