Lonely Together II (Sequel)

Chapter 18

One thing's for sure, Hampstead didn't change one bit.

It was actually kind of nice out today, which seemed sort of unusual since it's always raining. I was driving with Justin in the passenger seat, basically because he needed to think. I know how that goes. He was tired beyond belief too, which added on more stress I'm sure.

It's hard for me to see him so quiet, but I guess this is what it's like for him when something happens to me.

"You hungry?" I interlaced our fingers.

He shook his head.

"We could stop at the Carolina Cafe," I looked over at him. "How does that sound?"

"I'm not hungry Jess."

So I kept driving, letting a long breath out my nose. The road I was driving on was covered in sand, almost to where you couldn't see the road itself. I drove downtown to all the little shops that were connected together, and stopped right in front of ours.

"I just have to drop off these order forms, I promised Morgan. It'll only take a few minutes, okay?"

He nodded, not even looking in my direction.

I shut my car door and walked around the car. The shop hadn't opened yet since we open late on Sunday's, so I tried to be fast before the rush came through. I walked up to the front door and swung it open, only to reveal a completely destroyed store.

Clothing racks, shelves, clothes, they were everywhere. I couldn't even step a few feet in without tripping on something.

"What the hell.."

"Jess!" Morgan came around the corner from the back, making me jump. "I was just about to call you."

I brought my eyes up to hers slowly, my mouth partially open. I was speechless.

"Someone must've broken in last night. Oh my gosh, Jess, this is a disaster."

It really was. It made my entire body ache thinking of how hard it would be to clean this entire place up, let alone how much it would cost. But most of all, it made my heart ache that some of the most precious moments were made in this shop when my mom owned it, and redoing it just wouldn't be the same.

"I'm so sorry," Morgan tiptoed over to me. "All of us will help you out, you know that."

No you won't. Is all I could think in the back of my mind. None of you would pay a dime.

That was true. The girls were great, don't get me wrong. But when it actually came to going above and beyond and doing something other than telling customers how great they looked in our clothing, they got lazy.

All I could do was nod, handing her the order form papers. "Yeah. I'll see you."

And I left without another word said. I probably seemed bitchy and distant, but to be honest, that's exactly what I was. At this point, I was just waiting for my life to take a turn for the better.

I got in the car and slammed the door, revving up the engine. My entire body was sore. All I wanted to do was sleep.

"Is everything okay?"

My head snapped over in Justin's direction, surprised that he had actually started a conversation. "When is it ever?" I said quietly.

He gave me a knowing look, hurt evident in his eyes.

"The shop got broken into. It's-" I tried to find a word that would best describe it. I sighed, "it's awful."

He was silent for a few seconds. "Who do you think did it?"