Incomplete

Chapter 8, Lacey

"So what did you think about Max?" Georgi asks. We left the party about five minutes ago, and now we're on our way to Kimberly's house since none of us wants to sleep at home.

"He's nice I guess," I shrug, not really knowing what to answer.

"I know! And he's handsome, isn't he?"

"Yeah he is," I say and give her a small smile. I'm very tired and also pissed because we lost the game, but I don't want her to see that. She doesn't like it when I take games too seriously. Then again I don't really understand how she can be so chill about the losing... but maybe I shouldn't think about it too much.

I should probably text my dad and tell him that I'm sleeping over at Kimberly's, but before I have time to do that, Georgi asks me another question.

"And what about Alex?"

"What about him?" I ask suspiciously.

"What did you think about him?"

I think a little before answering. "He was kind of annoying. He feels like a douche. It's almost as if he didn't want to be there at all."

"I don't know, I hear he goes to a lot of parties. Besides, playing against two pretty girls probably didn't hurt him," she says with a meaningful smile. I roll my eyes. "And he's also very attractive."

"Whatever," I mumble, but even though I try not to, my thoughts travel to his piercing blue eyes.

His eyes that probably has every girl swooning over him. And yeah, I get it, but as we continue walking I try to get my mind off of him. Luckily Georgi starts talking about Max again and I stop thinking about Alex so that I can focus on what she's telling me.

~

"Do you have everything you need?" Kimberly asks me.

"Yeah I think we do, and thank you so much for letting us crash here," I say and give her a hug. Georgi is already asleep in the guest room that Kimberly let her borrow.

"Are you sure that Amelia won't mind me sleeping in here?" I ask. Amelia is Kimberly's younger sister who's currently sleeping in Kimberly's room. "I feel bad for taking over her room."

"It's completely fine, it's just for one night," Kimberly explains giving me a reassuring smile. "How did Traci react when you told her that I didn't want to come?"

"She wasn't happy about it and I'm pretty sure that she didn't believe Georgi's excuse."

"What did she tell her?"

"That you had a lot of homework..."

Kimberly grimaces and her hazel eyes look sad. "Maybe you should just tell her the truth?" I offer.

"Oh no, that's not a good idea!" she says with a worried look on her face.

"I know that you think she wouldn't understand, but you have no idea how she would react. I'm pretty sure she would be fine, she's your friend."

Kimberly looks down at her feet. "I can't tell her."

"Fine," I mumble. We stand there for a little bit without saying anything to each other.

"I have to go to sleep now or else I'll never wake up tomorrow," I tell her.

"Yeah sure. I'll go to bed too," she says and leaves the room.

I lay down on Amelia's pink bed and sigh heavily. Just a few moments later I'm already fast asleep.

~

I wake up to the sound of barking. Even though the Stewarts have a big house you can still hear the sound all the way up to me. Kimberly's obsessed with dogs and she has three of them, two Golden Retrievers and one Beagle.

I get up from the bed and stretch my arms above my head. I notice that I forgot to take of my dress last night and that my makeup is smeared all over my face. I walk over to the only table in the room to get my phone from my purse. When I get it out I notice that I have 16 missed calls.

16 missed calls. All of them from my dad.

"No.." I groan and sit down on the floor. He is going to kill me. Literally. I promised I would text him when I was on my way home but I obviously forgot.

Stupid, stupid me.

Georgi opens the door to my room and notices me sitting on the floor.

"What are you doing there?" she asks me with a weird expression on her face.

"I forgot to text my dad yesterday. He doesn't know where I am," I tell her.

She looks at me like she's trying to keep herself from laughing.

"This is so not funny!" I exclaim. "He is going to kill me! I'm never going to see the sun again!"

She laughs out loud now and clutches her stomach.

"Will you stop laughing?!" I throw one of my pillows at her. She smoothly dodges it but at least she stops laughing.

"Relax, I texted him yesterday and told him where we were," she says and wipes away a tear from her face.

"You did? Why didn't you tell me that?!"

"I forgot okay? Besides, you should have seen your face when I came in here."

I must still look angry because she comes over to me and hugs me. I hug her back and we stand like that for a little while. She lets go of me.

"Let's get home now. I'm pretty sure your father still wants to have a chat with you."

~

When I get home dad's sitting in front of the TV watching a hockey game. When he sees me he pauses it and walks over to me.

"Hi?" my greeting pretty much comes out as a question. I don't know if he's mad at me or not. He rolls his eyes at me and gives me a hug. It's one of those hugs that only dads can give.

We break apart and I look at him. "Does this mean that you're not mad?" I ask hesitantly.

"You didn't text me yesterday," he states.

"I know and I'm really sorry. I was going to but then I forgot and... I'm just really sorry okay?"

"Do you know how worried I would have been if Georgi didn't tell me that you were at Kimberly's house?"

"I know."

"It's a good thing that you have her."

"I know," I say, repeating myself.

"So does this mean that I'm not in trouble?" I ask with a hopeful smile.

"No that is not what I was going to say. You have to help me clean the café for a month." he says with a pleased look on his face.

"What? No!" I protest.

"Do you want me to ground you? Because that can be arranged."

"You know, now that I think about it, helping you clean the café doesn't sound that bad."

"I thought you'd say that," dad says and smiles at me.

He has always been protective over me. It's always been him and I for as long as I can remember. My mom left us when I was only four years old, and I haven't heard from her since then.

I almost don't remember anything about her, I only remember her beautiful red hair. Dad has some pictures of her, but I rarely look at them.

She's not coming back anyway, so what's the point?

"Now I have to keep watching this game," he points to the TV behind him.

"Can I join you? I don't have anything else to do today."

"Sure. Let's get some snacks and keep watching."

"Sounds perfect," I say with a big smile.