The Perfect Storm 2

Chapter 178

Stephanie parks harshly and the car comes to a violent halt.

"Sorry." He head leans down and she bites her lip.

"It's fine." I smile, trying my best to let my nerves rest for the night if that's even possible.

"Thank, again . . . for doing this. Rebecca is a headache." Stepanie says, her hand on my shoulder.

"Of course." I give her a genuine smile.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" She asks all of a sudden and I raise my brow, showing her the confusion that's now all over me. But Stephanie doesn't answer, instead, she points with her thumb to the back seat where my phone is lying. 

I grab the phone only to see Miles's name staying on the screen, floating around with words I can't see yet. I ake the phone closer but before I can read the message I hear banging on the window and as a reflex turn off the phone to hold my chest. Stephanie and I both eye my window to see Rebecca there with a beer bottle in her hand.

"Oh, great," Stephanie says with a sigh and I agree with her. We both unbuckle our seatbelts and step out of the car nervously and regretting the decision to have Rebecca with us.

"Thank you," Stephanie whispers into my ear one more time before grabbing Rebecca's hand and leading her away from me with gossip which I'm thankful for. 

The ground beneath me is pure light wood and I can't help but take a deep breath of the sea breeze, everything about this place oddly reminds me of Santa Monica. I look around at the tall trees around me and I can't help but see palm trees instead of them. 

The sun is setting, causing the whole sky to be tainted a darker shade of blue which I don't mind. The wind is noticeable but It's somehow light and warm in an odd way. 

My fingers grab at my long sleeves, pulling them further over my hands as I awkwardly make my way behind Stephanie and Rebecca. 

I look down at my pearl necklace and notice my black lace bra peeking out of my long sleeve knitted cardigan. I pull it up and then quickly make my way toward Stephanie and Rebecca, this time standing much closer to them than before only for Rebecca to turn her eyes right onto me.

"So . . ." She begins, her voice excited and squeaky. The beer bottle in her hand is wavy as she can barely walk straight.

"I hear you and Miles are back together." Her voice is much more high-pitched now. 

I gulp down, thankful that she knows and thankful that everyone must know now, and hopefully, nobody is going to bother me but then I remember Cody being at the beach, waiting for no one but me. 

I take a deep breath and hope that Rebecca is too drunk to open her mouth but when she does, I know this isn't the end of her talking and I know that Miles is a mere second away from being mentioned again.

"I thought that I would get him, I mean honestly . . . who thought Miles would go for a freaking virgin—"

"Rebecca!" Stephanie stops her painful words but all I can think about is if the pain will ever stop; if it will ever be stopped and if my name will ever stop being mentioned like this because it only is when Miles is here to stop it, but now that he isn't, I feel like I'm living a completely different life. 

I rub my hands together, trying to somehow get the awkwardness out of the air around us but it doesn't work. I give Stephanie a small smile, thanking her for always protecting me but it's too late and Rebecca doesn't care at all.

"What? I'm true," She mumbles to herself before walking away from us slowly but steadily. Rebecca pulls her short blue and green dress higher to the point where the bottom of her but is visible.