Rebellious Ride | Book #2 ✓

Chapter 31

"Are you sure you don't want just to spend the day at home? I mean after everything that had happened-" Evangeline offered me a small smile, her hands letting go of the steering wheel as she put Aster's truck into park.

"I'll be okay." I nodded in reassurance, "Plus I could use it to take my mind off everything."

"Ok well if you want me to come to pick you up, just give me a text or call." Evangeline gave me a wider smile, "Have fun."

"Thanks for the ride." I grabbed my things as I hopped out of the truck and watched Evangeline drive away. I stood on the curb of the street, staring at the Gunner home that was right in front of me. Looking over the uncut yard and the porch that had been in shambles, it was clear that Mrs. Gunner was living here completely by herself. 

After last night I was humiliated, and I was still processing a lot. I was processing the things Pierce said to me, the kiss he shared with Mercury, Greyson confessing to me, and Noah planning to get back at Pierce for the way he's been making me feel. 

Noah and I agreed on a bunch of rules and we both said this was strict to give Pierce a taste of his own medicine. Nothing was going to actually come of it, I mean Noah was 23, there was no way anything would come of. I wanted Pierce to hurt the way I did every time I saw him walk into a room with that skank attached to his side. If he wanted to play this game then so be it.

While I hadn't told June about Greyson coming to see more or even anything with Noah, she did text me this morning asking if I wanted to hang out with her and Triston today-maybe do some black Friday shopping. I wasn't up to it at first, but I decided it was better than crying in bed all day. 

I approached closer to the house, stepping through the yard while listening to the eerie silence of the street. The only thing I could hear was the sounds of crows cawing in the distance, the sound becoming fainter the closer I stepped towards the house. 

I stopped on the porch, raising my hand and knocking three times on the black-painted door. Looking at the house brought back tons of unwanted memories, including when Mr. Gunner took it upon himself to sexually harass me, or the time Reese was beaten by her own father and seized on the living room floor.

I stopped coming to the Gunner house, but June guaranteed her dad would not be there-no one seeing him in weeks, and to be fair, nobody was looking for him. June offered for Triston and me to come over to her and Cypress's apartment on campus but she was scared Pierce may have shown up to hang with Cypress. So in the best efforts of avoiding him, we all agreed to meet at the old Gunner house that was once filled with kids but now had nobody but Mrs. Gunner who was having a constant battle with herself. 

"Aspen." Mrs. Gunner breathed as she opened the door wide, her face looking shocked to see me, "I didn't know you were coming dear-"

"Oh? I'm sorry, June said to meet her here. Her, Triston, and I were all just going to have a girls' day." I stuttered out my words, wondering where June was right now to save me from this awkward exchange.