Page 116 of From Me to You

I was on my feet in a second. “Who are you calling a bitch, Katy?” I screamed in her face.

My feet wobbled as the alcohol rushed into my head when I stood. I needed alcohol to do this. The plan was to make Jay spend a fortune on those clothes to make it seem like I was money-hungry. That was my task from White tonight.

The guys had plenty of money now and would have a lot more from the album sales. And that would be big numbers. So, it wasn’t a big deal.

But I didn’t realize Katy would argue with me—even though it was killing me, I had to do this. Because the devil behind her demanded it as a price for their dreams.

“Yeah, Evy. You are a complete fucking bitch.” Katy jabbed a finger at me.

Matt came to her side, and Mikey to mine.

“That’s quite funny, Katy. My boyfriend is buying all those clothes for me with his own money. I don’t hear himcomplaining. You are the one who’s complaining like a petulant child. Oh wait, that’s what you are—you are acting like a baby. Grow up, Katy. When it’s your hard-earned money that I spend, I will ask for your permission.”

“Let it go, Evy,” Matt snapped, pulling Katy away because she was screaming obscenities at me now.

“Oh, the mighty Matt is here to save his sister.” I rolled my eyes at them.

Mikey pulled me back. “Matt, enough, and E, stop. Everyone is watching.”

But I didn’t stop. I was unhinged at this point. “All of you think you are all so high and above me. I know all of you are talking behind my back. I just wanted a dress, and you all wouldn’t even let me buy a dress. All your complaining and moaning ispathetic.” I didn’t even know what I was saying.

Katy fumed in anger as she strode toward me. “I only asked if you needed all those dresses, Evy. And now you are being a fucking bitch about it. Emmie should have never brought you here. Everything was fine before you came along. You came and ruined everything. For months, you have been creating a wedge between all of us. Emmie is not even focused in the studio, and it’s all because of you.” She pointed a finger at me furiously. “We were all a family, but now you are destroying all of us. Emmie should have never fallen in love with you. I should have never made you my best friend. You need to fucking leave us alone. We were all happy before you came along. You need to fucking go back to where you came from.” She screamed in my face.

Every single word out of her mouth was like a frozen arrow stabbing behind my back. The hurt was so fresh, that it punctured my heart. Pain. I felt so much pain.

Every time I argued with them, I chose my words carefully to not hurt them. I wanted them to hate me with just my petulant words and behavior, and it seemed like it was working.

Katy’s eyes widened like she couldn’t believe she had said all that. The entire room stood in shock, like they couldn’t believe she uttered those words.

Jay stormed to my side in a second and glared at her. “Katy, don’t ever talk to my girl like that again. I don’t like it,” he said in an icy voice that sent shivers down my spine.

Lan stepped forward. “Em—” But Katy stopped him and nodded to Jay. “I am sorry, Evy. I didn’t know what came over me. I obviously did not mean it.”

But she did, and I knew she knew it too. I didn’t say a thing as I stepped back and ran out the door. I heard Jay calling from behind me, but I didn’t stop. I just ran and ran, tears that I couldn’t control streaming down my face. My vision was blurry as I pushed people away from my path and just ran. I ran so I could remember that I needed to breathe.

I ended up on a park bench somewhere. I wasn’t familiar with this area. I was hyperventilating as I crashed into the bench, trying to catch my breath.

“Sweetheart, fuck. You scared me.” Jay gathered me into his arms seconds later. And I held him tight. I didn’t want to ever let go of him.

“Thank God. Fuck E, you run like you have a world record to chase or something.” Mikey was panting as he walked over to us.

He shook his head and pulled out his phone, dialing someone. “Yeah, we found her. We are at 24 Haven Street. Yeah, great, we will wait.”

I buried my face in Jay’s neck, inhaling his familiar, clean, woodsy scent that calmed my soul. I was so exhausted. I wanted to go home, but I wondered where that was anymore. Since I was already in the arms of my home.

Soon, a black-tinted car pulled up, and Jay carried me to the car. We were all quiet the whole way back home.

I was still in Jay’s arms as we headed inside the house. Everyone was pacing in the foyer.

Katy was the first one to come up. It looked like she had been crying. “Evy, I am sorry,” she whispered.

But Jay didn’t wait for anyone as he headed upstairs.

He gently laid me on the bed and pushed away all the hair that was sticking to my face. He pressed his forehead against mine and peered into my soul.

“You fucking scared me, sweetheart. Don’t ever leave me like that,” he whispered.

I nodded because if I opened my mouth, I was going to cry.