He plops me down in a chair and grabs another cold can of lemonade from the cooler. “I don’t want lemonade. My hand hurts too bad,” I explain to him, a very logical answer.
He shoves the can into my hand. “How about you just hold this for me for a while?”
I slump into the seat a little bit. “Okay, for you.”
He nods with encouragement. “Does that help?”
“A little bit,” I admit.
“We can bandage your hand up with some ointment in a little bit.”
I just shake my head silently. “I’m sorry, Andrew.”
“It’s okay! What are you apologizing for?”
My eyes get watery. “For everything. For not being better about telling Rebecca no when she got out the alcohol, for making you mad at Rebecca and me, and for hurting myself and making you have to takecare of me now.”
“You don’t need to apologize!” He reaches out and rubs my shoulder, comforting me.
“Yes, I do. I feel so bad that I’m making myself sick,” I tell him as my stomach turns.
I feel so nauseous.I need him to forgive me, and I’ll feel better.
“Hey—” My sour stomach flops completely.
I leap up, dropping the lemonade can on the ground as I run to the edge of our campsite and crouch down to release the demons battling inside of me.
I hear footsteps and Andrew comes closer. I’m shaking and my brain is foggy, but I still know I don’t want Andrew to see me like this. “No! Please don’t look at me.”
I feel his warm palm rub my back as I hurl again. Drinking wassucha bad idea.
When I’m done, I step back and then sit in the dirt, tears streaming down my cheeks. I feel sweaty and weak, but at least my stomach is starting to ease.
Andrew scoops me up with one arm supporting my lower back, the other behind my knees. “I think it’s time for bed. What do you think?”
I nuzzle my head into his solid chest in affirmation. He carries me to my tent and sets me down on top of my sleeping bag but pulls a blanket over me.
To my left, Rebecca is already passed out. Andrew begins to retreat from the tent. “Andrew, are you going to leave me here alone?” I look up at him with wide and scared eyes.
“I’m not leaving you alone. Rebecca is right there,” he says lightly.
“She’s sleeping deeper than the dead,” I retort, giving her a poke to show him she isn’t even stirring.
He deflates as he holds my gaze. “I can’t just leave Angie alone in our tent.”
I pout a little. “It’s okay. I get it.”
He peers out of the tent and then back at me with aconflicted look on his face. “How about I lay with you until you fall asleep?”
I nod with a sleepy smile, satisfied with that solution.
I curl up under the blanket, warm and content knowing Andrew is right there to ensure nothing bad will happen to me. Sleep finds me quickly.
CHAPTER 18
Summer 19
Andrew is supposed to pick me up in half an hour for our date. I’ve already pinned my curls back into a half up-half down style that keeps my hair out of my face, and I’ve applied a light coat of mascara and a gold eyeshadow Rebecca bought me two years ago that I haven’t used till now. She told me it would bring out the green in my eyes, but I never had an occasion for it. It turns out she was right. I hope Andrew doesn’t think it’s over the top. I never wear anything more than mascara.
