Page 9 (1/2)
I see Stuart pull up across the road, and take a step back I can’t watch the rest She took his hand Jane was right, she doesn’t need er than we are
I don’t know her as well as I think I do
I don’t knohat to do withtis
"Hey" It’s Stuart with his cheesy, fake Wichita accent that he swears helps keep hihs, "She’s fine She went to some fancy place and ate and went back to her rooood in there But dude, for reals,They are so blue, I can barely walk I’ Michelle up in like thirty minutes I’ll have her back in no time, okay?"
I feel spacey and lost I nod and mutter, "Sure" I have to ry act on; it’s not hard I ary, but it’s with
I snap, "You don’t go to restaurants with boys that you haven’t cleared with ry for petty reasons
"I didn’t You knehat I was doing" She sounds angry, I like that
"Don’t play games withto a chicken place and never went there"
She stammers, "I’ places I just…well…I had an attack and had to leave the first place"
She sounds weak again and it softens ht in front of hi"
"I’ll call the doc She’ll want to see you" I hate that she has to see Jane, but I want this over
"Whatever," she says
I hate that, "Don’t say that It’s rude"
She doesn’t say anything
I clearthe ever-lovely Miss Monkton, then the rules are changing You will not date on the sa"
I can almost hear her frown, "What if we have a date planned for the sah, "Then he cancels his You will remain in the dorms if he and Miss Monkton are out Are we clear?"
"Yup," she sounds pissed again
"Yup, is piss-poor English Goodnight, sweet drea up like always and just stare at the phone I ath and control
I drive to the campus and follow someone into her dorms I slide down the wall and sit in the hallway outside her roo to the sound of her TV I’m exhausted, but I kno scared she is If she kneas sitting outside her room, she would feel better but she can’t So I just have to sit there and hope she can be strong until Michelle coe her, ’Go to sleep’
She texts back, ’You first’ It rin as I text her like we’re nor’
’What are you drea about?’ My sto friendly
My fingers don’t stand a chance They know they shouldn’t text her the one word they want to, but they do it anyway ’You’
Her room is nearly silent She doesn’t move in there or answer back for a few ? In your dreaht aht I can’t ever be the person she needs I clenchthe living hell out ofas I have to, which is all night My eyes flutter a few ti amounts of time I used to have to
Michelle co, about ten es me to tell me he is there to drop her off I stroll out to where they’re kissing goodnight and wait for her to get out of the truck From behind the tree, she can’t see me, but I can see the satisfaction on her face Stuart also looks happy I can’t interfere in that, ashim happy He’s the only brother I ever had and he never lets girls get to his and moves on, as he so eloquently puts it He is my family, the only one I have ever really had
Sometimes I think I replaced Em with hiet in and give hiht, okay?"
He nods, "Alright"
"You have a good time?"
He nods but his face doesn’t have any of the bliss it did before, "You look wiped You been here the whole time?"
I yawn and nod, "Yeah I need so this to a dark fucking place, ot the next watch" He takes us home to my place I crash instantly and sleep like the dead
When I wake, Stuart’s passed out on the sofa I frown, "Stu, where is she?" The hallway ca but her door I text her
’Where are you?’
She doesn’t respond, it goes to voicee doesn’t deliver I s hard "Stu, where is she?"
He opens an eye, "What?" He pops up, "Oh shit, man, I fell asleep Sorry, dude She’s probably there still"
I clench my jaw, "WHERE IS SHE?"