Me: I’m coming over- someone make room
Finn: CU soon.
I get to the guys house in record time and realize all the lights are on. Finn meets me at the door and Tripp hovers behind him.
“I just need a bed,” I say in a hollow voice.
Finn reaches for me and pulls me into his arms. I feel safe, I feel warm, and I want to sink. The first sob escapes before I can stop it. He leads me into the room and Tripp hands me a bottle of water. I slide next to both of them and start to relax. When I have my shit together, I tell them the whole story.
“You’re staying here until you’re ready to go back. Rave, he’s an ass. He should have gotten the whole story from you before he did what he did. He fucked up,” Tripp tells me.
Finn looks away. When he finally speaks, he sounds distant, “No one fucks with you… ever. You stay with me. I’ll take care of it. Let’s get you to bed.”
I agree and head to Finn’s room. I fall into bed and turn on my phone to send a quick text to Abbi.
When my screen lights up, there’s a bunch of messages and my box is almost full. I see I have twenty unread messages from all the Collins. I check Abbi’s first and notice I’m on a text chain with Ella.
Abbi: I know he fucked up and I’m so sorry, but you promised never to run out on us. I’m not going to defend his stupid ass. Please come home, we can help keep him away until you’re ready to talk.
The text was sent an hour ago.
Me: I’m not running out on you. Declan and I are over and it’s okay, but I couldn’t face him again tonight. Not after what I saw and the things he said to me. I’ll be back tomorrow and we can talk. I’m safe. Will be in school tomorrow until early evening. I’ll try to get home and make us dinner. If you can, please keep him away.
Ella: Where are you now? We can come get you. You need to come home.
Me: C U tomorrow. xoxo
I don’t open any of the messages from Declan because there’s no need. I’m exhausted and emotionally spent. Since fall break is soon, so are exams. I have several group projects to get done as well. At least I can stay busy enough to keep my mind off of him until I get him out of my system.
Finn walks in and hands me some aspirin and more water. “Rave, you okay?”
“Yes, I’m going to go to sleep now. I’ve cried enough over the last two days to cover a few years. I was stupid to think someone like him would be into me. I thought we’d made a special connection, but as soon as we had one misunderstanding, he found a girl that would sleep with him. I think she was the same girl that provided him with the pictures. I’m going to go home tomorrow after school, but I may need my key back to this place in case I need a hide out. Things will calm down in a few days.”
“Baby Girl, you don’t even have to ask. The key is yours and we all like having you here.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. “For the record, I was convinced he was into you for the long run. He’s an incredible asshole for what he’s done. But if you care for him, maybe you should sit down and talk things out.”
“Nothing to say, Finn, nothing to say. We were only officially seeing each other for a few weeks, but it felt like a lifetime. I thought he wanted to get to know me and he really listened. I wasn’t ready to tell him about our secret. It’s not a big deal to me, but I wanted him to like me for me- not because of my family. I love you for caring about me. Thanks you for helping me out tonight.”
“I love you too. Now go to sleep.”
Chapter 18
I’m Not Giving Up
Things at the house are seemingly good. The girls and I don’t talk much about what happened and I insist they don’t get in the middle of it. I’ve managed to stay away from Declan the entire week. He comes by the house and texts me daily, but I never acknowledge him. Every day I find a note on my door or a flower in the kitchen with my name next to it. He keeps insisting nothing happened between him and Sami, but I know what I saw.
I knew he was playing last Thursday night so I made dinner for the girls and me. We settled in for a night of mindless TV. It was a little harder to avoid him over the weekend, but I skipped yoga and spent most of Saturday at the library. Saturday night I went to the movies with Ella and Finn and then spent the night at his house. I went to my parents’ house on Sunday. Robbie and I spent the day watching football and drinking beer. I stayed there since the Titans were playing Sunday Night Football.
Robbie knows what happened, but when he tries to bring it up, I shut him down.
“Look, Rave, I know he fucked up. But I get the feeling he wants to talk to you. Maybe he didn’t screw around with that girl and he wants to explain. I saw how into you he was the night of the gala and it’s obvious you were crazy about him.”
“For God’s sake, he became jealous and irrational. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain. I think that shows just how much he cared about me. Can we not mention it again?”
“I’ll drop it, but you need to know he’s been contacting Finn to check on you. He hasn’t forgotten about you at all.”
Shit! I wonder what he’s said to Finn. You know what? I don’t care.
*****