“Hey.”
“I’m okay.” He blinks, then looks at me, swallowing hard. “I need a moment.”
He pushes up to stand, but I follow behind him. “Hey, I’m right here, remember? I’m not going anywhere. I’m here, Daniel.”
“I need a moment, Josefine. So please, not right now.” He picks up the pace and walks back inside, leaving me outside.
51
DANIEL: MARCH 31st
“What happened? Why are you—”
“Is that for me?” I glance at the cup in Gray’s hand.
“Yeah.” Dubiously, he hands it to me, eyeing me like he can feel the dread I’m absorbed in, see the black cloud above my head. “Why are you wet? What happened?”
Shards of glass stab every inch of me, puncturing my skin, taking hold of everything inside me and slicing right through. Everything inside me hurts, the agonizing screaming voice in my head only growing louder.
“Nothing.” My heart violently hammers and a voice screams in my head, begging me to hide, to run, but I stay put and chug the entire thing in one go.
“Damn, hold up. There’s tequila in there. A lot of it.” He gawks at me dumbfoundedly.
I shrug, indifferent, and toss the empty cup into the table and take the other from his hand, chugging that one too.
The alcohol settles hard and fast enough in my body, it somewhat ebbs the vicious need to hide. It dulls the pain and brings my heart to a steady beat.
“Thanks. You should make more.” I plaster on a smile just as I hear the back door opening and closing.
“I thought you were only drinking one tonight?” Gray asks, studying the empty cup in my hand.
“It’s a good thing we don’t have a game tomorrow,” I reply, picking up the other cup from the table and strolling out of the kitchen into the living room.
“Danny!” I hear Angel shout over the loud music, but I keep walking, taking sips of my drink as I make my way upstairs. “Hold up.”
“Hey, what’s up?” I inattentively ask, scowling at how my feet feel in my wet socks and shoes.
“What’s up?” He sounds incredulous. “What’s wrong?”
“Can I borrow some clothes?” I disregard his question, asking my own, and take another drink.
“Daniel, hey, look at me.” He grabs my arm once we’re at the top of the stairs and spins me around. He searches and studies me, worry washing over his face, making me only lift my lips higher and drink some more. “What the hell was that?”
“What? Bryson pushed me in the pool. It’s nothing. Can I borrow some clothes?”
He looks taken aback. “What about Josie? You left her outside.”
My smile almost crumbles. I never wanted anyone to see me that way, especially her of all people. I won’t let it happen again. I just need to change out of my clothes and drink. Drink until I can find some semblance of stability before I lose it.
“I told her I needed a moment.” I grind my teeth, remembering her scrutinizing gaze, hating how scared she looked for me. She shouldn’t have witnessed that.
He tips his head back, drawing in a breath. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
“Nothing. Can I get some clothes?”
“Daniel—”
“I’ll just ask Gray.”
