A year after losing her older sister in a tragic accident, Charlie's Mom marries the father of the most popular boys in school. Still grieving, Charlie struggles to accept her new family and gets involved with her stepbrothers worst enemy, the capta...
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Chapter TWENTY-Two • Charlie •
Jason looked at me through the rear view window. "They were out of order. What was that even about?"
"I think it was about them using any excuse to have a go at me." I said, even though that was only a fraction of the truth.
By the time Jason pulled up in front of their house, I was feeling weird. I was starting to wonder whether I had made the wrong choice. After all, where was Billy? Surely he knew that my stepbrother's would have said something to me after the game? I didn't recall seeing his car in the parking lot.
I was beginning to have a bad feeling.
I sighed and texted Billy: hey, where did you go after the game? X.
The text message sent just as I followed Jason and Taylor inside their house. They led me through to the kitchen and I sat down at the table with Taylor.
"You want ice cream?" Taylor questioned me.
I shrugged. "Whatever."
"I'll get you ice cream." Taylor decided for me, standing up and going over to the fridge.
Jason glanced at me. "I'm guessing suddenly being the Lakewood brother's sister isn't going as well as you hoped?"
"You think?" I sighed. "It's torture."
Jason shrugged. "Could be worse, right? You could be Jack Williams stepsister. Imagine that."
I shuddered at the thought. "It would be worse to die. Jack's a dick."
Taylor brought the ice cream over to the table along with two spoons. It was my favourite: chocolate cookie dough.
"Ew, I can't even think about it! I'd never be able to go round to your house ever again!" Taylor exclaimed.
Jason nodded. "I can't object. I can't stand the guy. Besides, you of all people should keep your distance from him."
"Why should Charlie keep her distance from him? He's just a jerk." Taylor said as she sat down besides me.
Jason opened a can of Coke that he had just retrieved from the fridge. "Jack came to the party, the night Alice died."
I thought back to the party Jason threw. It was packed and it was like the whole school was there. It didn't surprise me Jack was there. Everybody was there.
"So? Half the school was at the party." I said. "Even us and we weren't supposed to be there."
"Alice wouldn't have been either if I hadn't of pressured her to come." Jason admitted, his voice full with regret.
I shook my head. "Jason, it's not your fault. You weren't behind the wheel of that car. You couldn't have known." I told him.
I didn't blame Jason for pressuring my sister to go to his party. Alice needed to get out of the house, especially with all the arguments my parents were having. I just wished I had gone home with her that night. She left before me. I should have been with her.
