I rolled my eyes. “Says the woman who’s still living with Mom and Dad because they continue to foot her lifestyle with their own wallets.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault that being around people makes me anxious.”
I scoffed. “You weren’t anxious in high school when you were breaking hearts left and right. You’re anxious about adulthood because you don’t have the grades to go to college. Not my problem.”
“What the hell did I do to you recently?”
I peeked over at her. “Nothing. I just came home to get away from the stress, and all I get the second I walk through the door is more stress. I would’ve been better off on a beach somewhere.”
She blinked. “In a bathing suit?”
My face reddened with anger. “You got something you want to say?”
She shrugged as if none of this mattered to her. “If someone hasn’t already told you, pride and determination aren’t always good attributes.”
I furrowed my brow. “What did you say?”
She faced the road and crossed her leg over her knee. “I said, your pride and determination aren’t always a good thing, especially when you’re sitting on the wrong side of the fence.”
My sister had never been one to give advice, and it shocked me that she was so willing to do it now. Even with her cold demeanor and her empty eyes, I heard the sincerity of her words.
Maybe people do grow up.“Thanks for that.”
Maggie peeked over at me. “Whatever. Just the truth.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “Since we’re exchanging advice, then, allow me to bestow some wisdom of my own.”
She stood. “And that’s my cue to go inside.”
But, I grabbed her wrist and held her steady. “Do you remember Joseph Ryker? From high school?”
She scoffed. “How can I forget him? He was a terror.”
“Well, I don’t know what the hell you did to him, but just so you know? My life in California—my job? It would be a lot different had you not tortured the poor boy.”
She wrinkled her nose. “What the fuck are you talking about? Let me go.”
I released her wrist. “What did you do to him, Maggie?”
She charged for the front door. “None of your damn business.”
“What did you do to JoJo!?”
She paused and slowly looked over at me as her hand held the doorknob. “That particular situation isn’t as clear cut as JoJo would have everyone believe. And now, I’m a little curious as to why you fucking care so much. Does he live in L.A. or something?”
I sat back down in my chair. “Or something.”
I felt her eyes burrowing holes into the profile of my face. “Whatever. Quit being an asshole. You’re the one that came home. No one asked you to be here.”
And with her stinging words, she walked back inside, slamming the door behind her in the process.
“Nice to see you, too,” I whispered.
But now, I was more confused than ever before. Was there something JoJo wasn’t telling me? Did he do something to my sister? Because if he did, I’d kill them both. The fact that no one around me seemed capable of growing up made me sick, and for a split second I wondered what it might be like to hightail it to another country like my family had mockingly suggested. However, I wasn’t one to walk away from my problems. Unless I was absolutely certain that I couldn’t fix anything.
Like my family, for instance.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I don’t love them. They’re my family. They raised me to be the hardworking woman that I had become. But, no one was without their faults, and my family had glaring faults. Maggie was cold and hard-hearted. Dad had a temper no one wanted to fuck around with. And Mom? Well, she sort of had her head stuck in the clouds while her eyes kept tabs on my weight, of all things.
