The Hookup Pact

40| Evelyn

"Why are we going to the hockey house again? We don't have anything planned until next week," I asked aloud.

For someone who had basically forced me to get dressed and get out of the house, Veena was busy staring at her phone instead of talking to me while sitting in my car. After the crazy couple of weeks I'd had between midterms, Derek, and my mom—No! Mrs. Davis—I wanted nothing more than uninterrupted sleep.

And maybe unlimited ice cream and bad reality TV shows to numb my mind.

When Veena continued to type away on her phone, I pinched her thigh. "Are you listening to me?"

"Ow!" she hissed in pain, rubbing her thigh. "What was that for?"

"That's for dragging me out of my happy cocoon and then ignoring me," I said, giving her the stink eye. "Why are we going to the hockey house?"

"It's an emergency meeting," she replied.

"Emergency meeting for what?"

She shrugged. "Don't know."

The rest of the ride to the hockey house was silent. Save for the music Veena was adamant about blasting through the car's speakers. I didn't miss how she was playing all my favorite songs but I wasn't in the mood to sing along like I usually did.

Of course, Veena had immediately realized that something was amiss the first time I'd met her after the incident. But being the good friend that she was, she didn't pester me with questions. Neither did Atlas even though I had basically cried in the parking lot while clutching him for dear life.

I hadn't told them anything because I... didn't know what to say. They both already knew my sob story. No reason to add another pathetic life event to it. As for what business Mrs. Davis had with Atlas, it wasn't any of my concern. I wouldn't put it past that woman to come hunting for me if Atlas canceled whatever deal they had in a fit of rage because of me.

And I didn't want to see that woman ever again. What little pain I'd felt at her dismissal back at the restaurant had quickly turned into unbridled rage in the following days. She could go die in a ditch for all I cared.

In a way, it was good that I finally got to see her. At least now I wouldn't have any hope that one day my mom would come for me. I wouldn't have to make excuses for her in my head.

All these years I had told myself that maybe she'd left because she was suffering as well. It was not a surprise that my dad was an asshole. Maybe she couldn't take it anymore and that's why she left.

However, now I knew that the only reason why she'd left was her selfishness. Yeah, I had looked her up and came to know all about her family in the past few days. It was torture to see her happy and thriving for all these years when I was struggling to survive in that hellhole.

But I needed to see for myself. So that I could finally let all the hopes go.

Clarissa, the daughter she was so fond of, was exactly five years younger than me. Born in the same year mom had left.

Which could only mean she was already having an affair with her current husband while she was with us. No wonder she didn't take me with her. How could she have the perfect family if she didn't get rid of the baggage from the past?

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I blinked back tears. I wouldn't cry anymore. Not for her. Not for anyone.

When we reached the hockey house, I parked my car in the driveway and killed the engine. Veena was quick to jump out of the car with her unusually large duffle bag. As she was walking to the front door, I spotted Maple Park University's logo on the bag. She must have borrowed it from Everett.