“Yeah. You’d be good at that.”
She smiles. “Thanks.”
The school bell rings, and kids start pouring out.
“Do you think your mom will get out of prison and take Zinnia?”
Tiger blinks a few times, searching for her sister in the crowd. Then she looks at me, almost horrified. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Maybe don’t drop out until you know for sure.”
She looks sad as she says, “I found out Damien was getting credit cards under my name and paying for my college tuition that way. I don’t think that I can afford to continue.”
I try to piece that together, and before I can reply, we see Zinnia walk out with a teacher.
Tigerlily jumps out and greets her sister with a hug. The knot in my chest loosens, but I watch Tigerlily closely. She needs her sister, I see that now. Her sister gives her a purpose, a reason to strive for the better, and I hope her mom doesn’t take that awayfrom her. But deep down in my gut, I have a feeling that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
Tigerlily opens the back door and Zinnia climbs in the back seat. “It was such a good day! My teacher––”
Tiger gets in the passenger seat as Zinnia keeps talking about her day. “Seatbelt,” Tiger reminds her.
I have to wait in traffic. Kids are pouring out of the school, and teachers are yelling.
Zinnia leans forward and says, “Can we get Taco Bell?”
I glance at Tiger. She’s smiling.
“Yeah,” I say, pulling out of the pick-up line. “We can get Taco Bell but put your seatbelt on.”
Zinnia chatters the entire drive. About her teacher. About lunch. About the new friends she made.
And I listen to all of it.
Because this is my life now.
Tiger in the passenger seat. Zinnia in the back. Taco Bell drive-thru on a Tuesday afternoon.
Unconventional. Complicated. Messy.
But mine.
All mine.
And I wouldn’t change a damn thing.
Chapter Fifty-One: Zephyr
Practice starts in ten minutes and Rowan’s standing in the locker room doorway.
Nobody has said anything yet. We’re all just staring at him.
He clears his throat and shifts his weight. “Can I talk to you guys?”
Nolan looks at Asher. Asher looks at me. I look at Callum.
Callum shrugs. “What’re you doing here?”
Rowan walks in slowly. Like he’s expecting someone to throw him out. He stops in the middle of the room and looks at each of us.
