Page 42 of Web of Lies
Me:
Well… climb in the boat, because I’m right there with you.
Tristan:
Let’s run away together… I’m just… tired.
Me:
I’ll meet you at the bus stop in an hour ;)
Tristan:
HA! please… come down to fucking maple street
Me:
Be there in 5… bring… booze… or something….
Tristan:
Whiskey? it soothes the soul. In fact…. I’m having some now.
Me:
Take a shot for me……. and you… sounds like we both suck.
Tristan:
Suck is about right. I’m just being forced to do things I don’t want to do right now. :(.
Me:
Then don’t?
Tristan:
No choice, babe. I g2g… I’ll ttyl, okay? Just… meet me on AW later? Kick some ass?
Me:
This is the best way to spend the day.
A tight smile forms on my lips as I stare down at his messages. Seems to me my mysterious friend is having about as much luck as I am. We never get into the specifics of our pain, unless we declare our“no bullshit”rule. But it always seems to help us, even if it’s vague. I shake my head and look at the clock. Five p.m. The dining hall should be filling up with students, as dinner gets underway. My stomach twists and turns, groaning and gurgling in disapproval at the thought of any sort of food going into it.
“Fine, fine, you petulant child,” I chide my stomach, tapping it softly. “We won’t waste our time there tonight. Knowing my luck, you’ll expel everything in front of everyone.” I snort at myself for having a full-on conversation with my stomach.
I head to the kitchen in search of something plain to eat. Like soup or crackers or anything at all. But as I open the cabinets I remember, I have nothing. My cabinets are bare. I was so consumed with getting a new lock and the weird fight between Carter and Seger; I didn’t even think about what I needed to do. I’ll go tomorrow, after another day of school, to supply myself. For now, Panera sounds delicious. A nice sandwich and a large cup of soup would suffice until then.
I order through their delivery app, thankful they’ll come here with my food. After the humiliation the day brought, I don’t want to face anyone. It probably makes me the biggest coward in history, but what can I do? I’m only human. And a big coward right now.
After collecting my takeout and slowly ingesting it, a knock comes from my door. I stop mid bite, staring at the foreboding door.
“Kaycee?” My brows pull together, sucking in a deep breath. I walk towards the door and open it a crack.
“Heya, Piper, you probably don’t want to be around me right now. Flu and all,” I say through tight lips. Her face falls, nodding. She holds up a brown paper bag, mist clouding her eyes.
“Jumping jellybeans, I just wanted to make sure you were feeling up to par. I heard what happened-I saw th—” I hold up a hand, nodding my head. Trying to forget the picture Hadley took.
