Page 102 of Grease Monkey
Threatening my family to stop us from being together? That’s fucking low.
The thing is, if Mrs. Adler had waited, we probably wouldn’t have worked out anyway. I’m a realist. Most high school romances don’t last, especially whirlwind ones like what Ana and I had...
But who am I kidding? Every fiber of my beingknewthat she was it for me. It might have only been six months we were together, but I know people who’ve met, got married, and are now expecting their first kid in less time. I don’t care what anyone else might have to say, Ana and I would have still been together now if her meddling bitch of a mom hadn’t gotten in the way.
I feel like I’ve been driving aimlessly for hours. She’s been calling, texting, trying hard to get me to talk to her. But I can’t. I just… can’t. My phone flashes again, and this time it’s a different Adler calling.
“Dude, what the fuck happened? Your message made no sense. My mom did what?”
“Ruined my life.” I quickly fill him in with what Ana had told me, and by the time I’m done, my fingers ache with how tightly they strangle the steering wheel.
“Fuck. I always knew she was a heartless bitch, but…” He releases a long breath and is then quiet as I continue driving. “Listen, I’m pissed at her just as much as you are, but… I’ve got to ask. Is my sister okay?”
My jaw clenches at the same time my heart does. “I don’t know. I can’t talk to her. Fuck,I can’t stand tolookat her right now. I just stormed out of her place.”
He hums. “I’ve got a few days off coming up. Want me to fly out?”
“Nah, man. I’ll handle it. Thanks, though.”
“You sure? You’ll need backup if you’re considering going up against my mom.” He chuckles humorlessly before continuing, “What’s done is done, Teddy. Now you know the real reason behind why she did what she did, but there isn’t anything you can do about it. So you either cut ties completely with Morgana, let her move on with her fiancé, or you take my bitch of a mom down.”
Cut ties.I scrub a hand down my face.Yeah, I don’t think I can do that.
“I can’t let her move on, man. I can’t stop thinking about her, and I know she wants to be with me. She’s just scared.”
“Did she say she wanted to be with you and not Richard?” he asks, and I instantly wish I hadn’t said anything.
“We, um, had sex.”
“Well, shit.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say?”
“What else can I say? Do I think her cheating on someone she made a commitment to is okay? No. Morgana’s a big girl, she can do what she wants.”
I turn onto the main street in silence.
Skip eventually clears his throat. “Teddy, you can’t let the bitch win. You love my sister, right?” I don’t answer. I can’t answer. “Of course you do, or else you wouldn’t be this hard up on some high school fling from seven years ago. Let me check flights, okay? Maybe Morgana needs some brotherly advice to kick her ass into gear. That was always my sister’s problem. Always had to be the people pleaser. Doing what she thought made others happy.”
My knuckles turn white as I listen to him speak about her. I can’t take it anymore, so I say, “Skip. I’ve got to go.” And hang up before he can reply.
An ache behind my eyes pulses as I approach a red light, and I lean against the headrest, letting my eyes close as I take calculated breaths in for two, out for two.What’s done is done, Teddy. There isn’t anything you can do about it.That makes my jaw clench. I hate being told that I can’t do something. You’re the maker of your own happiness, blah, blah, blah, and Juliette Adler being the thing stopping that is not okay. But what do I do? She can still ruin everything for me and my family. Not to mention, Ana is terrified she will actually go through with her threats. This is a fucking mess.
A horn blares behind me, ringing in my ears as the car behind me pulls out and overtakes me, glowering through their window as they pass.
“Fuck you, asshole,” I yell after him, flipping the bird with both hands. Other cars follow suit and slowly make their way around me as I keep my car in neutral, ignoring the blinding green light up ahead. Grinding my teeth, I watch the traffic lights flicker to orange, then red, and then green again, throwing rude arm gestures to every fucking driver who slows down enough to stare me out through the window.
What, motherfuckers? Never had a public meltdown?
Suddenly, my passenger door swings open, and Ozzy ducks inside.
“Come on, dude, I know your car’s not dead, so why don’t you drive her home, stop causing a traffic jam, and we can talk?”
“Get out of my car, Oz. I don’t want to talk.”
He reaches around and pulls the seatbelt over his chest, and even the soft click of the buckle has me on edge. Everything is just fucking grating.
“No, Teddy. We’re going to talk whether you like it or not.”
