Griffin’s head hangs. “She was. But not anymore.”
He’s so bummed I’m staying, like I’ve ruined his break. I can hear it in his voice, that horrible feeling—the one where you were so looking forward to something, like you were about to bust out of your skin because you were so happy, only to have it snatched away. That’s how I felt when I thought I wouldn’t be here for the break.
And that’s how he sounds after hearing I will be here.
What is happening?
Griffin starts to turn, and I duck around the corner. Why am I hiding? I should be storming in there, demanding answers. But I’m frozen. I count to five and then slowly look back into the kitchen.
“She’ll be here any minute,” he says, but stays rooted in his spot.
Parker pops open one of the beers and hands it to Griffin. Griffin takes a long drink.
“So what’s the problem?” Parker asks. Obviously he can hear the disappointment, too.
Griffin shrugs. “This is going to make me sound like an asshole, but I was kind of glad she was going to be gone. You know, like a trial run of what it would be like if we broke up.”
My heart is pounding.
“Do you want to break up with her?” Parker asks, then takes another swig of his beer.
Griffin shrugs again. My desire to scream is almost overwhelming.
“I think so.”
I gasp. Parker and Griffin both turn toward the door. Parker’s eyes get big, and he looks from me to Griffin and back to me.
There’s a split second where Griffin tries to figure out if I heard what was said. But the expression on my face makes it obvious that I did.
I stumble back, hitting the wall before fleeing.
I have to get out of here. I can’t look at him. I can’t be here.
“Sophie!” Griffin follows behind me, but I duck and dodge my way toward the door. I’m afraid I won’t make it outside before the tears start to fall. Then Addie sees my face and barrels through the people dancing, pulling me out of the pool house.
“What happened?” she asks once we’re on the other side of the pool.
I crumple to the ground and tell her everything.
“That asshole,” Addie says. She turns, like she’s going to hunt him down.
“Please help me get out of here,” I plead.
She moves back toward me. “Of course. Let’s go.”
Addie helps me off the ground and we pick our way through the landscaping. Tears are streaming down my face now, and I don’t even try to stop them.
My heart is crushed.
More than crushed.
Pulverized.
He wants to break up with me.
“I can’t believe him,” Addie mutters under her breath. “He’sgoing to break up withyou? Whatever. He’s lucky to have you!”
I don’t have the words to answer her. Not sure if I ever will.
