Page 48 of The Love Penalty
“You were the one who wanted to play this.” His voice pitches as he points at the board.
“Could you two keep it down, please?” Liam calls over his shoulder. “Why don’t you just come watch with us?”
“Ugh.” Mick pokes out her tongue. “That girly shit? No way.”
“Oh, shut up, you.” Rachel laughs at her, throwing a piece of popcorn at the table.
Ethan plucks it out of the air, shoving it in his mouth. “Okay, fine, lil’ mouse, let’s play pool.” He gets up from the table and spots me hovering near the kitchen. “Hey, man. You good?” His eyebrows dip, his face puckering with confusion.
Shit. What do I look like right now?
I don’t know.
All I do know is that I can’t stand here taking in all this domestic bliss when there’s a girl in my bed who was sobbing against my chest less than an hour ago.
“Do you want to join?” Mick asks, her smile turning playful. “I’d happily take your money if you want to make this interesting.” Her eyebrows wiggle, and then she glances up at her boyfriend with an impish grin. “Or we could play darts. Ethan loves darts, don’t you, baby?”
He gives her a dry side-eye, crossing his arms with a warning growl.
She starts laughing like she’s hilarious, and I can’t take it.
She wants to bet on pool? She wants to play like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
What’s fucking normal?
Nothing, now.
My simple world is never going to be the same again.
“Nah, I’m good,” I mutter, stumbling away from them all and heading for the front door.
I just need a walk. Some fresh air. A place where I can yell at the sky and let out some of this… this blinding rage.
Shoving my sneakers on, I walk into the cool night air. The sun set while Lani was telling me her big secret. Seems appropriate somehow, you know? Like, how can there be light in a world filled with so much fucking darkness?
“Argh!” I shout, punching the air. “You fucker!” I scream to the sky, wishing that asshole was here so I could pummel him black and blue.
I let out another shout, my chest heaving as I lean over, bracing my hands on my knees.
“Uh… you okay?” someone softly asks behind me.
I spin around and spot Casey and Caroline standing on the path outside our house. Little Fezzik is on his lead, sniffing the grass around him. They’re holding hands and gaping at me like I’m a crazy person.
I dip my head, closing my eyes and not answering them. What the fuck can I say?
I’m not okay.
I’m torn up and shredded.
“What’s…?” Caroline approaches me with her hand held up, like she’s attempting to tame a wild dragon. “What’s up with you?”
I stand tall with a heavy sigh and take in her sweet expression. She’s worried about me, but I’m not the person she should be spending that kind of energy on.
Do I tell her?
It’s not my story to tell.
But as Lani’s best friend, shouldn’t she know?