Page 5 of Revelry
“See, all better,” she said. Her scent drifted over to me on the evening breeze, berries and cream. Mouthwatering.
“Th-thanks,” I stuttered. She laughed, her lips pulling up and my eyes drifted to them and lingered. So pink, so plump like two soft pillows.
She tilted her head. “Do you want to kiss me, Tate?”
“No,” I replied, too quickly.
Hell yes, I wanted to kiss her. To maul her like I’d seen Carter doing and I was ashamed. I wouldn’t take advantage of her when she was vulnerable.
“Oh,” she replied, disappointment in her tone.
“Gertie, where are you?” Her mom shouted in the distance and we both started.
“TATE!” I heard my mom screaming from inside and we both quickly scaled the tree, my feet slipping a few times but not Gertrude. She knew exactly where to go and it made me wonder how many times she’d run out here for safety.
She didn’t say goodbye, just ran into the house. I hopped the fence again and ran back to mine.
It was a hard night with Mom, she needed lots of attention and I’d finally gotten her back to sleep with more pills and playing the piano for her.
I tried to sleep but couldn’t, thoughts of Gertrude filled my mind until I realized it didn’t matter how much I liked her, or the havoc she wreaked on my hormones, I couldn’t be with her. I couldn’t be with anyone. I didn’t want someone relying on me, it twisted relationships and I just wanted freedom. And I especially couldn’t have someone while Ma was like this.
I tossed and turned, my mind on the girl next door. I wanted to make sure Gertrude was okay, I didn’t like that we’d been interrupted and rushed. Sighing, I sat up in bed, glancing at the wall that separated our rooms. Then I knocked, holding my breath and waiting to see if she knocked back but no sound came.
The next morning when I left for school, my bike was leaning up against the front of the house, tire all fixed and I had a feeling I knew exactly who was responsible for that…
Chapter One
Gertie
PRESENT DAY
“Gertrude Phyllis Hartman get out of this car.”
My stumpy legs twitched as I willed myself to move. Looking out the windshield, I saw the tall, blonde, gazelle-like creature that was my best friend hurrying across the porch and excitement fizzled inside me at finally seeing her.
I’d been avoiding her. In a moment she’d see why, and my stomach revolted, threatening to evacuate the minimal food I had eaten on the drive.
“Nut up, Gertie,” I muttered and opened the door to my classic pink Volkswagen Beetle. I stepped out, my dark head barely reaching the roof of the car, but I could see her.Everyonesaw Katarina Cartwright.
I closed the door as she stopped in front of me, staring at my face with such joy in her blue eyes. Then as they took me in, her expression shifted. Confused, concerned then heartbroken as she saw the nasty bruise that my nastierhusbandhad given me, along with the split lip. It’s just as well she couldn’t see the bruised ribs.
She shook her head. “Gertie…”
I’d held my head high this entire time. All while in hospital until I discharged myself, while I talked to the police who did nothing, while I watched my husband agree to let me leave in peace. I always held my head high because dammit I wasGertrude Phyllis Hartman. But the way Kat looked at me, the pity and sympathy and sheer heartbreak in her eyes, broke me.
I caved in on myself under her stare and my lip wobbled, just like it did when I was a kid, and God why hadn’t I learnedanything?
Kat saw it, the moment I doubted my entire life choices and crumbled in front of her. She sobbed, pulling me to her in an embrace so crushing, it forced the breath from my lungs and hurt like a sonofabitch.
“I’ll kill him,” she hissed. “I’ll cut his fucking dick off and feed it to him.”
The anger radiating from her, the vengefulness and the absolute joy of having someone on my side for the first time in days made me dizzy and giddy and everything in between.
I laughed, but it came out somewhere between a laugh and sob. My side screamed in pain and I broke off, clutching it. Clearly my pain meds had worn off.
Kat reached down to touch the spot next to my black eye, the concern in her gaze like a warm balm to my soul; finally someone cared aboutme.I stared back at her, well,upat her, she was pretty tall and I was on the shorter side. We were the complete physical opposite to each other; she was leggy, slim and blonde and I was short, round with a giant mop of untamable dark curls. The only things we had in common were blue eyes and a penchant for getting into mischief.
She tutted. “Tell me he’s rotting in jail?”
