Page 218 of We Shouldn't Be Together
Jamie wouldn’t have fallen.
Jamie is running around a soccer field, impressing Kai and making him forget I exist.
Heck, I almost became invisible at lunch. As soon as she sat down at our lunch table, he moved our food tray toward her. It was mortifying.
Yesterday, he ignored Jamie’s text message because he was with me. He said he didn’t regret it, but did he really mean it?
Is he now regretting spending more time with me than with her?
With an ugly grunt, I tear at the bandage around my fingernail to replace it. I rip too hard, and some of the nail pulls at the nail bed.
“Ouch,“ I yelp in pain.
“Tabitha?” Dad asks, standing by the bathroom door.
Geez, why didn’t I shut it behind me? Because Kai and Jamie are taking up space in my head. “Ugh.”
“What’s wrong?” Dad says, stepping into the bathroom and peering at my hand cupped around my messed up finger. “Show me.”
“It’s just a broken nail.”
“You’re wearing the look of distress I see in my ER.”
I pout, trying to deflect. “Mom said she wouldn’t pay for a new manicure.”
He places out his palm. “Tabitha?”
I huff and relent, showing him my messed-up finger.
Dad winces. “This looks nasty. What happened?”
“I fell and used my hands like brake pads.”
Dad’s eyebrow arches. “Fell where?”
I chew inside my lip before responding. “On the ground.”
Dad stares me down, willing me to elaborate.
I rip my finger away from him with a hiss. “Kai and I went hiking.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“And why didn’t you show me this yesterday?”
“You were out with Freddy.”
“And I was home when you got back from school. Why didn’t you consult me then?”
“Consult? You’re not my doctor.”
“No, I’m your father.”
I fold my arms, hiding the icky fingernail from him. “I knew you’d blame this on Kai.”
“Where did he take you?”
