Page 1 of The Forever After Bet

1. Gold Chain

I hear my door creak open and curse. My parents will freak out when they find me lying on the floor with puffy eyes and a tear-stained face, but I don’t have the energy to move.

“Aubrey, will you grab her overnight bag and green blanket?”

Is that Leah?

“Hannah?” June soothes, running her hand over my hair.

I sit up. “June? What are you doing here?” I glance over at Leah and Aubrey, who are both staring at me, holding my stuff.

“We came to get you. Jack told us about the text you sent him,” Leah says.

“I don’t—you should leave me. I just did the worst thing in my entire life,” I sob.

“No. You’re my best friend, and I love you. We’re not going to leave you alone right now,” June says. She puts her arm around me, helping me stand up, and keeps her arm around me all the way downstairs. When we walk outside, Ford’s Range Rover is gone, and Ty’s Jeep is in its place. I do a double take to make sure I’m not hallucinating, and it’s still there. June gets in the driver’s seat, and Leah helps me into the back seat. She gets in, sitting next to me. Aubrey goes around to the other side and gets in the back next to me instead of sitting up front. I grab Aubrey’s hand and lay my head against Leah’s shoulder. Aubrey scoots close to me, hugging me, and lays her head on my shoulder. I close my eyes, trying to block out everything that’s happened in the last hour, but it plays in a loop in my head until I feel like I’m spinning out of control.

“Are we almost there?” I ask, sitting up.

“About five minutes. The turn off for Leah’s subdivision is just up ahead,” June states.

“I need you to pull over when you turn onto the side street,” I say, taking a deep breath.

“What’s wrong?” Leah asks.

“I’m going to be sick.”

June pulls over in the nick of time. Leah gets the door open, and I lean over her, throwing up out the door. I don’t have much in my stomach, only a few starbursts and some sprite.

When we get to Leah’s house, we head straight upstairs so I can use her bathroom. Leah gives me a washcloth, and June digs my toothbrush out of my bag. I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror, but I manage to wash my face and brush my teeth.

June knocks on the door. “Hannah, can I come in?”

“Yeah, it’s open,” I say. She comes in with a pair of pajamas in her hands. I shake my head, holding my hand out in protest. “No,” I cry, backing away from her. “No.”

“You need to change. The entire back of your dress is covered in dirt. Keeping that dress on isn’t helping you.”

“I fell when I ran out of Ford’s house. I shouldn’t have run. I should’ve stayed and fought.” I look down at myself. “This was my wedding dress.”

“It’s going to be okay, I promise,” June soothes. She takes my cardigan off me, undoes the zipper on my dress, and helps me take it off and put the pajamas on. “You’re going to be okay. You’re stronger than you know.”

June takes my hand, and we walk into Leah’s bedroom. Leah has turned down her bed. “Come on, Clark,” she says, getting on the bed. I crawl on, getting under the covers. June gets in after me, and Aubrey lies next to Leah.

“Do you want to know what happened?” I ask, pulling my green blanket up and rubbing it along my chin.

“You don’t have to talk about it now,” Leah says.

I shake my head. “No, I want to tell you, and then I never want to talk about it again. I ruined the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” I sob. “What am I going to do? Ford will never forgive me.”

“Hannah.” June wraps her arms around me, pulling my head onto her shoulder. I put my arms around her and snuggle in. “Ford loves you. You did the only thing you thought you could. You did what you had to.”

“Today was supposed to be my wedding day.” I glance over at Aubrey because she doesn’t know.

“Leah told me,” she whispers, wiping tears from her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I sniff. “We should’ve included you.”

“No, you were right not to. I’m terrible at keeping secrets, and that needed to stay a secret.” Aubrey gives me a sad smile.

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