Evangeline Lawrence has a secret. A big secret. One involving her birthday, the player, August Griffin, who's (almost) like a brother to her, and a kiss the night before he ran away. No one else knows about it, aside from August, of course, and Evan...
Gulp. How am gonna explain this to her? She is definitely not gonna listen to Nathan, Ben doesn't know enough about this to explain, and I, well, I made the biggest mistake of my life.
"I'm fuçking waiting."
I know you are, Ann. I just don't know how to explain this.
"Nathan. Tell me why this man is in your house, and why our parents aren't freaking out, and why you chose this time to pull this fuçking stunt." Ha! She asked Nathan, not me.
"Look, Angie. I asked him to...help you. Mom and Dad were so worried so they were willing to try anything. I asked him to come here. I didn't tell our parents until after he agreed, which took a bit, but they were surprisingly cool with everything. They said you were old enough to make your own choices and that they would love to see August again and they would be very happy if he could help."
"How much did you fuçking tell them? I was supposed to be the one to tell them what happened, when I was ready."
"Angie, they were fine with it all." Nathan pleads. "Please, it was for you own good."
"So," her voice is shaking. "you told our parents every little thing even though you don't know half the story. You," she turns on her parents. "didn't say anything to me about this. No heads-up, no warning, no nothing. And you, why did you even come? You don't care about me. All I am to you is a little girl who thinks life is a fuçking fairy tale!"
My heart stopped and restarted. That felt like a punch in the gut.
"I do care." I whisper.
"Than tell me. Tell me that my dreams aren't the only reason you're here right now. Tell me that you wanted to see me. Tell me you're sorry," she pleads.
"I can't," I cry. She turns away from me and silence stretches between us. I can't take it any longer.
"Ann, I-"
"My name is Angie!" Her eyes are fire when the turn to meet mine. "Ann is gone because you fuçking killed her. Do you know how much you fuçking hurt me?"
My chest squeezes and I feel like crying. I suppose my words were meant to hurt her, but I can't help remembering the little girl she used to be and how she used to laugh. I can't believe how far away from those moments we are.
"I'm leaving. Keys?" Mom tossed them to her without a word. Well, I guess I can't really call her Mom now, can I?
Ann's out the door in five seconds flat. She hops in the blue rental and starts to drive. I stand, shell-shocked, for two minutes.
"Well, aren't you going after her?" Her mother asks. I shake my head slowly. Nathan tosses me keys. I glance at him and something passes between us. An understanding. I run out the door and unlock his old, beat-up Jeep.
I'm on the road in seconds. As I drive through the town, I look for the car and think about where I would go if I were Ann.
Then I get an idea. I pull off the street and into the parking lot of a small shopping center. I scroll through the apps on my phone until I see it. Find My Family, Friends, Phone. I don't even know why I have this app, but right now I'm so thankful I do.
I can see where she is, so I decide to go inside the public library and wait until her little icon stops moving. Then, I can Mapquest the place and start driving.
...
It takes four and a half hours for her to stop moving. She's at some random beach in Maryland, which I quickly Mapquest. I'm at a little café not far from Philadelphia because, after waiting two hours in the library, I gave up and started to drive. The beach is three hours away from my current location.
I get up, stretch and make my way, grumbling to the car.
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