Chapter 27
Everly
Sitting up, I drape the bottom of Seth’s hoodie around my drawn-up knees. The coldness of the sand is seeping through the butt of my jeans, making me shiver a little.
Seth notices and stands holding his hands out to me. “C’mon. Let’s head back in and see what ‘Nolly’ are up to.” He uses air quotes on the nickname for Noah and Lilly.
I giggle and take his hands, letting him pull me to my feet. “Is that what we’re calling them now?”
Seth drapes his arm over my shoulders as we aim toward the house.
My head is clearer now. The buzz likely dwindling from vomiting. I want to rinse my mouth. I ask Seth to point me toward the bathroom once we’re back inside. The house is quieter now. Music is still playing but it’s background noise. In the bathroom, I find toothpaste in a drawer and use it to rinse the taste of barf and alcohol out of my mouth. I can’t stomach the idea of more alcohol, and my body is mentally and physically exhausted from the shit show of the past twenty-four hours. I wander down the hallway to the masterbedroom, Seth’s, he told me earlier. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I flop back, stretching out sideways, dipping my head over the side and looking upside down at the ceiling. Finally ready to look at my messages, I pull my phone from my back pocket.
Thirteen texts now. All from Julian. He must not have called my sister. Or Allie. For that, I’m grateful. I listen to the voicemail first.
Everly, please answer. It’s not what you think. None of this is what you think. Please.
I open my texts next.
10:36 PM
Julian: I didn’t lie to you. I wouldn’t.
11:02 PM
Julian:Ever, please answer me.
11:38 PM
Julian:Please text me back. Or just come home.
11:45 PM
Julian:I love you.
Julian:Please come home.
10:02 AM
Julian:Lilly said you’re with her.
Julian:Please be safe. Please.
Julian:I swear I didn’t lie to you.
Julian:I love you, Ever.
It’s been over twelve hours with no new texts. Part of me expects him to show up here. Another part of me wonders if he’s withher. He said he didn’t lie. If he didn’t, then he thought she was really dead. I need to hear what he has to say. Or has he given up on explaining? Is he done trying to convince me to talk to him? Will he be waitingfor me at home? Do I even have a home anymore? What we have is real. Right? More real than what he had with Taya? We did rush into everything. I went from my first kiss ever to living with a guy in a matter of months. Who does that? Someone with no life—ready to grab the first one offered to her. That’s who. Am I so delulu that I thought we’d be the real-life fairy tale? The one that defies all odds?Stupid! Naïve! Dumbest smart girl on the planet.
“Hey, boo. You good?” Lilly’s upside-down image appears, her head peeking through the door of Seth’s bedroom.
I roll over, phone in hand and smile. “I don’t even know. I think I need to go home.”
“Okay, but maybe not right now.” She walks over and plops onto the bed and stretches out next to me. “Maybe in the morning?”
I nod and roll back over onto my back, holding my phone over my head, staring at the screen.
She adds, “Did you text him back?”
