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Chapter 37: Already Gone

Chapter 37: Already Gone

February

In less than a week's time, I've planned a prom-posal to one girl and a marriage proposal to another.

How did my life get so fucked up?

After I talked to Ma yesterday, she walked me into the house and sat me down in the kitchen. Then she disappeared into her room, and when she returned, she was holding a small trunk that she set on the table. She used a little skeleton key to open the lock, then she fished around inside until she found what she was looking for.

She pulled out a ring box in worn velvet, the color of a faded robin's egg. She pushed the box over to me. "It was my grandmother's," she said.

I nodded, staring down at the light blue velvet.

"Well, open it."

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. This shit just got real.

It was a narrow silver band with a single diamond the same size and shape as roofing nail head.

"White gold," she said. "A little over a carat, I think."

I nodded again, swallowed.

"Anyway, John wanted to buy a new ring for Becca when he proposed to her, so it's yours if you want it."

"Thank you." I had trouble getting just those two words out.

So now I'm driving around town with this family heirloom in my truck trying to figure out how the hell to feel right about giving it to Bree.

The worst part is, I need to talk to Peyton, and she won't return my calls or texts.

I know she's probably pissed off and doesn't want to hear from me. But I just can't ask Bree to marry me until I get a chance to tell Peyton how sorry I am for everything. I need her to understand all that happened, so she doesn't go around thinking that I did all this shit on purpose. I need her to know how much I cared about her, how much I still care about her.

She hasn't been at school since Valentine's Day. So, Friday morning, I search the halls for Marshall to see if she's ever coming back or if he's heard why she's been out.

I find him in the library before class. He's hunched over his notes with a couple of dog-eared novels in front of him.

I pull out a chair, and he glances up at me when I sit down.

"Hey," I whisper. "Where's Thomas been?"

He looks back down at his notes. "Why don't you just text her?"

"I did. She hasn't answered. Is she okay?"

He takes a deep breath and picks up one of the books, opening it in front of his face. It's that same book Peyton showed me, All the Pretty Horses.

I tilt my head and angle my line of sight so I can see him behind the novel. "Come on, man. For once, can you just help me out?"

He folds one side of the book down, takes a good look at my face, and sighs. "I really don't know, Chaplin. She won't respond to my texts either. Ever since Valentine's Day, she's been MIA. I have no idea what's going on."

"Maybe I should ask Emma," I say.

Marshall nods. "If you find anything out, let me know," he says, and buries his nose back in the book.

I track down Emma as she's coming out of the gym after morning cheer practice.

"Hey, Jack," she says, smiling. Peyton must not have told her about Bree...or the baby.