Not good for you

46;

It was close to midnight when I heard someone open the front door, nearly slamming it in frustration. After Leigh and the others had stumbled home, we watched movies while I shared the big news about Clara's unexpected arrival. Their reaction mirrored exactly how I felt when I saw her this morning.

Seeley had been gone all day, making me wonder if something had happened. I tried to shake off my paranoid thoughts and bury my worries.

"Not her, please," Austin groaned, rolling his eyes.

"But we were having such a great time," Casen whined while hugging a pillow.

"I didn't know what was missing from my life until now," Emilia said, glaring at the ceiling. Leigh seemed more disappointed than frustrated.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," she murmured before walking to the kitchen to occupy herself.

We barely paid attention to the movie, too frustrated that Clara had shown up instead of the others who could have spent the rest of the summer with us. If we had one thing in common with the girls and boys, it was our intense dislike for Clara. I couldn't stop thinking about Seeley and how his demeanor shifted whenever Clara was around. Now that I had told him I believed in him, I hoped he'd find the strength to stand up for himself and end things with her. Even if we didn't work out, I wanted him to be free of her for good.

I spoke with Leigh and listened to her worries and insecurities. She was uncertain about when to express her feelings to Seeley. Listening to her made me feel awful, as I knew Seeley didn't like her that way. They had just become friends after Leigh finally let go of her judgmental side. To be honest, her crush was somewhat unexpected. I couldn't blame her; Seeley was attractive and funny, but looking back at her past relationships, I thought she would have taken more time to understand someone she was so drawn to truly. I should have spoken up; it wasn't right for me to support her illusions and give her false hope.

But I kept backing out since I had no idea if Seeley and I would ever become a couple. I was a coward, I knew, but that didn't ease my fear of losing my friendship with Leigh.

We've known each other for too long for me to ruin everything. That was one of the main reasons I couldn't sleep at night. I tried to replay everything in my mind, wondering how it would all end, but I had to face the truth that there was no way this could turn out well.

The other thought that kept swirling in my mind whenever I glanced at my phone for the time – and whether Seeley had texted me – was where he might be. Now that I knew both the darker aspects and the true feelings of his relationship with Clara, I couldn't shake the worry that if he spoke to her, she might have done something to him. The idea of her laying a finger on him made me feel furious; I swear I'd go after her and make her regret crossing that line.

When I heard someone enter the house, my eyes popped open, and I sat up without even thinking about it. At that moment, I desperately hoped it was him, reminding myself it could only be him. Unless, of course, Clara had managed to get her hands on his keys and come here for revenge. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic, but you never really knew with Clara.

I slipped out of bed, rubbing my arms to ward off the chill as I noticed how cold it was while the stars twinkled back at me through the open window. Leigh always kept it open; she just couldn't fall asleep without fresh air in her room.

Walking on my tiptoes, dressed in just my shorts and a black shirt that barely covered my thighs, I felt a sense of freedom that came from my love of oversized shirts at home. As I rubbed my sleepy eyes and stepped into the living room, I found it empty. The cold air brushed against me like a gentle hand, prompting me to turn toward the open glass door.