I sneered, fighting back an urge to jump off my seat and bust him in the nuts. God, I hated clowns. I’d never been able to put my finger on what exactly creeped me out about them, but they repulsed me.
Turning toward Paxton, I studied his face. The happy grin he’d worn since I’d gotten here had fallen. His eyes seemed pained. His fingers swept across his water, wiping away the condensation formed on the plastic.
I replayed his words.WouldDad have given him such an ultimatum when he’d found out about our night together?
Yes.Dad might’ve been unscrupulous when it came to doctoring numbers, but when it came to Lana and me, he did try to protect us in his own way. And finding out the kid he’d invited to live in his home had just screwed his daughter would’ve been the ultimate insult.
Anger flared hot in my chest. He’d said Paxton had gotten an offer he couldn’t refuse. He and Mom had drilled home the idea that Paxton had no loyalty other than to himself, and I’d gobbled it up like a hungry kid presented with a buffet.
Mom had seemed delighted in my misery at Paxton’s absence. At least for the first week or so, until I decided to stand up for myself.
“So, either way you chose, Dad made sure you’d never live with us again.” I uncapped the water and swallowed the salty, buttery popcorn taste from my mouth.
“Yeah.” Paxton shrugged. “He said if I had any contact with you then the deal would be off, that he’d make sure I’d never be involved in the music scene. But if I was a good little boy, then he’d throw in a stipend and have Jay’s dad pull some strings once I was ready.”
“That asshole.” A tear fell from Lana’s eye and she swiped it away. “I’m so glad we got away from them, Terri.”
“Why didn’t you answer one of my texts, though? You could’ve bought a throw-away phone and told me what was going on. You know I’d have never told anyone.” It was hard to speak through the tight ball of pain rising in my throat.
“I wanted to, but when I didn’t hear from you for days, I figured he lied to you. And honestly, I thought maybe it was for the best.” His stare roved ahead, following the broom-pushing clown who steadily worked his way closer. “You didn’t need me weighing you down. In a way, your father was right. I didn’t deserve you.”
All the anger and hurt I’d stuffed down burned away. Paxton had been faced with an impossible choice. Either defy my father and still lose everything, including the safety and security of a home, or take what was offered and use it to better himself.
How can anyone blame him?Any sixteen-year-old in his position at the time would’ve seen the logic in his choice.
The real culprit is my father.Tomorrow, I’d make sure to pay my parents a visit. The youth outreach program Dad started had fallen apart a couple of years after Paxton had left, right after I’d moved away to college. Dad had been forced to resign by his company and to pay back the millions he’d swindled. The corporation had wanted to keep everything on the down-low and avoid more public scrutiny, yet they’d been prepared to bring him to trial if he pushed them.
Like a slinking coward, he’d resigned his position and eventually moved to a smaller company with an even smaller paycheck working as a staff accountant.
Petty or not, it tickled me to see Mom having to accept moving to a downgraded house without her servants and extravagant means. My parent's marriage had been on shaky ground for the past few years, and maybe I should’ve had more compassion, but in my eyes, they reaped what they’d sown—chaos, greed, and unhappiness.
Karma’s only a bitch if you are.
Paxton’s brow furrowed as he watched my face, bringing me back to the present to mull over something he’d said. “Ididtext you, Paxton. At least a hundred times, maybe more, but you never answered. Not one time.” I tried to keep the hurt from my tone, but my voice still shook.
“You did?” He glanced down and began rubbing his palms over his thighs, back and forth, back and forth, the movement hypnotic and oddly comforting. “I never received them.”
“Dad must’ve had our numbers blocked.” That sick fury at my father and his pitiless actions twisted my gut.
“Well, guess we can’t be mad at you, then, Pax.” Lana smiled, the gesture relaxing her face into a mischievousness that meant she was up to something. “And I think Terri should give you another chance. Did you know she even bought a copy of—”
“I need your help, Miss,” said a deep voice at the same time a red paper poppy appeared in my face. “Can you help me find—”
Startled, I struck out with my forearm, slamming the flower—along with its ridiculous clown owner—backwards to fall on his ass in the ring.
The crowd roared with laughter.
Through the white face paint and garish crimson smile, though, the man’s eyes flashed angrily.
“You creepy motherfucker.” I straightened my shirt. “Don’t be getting up into people’s faces, especially dressed like that.” Maybe I should’ve felt bad, but I couldn’t help the fear and loathing clowns evoked in me.
“Got a problem with clowns?” Paxton teased, his stormy ocean eyes alight with laughter.
“Oh yeah she does.” Crunching on her popcorn, Lana pointed in my direction. “One time, when we were at a restaurant, a clown came in to help celebrate a kid’s birthday, and she nearly pissed her pants when the lady came over to give her a red balloon.”
“I just don’t like people who hide behind fake smiles. Besides, you’ve seenIt. You know clowns are just a bunch of psycho aliens hiding behind grotesque costumes and cringeworthy face paint.”
Lana snickered, then shared a conspiratorial wink with Paxton.
