Page 10 of Crash into me
Kate nervously tucks her feet under her legs. “Envy, the green goblin ex-roommate I told you about? She’s pregnant.”
“Oh,” I breathe. “Interesting. Is she? Who’s the dad?”
Kate bites her lip. “Foster …”
I take a deep breath asking the question I need to. “So, I guess he cheated on me?” I fake a laugh. “I mean I guess that would hurt if I remembered anything about him.”
“No,” Kate huffs, “he would never cheat on you! Especially with that troll. Do you rem …” She looks off. “There was a party when Foster got drugged … She did it, and I’m guessing they hooked up that night, but I promise you … he didn’t cheat.”
Brett shakes his head. “As much as I’d love for you to hate him, he doesn’t deserve it. He’s a good guy, and even though you don’t remember him, you should give him another chance.”
Where did that change of heart come from? Him and Foster have been at odds since Foster came into my life.
I fake an obnoxious snort; it isn’t possible. “Did you see him? Covered in tattoos? No way my parents would allow that.” It’s not like I’m lying.
They look at each other. “You don’t need your parents’ permission.” Kate leans in, whispering, “There's something. There’s something you told us, about them.” She nods her head to the door.
I shrug, playing dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“They hurt you,” Brett deadpans, his fist clenched.
“Who does?” My voice shakes as I take another sip of my latte.
They look at each other uneasily. “You don’t have to lie for them anymore. You don’t remember telling us, but you did.”
I mean honestly, I should have known this would happen.
That my amazing friends would come to my aid when I need them, when I’m vulnerable. But I can’t tell them I remember and that I’ll keep myself as safe as possible until I can leave here. But it’s easier to keep the lie going with everyone, right?
Kate puts her hand on my thigh. “When you lived with me at the dorms, we had a best friend night, and you confided in us.”
My chest heaves. “Well I lied,” I lie. “I must have done it for attention or something because that never happened.”
Brett shakes his head. “Skyler …” His voice is stern, clipped.
Kate tries to calm him. “You promised you wouldn’t do this.”
“No, screw that. We came here to get you the absolute fuck out of here.” He bursts off the bed, too much energy and anger coursing through his veins to sit any longer. “So, get up. Let’s go.”
Kate holds him back, her expression matching that of a worried person who's scared to make the crazy girl feel crazier. “Brett, you know this could destroy any progress her mind’s having.” She tip-toes around my emotions.
“We can’t protect her mind if she’s living with the people who harm her!” His voice is booming through the room, bouncing off the millennial pink walls, but I don’t stop him. One of the benefits of living in a mansion is the freedom to scream from my wing of the house where no one can hear you. I kind of want to scream with him.
“I’m literally right here,” I tell them, acting clueless.
They look between each other, and then to me.
“You can come live with me,” Kate offers, her tone soft and airy, but a slight tremble crashes into it. “At my parents until the semester starts and then we can move into the dorms together!”
I shake my head. “I can’t, Kate. Look, I see you’re both concerned about me here, but I promise you I’m fine. Everything is great here.”
“But you said—”
I cut Brett off with a solitary finger. “Whatever I said was a lie.”
They don’t push it further, but Kate runs her hand across my comforter, gripping the material between her fingers. “You know if you need me, you can call me anytime, right?”
“Yeah, same here,” Brett adds.