How can he do this tome?
Jason scoffs. “I’ll freeze every single account you use under my name. Until you get rid of him, you can forget about asking me for help. Good luck paying your bills, your tuition, the rent of the apartment and of course managing your car. Everything I’m paying for will now be underyourresponsibility.”
Readjusting his tie without an ounce of sympathy for the hope and trust he just shattered, he crosses his arms over his chest more seriously than ever.
I can’t believe it. That’s disgusting and yet he has no scruples being this selfish. All because of a kid? No, it’s not Visha’s fault if Jason’s a bastard.
“How could you? You let me believe that you understood just so you can dothis?”
“I thought you knew me better than that, my dear,” he snarls. “You thought you could waltz in like a flower and manipulate me into letting you off easy? For whom do you take me?”
My heart hammers in my ears and for a second my vision goes dark. “I- I don’t understand. You’re lying to me. This is just a sick joke, isn’t it? You wouldn’t do this. Not to me.”
He merely watches me heave but doesn’t bother arguing.
“Tell me this isn’t true!” I yell, clutching my chest. “Say it!”
His jaw flexes and he picks up a pen off the ground but not a word leaves his mouth. Nothing. No. No, this can’t be. I knew he was cruel, but this is too much.
“Fine. I’ll survive without you.” I spin around and slam the door behind me.
I’m too stunned to think straight. I feel so fucking stupid and humiliated but mostlyhurt. A swamp of nausea bubbles in my stomach, threatening to soil the ground.
I reach my car and drive back home. Visha’s still sound asleep when I arrive but all I can think about are my eyes stinging and the familiar pressure buzzing behind them, begging me to let it all out. How could he be so cruel? How could he do this to me?
No, it’smyfault. How could I be so freaking dumb? I should’ve known this would happen. Jason begrudges anyone, I just didn’t think he’d treat me like he does others. How foolish of me to believe I’m different. I’m not special in his eyes. His kisses meant nothing.
Nothing.
I’m nothing.
23
Visha
When I wake up, the space next to me is empty. I blink away the morning haze and check the time on the small digital clock sitting on the nightstand.
Aoi hasn’t slept in his bedagain.
During the entire morning as we get ready to go face the Keytons, Aoi’s like a shell of himself. He doesn’t answer most of the time when I call his name, nor does he pay attention to anything he does.
Did I make him uncomfortable with my story to the point that now he doesn’t want to be near me after all? Does he regret wanting to help me? Seeing him being so out of it puts me on edge. I can’t even ask him what’s up because what if he admits not wanting to go through with his plan?
We spend the drive to the suburban house of the Keytons back in Redmond in complete silence. Aoi hasn’t said a word since we climbed in and typed the address in the GPS. The longer we stay engulfed in silence, the more I’m convinced that he’s mad at me for some reason.
I can’t stand it anymore.
“Are you mad at me?”
The question comes out in a whisper, but Aoi’s head whips toward me, his features contorting in perplexity.
He blinks, confused, and goes back to watching the road. “No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
Why would I think that? He basically ignored me the entire morning. He’s constantly lost in thought and frowning. It amazes me how he didn’t spill his coffee earlier after seeing how he was more focused on whatever was happening in his mind than his scorching mug on the table.
“You haven’t spoken to me all morning and you’ve been acting weird.” My fingers fidget in my lap but abruptly stop when his hand carefully grasps mine and gives it a gentle squeeze.
“I’m sorry if that’s how I made you feel. I can assure you that I’m not mad at you. You didn’t do anything for me to be mad anyway.” Noticing that I’m not convinced he continues. “Don’t be scared to tell me if I behave in a way that upsets you. You have every right to call me out on my actions, Visha.”
