The Bad Boy's Sister

Chapter 15 - Some Things Just Have To Be Done

No buzz.

Not one.

Not even after a whole entire day and a half. The only buzzes my phone gives to me are from Jake.

I'm curled up on the couch with a hoodie and jeans, waiting not so patiently for Casey to fulfill her promise: "I'll text you."

"Sam?" Jace asks from upstairs. I thought the minute he got home yesterday that I would be able to chastise him for keeping secrets from me, but for now the silent treatment is working a lot better.

I sigh and look up at my worry-stricken brother. He looks pretty miserable and I can't help but feel a little sorry for the guy, but I try not to feel bad. He's the loser that put himself in this position. He never told me anything, so why should I tell him?

I ignore him and continue to lose a staring contest with my phone. Another message has popped up from Jake. He's obviously upset that I'm ignoring him, too. He knows a little of what's going on, but it's the fact that I'm not telling him everything. It's nearly killing him.

"Babe, please talk to me."

I finally give up and throw my phone back into my hoodie. Curses.

"Sam, it's nine at night. Please at least come and climb in bed. You look exhausted."

"Not until she texts me back," I say stubbornly, sucking in a giant breath of air. I'm not the type to put myself through torture, but right now, it's the only thing I can do to keep me sane. I wouldn't sleep anyway.

"Not until who texts you back?" he asks, inching toward the stairwell. It's about time he moved locations. The carpet is probably worn out from him pacing up there.

"Oh, I don't know," I huff. "Maybe if you didn't keep secrets from me, I wouldn't need to keep them from you."

"What?!" he gasps. He's clearly shocked at my snappy reply. I look down at my phone to avoid eye contact as he goes down the stairs in a hurry. Seconds later, I feel the couch cushion lower on my right. Crap.

"Seriously, what's going on?" he asks once he's in place. "This isn't making any sense to me and you know it."

"Don't worry about it," I say, still avoiding any eye contact.

"Too late. You've been quiet since last night when I got home. You were really quiet at school today, too. I haven't seen you so quiet around Jake before. You can't tell me something isn't up."

"I never told you that. I just said not to worry about it. I'm-"

"There's nothing 'fine' about you," he interrupts. "You are not 'fine'."

"Cool, then tell me why you are not telling me crap."

"So this is about Casey?" he asks. I make a very frustrated face. It's about time he put the pieces together.

"No, of course not. Why would it be her?" I snap sarcastically. He pouts at me and folds his arms.

"How would you know anything about her?"

"She was here yesterday," I say. He slightly furrows his eyebrows and looks up at me in confusion.

"Here? Why?"

"She was gathering more documents," I tell him more easily than I thought I could. "She told me you'd been texting her about stuff related to Cody."

"She seriously like avoids me," he says, sounding angry. "I don't understand why. We both want the same thing."

"Which is what?"

"Cody in jail, Mom and Dad fired, and you and I to be far away from this awful place. I wouldn't mind moving to somewhere out of California. Maybe like Washington or somewhere."