Page 59 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“Dad,” Freddy calls out, but Dad continues down the hallway.
Freddy calls again, chasing after Dad.
“What gives?” Corbin asks, throwing up his palms. “Freddy said he was going to pack my school bag for me.”
“You’re big enough to do it for yourself,” I counter, ignoring the fact Freddy is sucking up to Dad to mend fences.
Drew meanders to his doorway and leans against it. “Has Golden Boy gone to fix my problems?”
I grasp my elbows tighter. “You know he can’t stand when we all fight.”
“He’s got problems,” Drew jokes.
“I’ll say,” Corbin pipes up, chucking a thumb behind him and into his bedroom. “He only did half a job in here.”
Drew smirks and wanders into the hallway. “What do you need, little man? I’ll help you out.”
Corbin leads Drew into his bedroom, and I continue on to mine. My backpack is ready to go. It’s just my phone I need to remember. I left it on charge because I had a playlist running all night.
I don’t know what was up. I kept tossing and turning. When I’d finally fall asleep, I’d gasp myself awake. Totally not fun.
Then I get up, and Mom’s at me straight away.
Then I find Dad berating Drew.
Ah, never thought I’d be longing to go to school.
I read the last few messages from Cammy and Yvie on our group chat. I decide not to respond. My head’s not in the game today, so I’d definitely text something they’d delight in using as ammunition against me.
I swipe out of my text messages and tap on the school portal app.
I can’t believe I was messaging with Kai Nelson last night.
Seriously, what was I thinking?
I reread the message chain. We didn’t attack each other. Could chemistry actually be productive today? I wonder if he finished his homework? I’m halfway through typing the question to him when I stop. I hurriedly hit backspace. What the heck? Why would I want to keep talking to this guy? No sleep has definitely rocked me.
I get off my bed, pocket my phone, and grab my school bag. I leave down the hallway and meet up with my brothers in the garage. Dad is yammering on as he puts his briefcase on the backseat. Mom is buckling Corbin into her car.Seriously, he’s old enough to be doing things for himself. Why must everyone continue to baby him?
Freddy is answering whatever Dad’s droning on about as I put my bag into his trunk. When Freddy closes the trunk, I move around to the backseat, sitting behind Drew. I breathe easily when he’s in the correct uniform today. My parents already have a laundry list of violations, and I don’t need him setting them off again. Freddy’s sucking up can only do so much.
“Tabitha,“ Mom over pronounces my name. “Good bye.”
I wave at her through the car window. “Yes, Mom. Bye.”
I then wave at Dad, and Freddy gets the car started. Another calm breath breezes out of me when we are the first ones out of the garage.
Throughout my first few classes, I can’t stop thinking about my message chain with Kai. My fingers itch, wanting to ask him if he finished the homework. Some crazy part of me even wants to apologize for not making our study session work. But that wasn’t my fault. I mean, I tried. When he spoke about not using his brother to do his homework, I genuinely found respect for him.
Yuck. There’s that guilt again for letting Drew do my homework. I just felt so riled up. I didn’t want to do my homework on principle. I wanted to show Mrs. Field what a huge mistake she made by sitting me next to Kai. When I ranted to Drew, he told me the inevitable fight with Mom wouldn’t be worth it, and he took my discussion questions and typed up some answers. Why he doesn’t listen to his own advice for his relationship with Dad is beyond me.
There’s a chime from the school’s PA system, and then an announcement. “Attention all freshman and sophomore students. All freshman and sophomore students. Please file into the gym for a compulsory school assembly. That’s freshman and sophomore students to the gym. Thank you.”
Cammy winks at me. “Nice. We get out of chemistry.”
I grin at her. “Yeah, awesome.”
As we move toward the gym, I can’t help being honest with myself. I was actually curious to be in chemistry class today. Could Kai and I get through a lesson without sniping at each other? I know I said we should make a pact, but I also said we wouldn’t stick to it, and he didn’t disagree.
