Page 146 of Before We're More Than Friends
I shook my head. “I’m going to Oliver’s house.”
He glanced at the clock. “Isn’t it a bit early?”
“We’re meeting earlier today.”
“Don’t lie to me, Dallas.”
I sighed. “When you love a girl, make sure you do your best to show it.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Even when you’re upset.”
His lips curved in a small smile. “That Raina is rubbing off on you, huh?”
“Mom is your Raina. You don’t want to lose someone who makes you feel so freaking lucky to be alive. To be loved.” I cringed, knowing I sounded cheesier than heck, but I didn’t know how else to make this situation better.
“Okay.” He rubbed my hand on his shoulder. “Have fun at Oliver’s.”
I nodded before going upstairs to get ready, still unsettled. I knew I didn’t know the whole situation between Mom and Dad. Not everything was his fault—Mom could’ve done things wrong to him that I had no idea about—but I just wanted them to stop being at each other’s throats.
I didn’t want my new home to fall apart when I’d been starting to love it. I didn’t want to experience what Toby experienced, the stress he went through, how it shattered him to pieces that his parents couldn’t love each other the way they used to.
I couldn’t have the same thing happen to mine.
It didn’t take me long to realize I hadn’t escaped fighting for the evening.
When Mr. Landers opened the door for me, I nearly jumped back at his expression. For a man who always looked unbothered, it was jarring to see his jaw clenched and brows furrowed like he was about to start a fight.
“Hey,” he said. “Oliver is having a private conversation with everyone in the garage, so you might want to wait a few minutes.”
Just like last week. “Okay,” I said, anxiety stirring in my stomach as I went inside.
Mr. Landers walked down the small hallway, probably to his bedroom, and I decided I hadn’t learned my lesson for the day. I scurried into the laundry room and pressed my ear to the door, careful not to make any noise.
“Why can’t you guys just support me?” I heard Caleb shout, and it immediately brought me back to the fight with my parents. “Is it really that hard?”
“It’s not about you,” Hayden snapped. “It’s that you’re leaving us when we’re finally going somewhere.”
“We haven’t gone anywhere,” Caleb shot back. “We’ve passed one audition.One. After how many months of being together?”
“And you haven’t gotten into the school yet, but you’re still acting like you will. What’s the difference?”
“The difference is that there’s more than one spot open. And I actually support you, but you won’t return it.”
“It’s not that I don’t support you,” Hayden said. “It’s that I don’t want you to leave now of all times.”
Caleb groaned. “You’re acting like I’m leaving tomorrow, not in August.”
“But you’re still leaving.” Hayden huffed. “Gosh, we’re not going anywhere with these stupid fights.”
So these fights had been a regular occurrence. What else was happening behind the scenes? And what was this freaking place that Caleb wanted to go to in August?
“Then why do you make things all about you?” Caleb asked.
“I’m not trying to!” Hayden growled. “And you didn’t answer my question. You’re trying to make me sound like a?—”
“Can you both stop it?” Oliver snarled. “I deal with enough shouting in this house.”
“Are your parents still at each other’s throats every day?” Hayden asked, the frustration in his voice shifting to concern.
My stomach sank. Oliver’s parents were fighting, too? Mrs. Landers’ smiling face came to mind. How much pain was truly behind it?
