It’s only day five of my fourteen-day break, and I’m already spiraling. My time was once filled with constant phone calls and texts, endless emails, and running around town, but now, my days are spent in silence and silencing the silence with running bath water or a rom-com that makes me forget how crappy life is.
“Who else was he supposed to call?” Jo plops down by my feet. Medical school doesn’t start for another week, so she delayed her move to Tennessee after hearing I didn’t get Garrett. “Do you have another group of friends your boyfriend was supposed to call when you’ve been horizontal for days?”
I glare at her, not sure if I want to hug her or shove her. “Adri’s supposed to be the sassy one. Not you.”
Jo clicks on a horror film and smirks. “Since when do we have roles?”
“Since forever.” Adri plops onto the rug and starts separating the M&M’s from the raisins in my trail mix. “First up, we have our fearless leader, Cap. Mallory’s our group mom and resident worrywart.”
The neon orange fingernail on Mallory’s middle finger illuminates her path to the kitchen. “I have anxiety, asshole.”
“Potato, potahto,” Adri chirps. “Shay’s our black-cat workaholic with a secret soft side. I’m the hot fashionista who despises raisins.”
“Hotmess,” I grumble. “And stop wasting my trail mix.”
As expected, she ignores me. “And, Jo, you’reusuallythe zen one. Until you get stressed. Then you’re our baking queen.”
Jo shrugs. “Kinda hard to be zen when you’re around.”
Up until right now, my home has been peaceful—and borderline depressing—since I didn’t get the promotion, but with them here, it’s pure chaos. Adri tosses a handful of undesirable raisins at Jo, but most of them hit me in the face.
Instead of stopping them, I hand Jo a pillow so she can retaliate.
“Quit it, you two,” Mallory hisses, entering the living room with four water bottles. “We’re here to comfort our friend. Not fight.”
“Okay, Mommy—I mean Cap.” Adri giggles, ignoring the evil glare Mallory shoots her. She loves to antagonize her.
Sitting up, I snatch the remote from the coffee table and rid the scary doll from the screen. “That’s what I like to hear. So, everyone get comfortable. It’s time to watchBridesmaids.”
Honey eyes shift to me. “Cader Tot told Kenneth you watchedBridesmaidsyesterday.”
My boyfriend is a lousy snitch. And so is hers.
“And? It’s a classic I would watch on repeat if I could. Now come on. I’ve got popcorn and plenty of peach rings for Adri—”
“No,” Mallory says curtly, grabbing her bag. “You’ve been cooped up here for days, Shaylene. And yes, the house looks nice with all the paint and decorations, but you need to get up and move around. Feel the sun on your skin and the wind in your face.”
It takes a lot of effort, but I pull myself upright and gesture comically at my body. Then I walk over to the window and peel open the curtains. And to seal the deal, I twist the fan around to blast me in the face.
“Done and done.” After giving her my best smile, I lie back down on the couch. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Jo winces. “She’s more sarcastic than usual. Is it time for plan B?”
“Plan B?” I ask, but nobody answers me.
“Plan B it is. Take your positions, ladies.” Standing dutifully, Adri listens to our group mom and makes her way to the back of the couch. Mallory takes a seat by my head and Jo sits beside my feet. An ice-cold hand slips beneath my T-shirt and yanks my sports bra strap. “The girls have some support, so let’s get her out like this, Jo. Adri, grab sneakers and a pair of socks from her room.”
“Out?” I watch as Adri sprints to my room. “No! I’m having fun here! Let me watch Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy movies in peace!”
“Hell no. We’re getting you out of here,” Jo says before nodding at Mallory. “Ready. Lift!”
With ease, they lift me off the couch like a sad sack of potatoes. I’m tempted to writhe until they drop me, but hitting the hard floor isn’t ideal. Then I remember I’m still wearing the oversized sweatpants and Pilots T-shirt I stole from Cade. And I smell like I’ve been rotting in it for the last forty-eight hours.
“I can’t go out like this!”
“Well, you can’t stay inside anymore either,” Adri muses. “I’ve got her shoes and child lock is on! We’re good to go.”
Suddenly outside, sunlight hits my face and forearms, setting off a full-on vampire meltdown. I’m pretty sure my skin is sizzling like bacon on a hot grill.
