Page 126 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

It was no excuse for common decency, but I didn’t argue. There was no point. She would only take his side, try to defend his shitty attitude. Like she always did.

Someone handed me a bottle of water and I offered it to Sofia.

“Do you think you can stand?” I asked her.

“I-I think so. Cole.” Panic glittered in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

“Stop.” I leaned in, touching my head to hers. “You’re more important than the stupid mixer, Sofe. Let me call an Uber to take us back to our room.”

“Yes, okay.”

“Do you want me to text your parents?”

“No, don’t do that. They’ll only worry. When we get back to the hotel, I’ll call them. I promise.”

“Okay. I’ll arrange the Uber.” I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and opened the app.

“You’re leaving?” Mom asked.

“Yes. I want to get Sofia out of here.”

“Of course, I just… your father—”

“He can go to hell for all I care. Sofia needs me and I won’t leave her.”

“Cole,” Sofia said, clutching my arm.

“We’re leaving. End of discussion.”

“Okay, I’ll explain things to him.”

“You do that, Mom.” I let out a frustrated breath, turning my attention to the girl in my arms. “Ready to get out of here?”

“Yes.” She stared up at me with big, scared eyes, and it gutted me.

It splintered my chest that she somehow felt guilty about what had happened or worried about what my old man might say.

He could go fuck himself for all I cared.

I’d never had a reason beyond my own future to fight him on things before. But now I had Sofia. I had our future. A future I really fucking wanted.

If he kept to his word and cut me off, then I’d find a way to live with it. And if Mom decided to take his side, then I’d find a way to live with that too.

I was done being his puppet, and I was done trying to protect my mom when it was clear she had no intentions of ever walking away from him.

“Come on.” I curved my arm around Sofia’s waist, guiding her toward the exit.

“Cole,” my father called after me, disapproval lacing his tone. But I didn’t look back.

I couldn’t.

Because all I could think about was the girl pressed into my side.

The girl that had changed everything.

The girl that I wanted more than anything.

Fuck.

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