1 L0V3 H1M

Chapter 15

I wake up with a stiff neck and a sore back. That's what I get for sleeping in my car. I look around and it barely looks like morning. When I start the car, the clock on the dashboard shows 4:41 am. I barely got any sleep last night yet, I feel like I could run a mile. I was dithering about turning my phone on for, I knew exactly what would happen. I would receive message after message from them and phone call after phone call, all about the same thing; about how 'sorry' they were and how they 'never meant to hurt me'.

I finally hold down the power button and watch the screen light up to life. I put in my passcode and find myself overwhelmed with notifications. One after another, all from either my text messages or my voice mail. I click on the phone icon and look through all the missed calls; five from Logan, eight from Harlie, six from Blake, five from Cole, two from Winnie... and even one from Harrison.

Harrison was probably the only one I wasn't mad at. I mean, sure, he had started making out with that girl from my English class, but I could care less who he made out with and who he didn't. I could see that he left a message and I skip by all the ones from Harlie, Blake, Logan, Cole and Winnie until I get to his.

"Hey uh... So your brother is saying that you left the party? I—what?" I can tell he's trying to listen to what Logan's saying. "They say they're sorry and that they'll meet you at home. Also, your brother is threatening to kill me if I he finds out I did anything so could you just maybe tell him that I didn't do anything? I mean, it would be greatly appreciated." I hear the phone get taken away from him and the message ends.

I open up my GPS on my phone and click for directions back home. Surprisingly, I'm only twenty minutes away. When I get home though... gosh, I have no idea what I'm gonna do. If they're not there then I'll just go upstairs and lock myself in my bedroom for the whole summer, until I have to go to college. But, if they are there then... I'll probably just drive away... I don't know.

I follow the directions back home and pull up to the front of my house. I see Logan's car in the driveway, along with Blake's and Cole's. Don't go in. Don't go in. Don't go in. My mind chants at me. I take the keys out of the ignition and gradually get out of the car and stand before my front door. I stare at the door knob trying to decide whether I should risk them being awake or just run back to the car and drive away. I finally grab the doorknob and slowly twist it to the right and push the door open. I enter quietly, hoping not to wake my siblings or even my parents.

When I turn to go up the stairs, I glance back in to the living room and see all of them resting peacefully. Logan is lain on the couch softly snoring with Harlie at his feet, head back and drool dripping from the corner of her mouth. Blake is sprawled out on the carpet with a small throw pillow under his head. I spot Winnie sitting in the leather recliner, head tilted to the side. Cole lays with his back leaning up against the side of the chair and his legs stretched out in front of him.

As I stand and gaze at them all, Logan stirs and I'm suddenly jerked up the stairs, out of sight. I'm not ready to talk. Not yet.

I swiftly and silently make my way to my room, avoiding all the points in the floor that creek. I grab an empty bag and fill it with a book, a note pad, some pencils, a jacket, a small perfume bottle and some headphones. I quickly change out of the constricting clothes from the night before and I throw on some black leggings and a black tank top and throw a mint green sweatshirt on. I lace up my sneakers and grab my bag and quickly make my way downstairs.

I open the door, attempting to stay silent and as I go to walk out the front door, a hand grips my arm and pulls me back, "What the—Holy crap!" I say quietly. I turn around and I see that the hand is connected to Cole. "Cole? Can't you—I really don't want to talk to you or anyone right now." I say weakly.