“Actually, I booked us tickets to Italy,” Amber answers, though there’s no real excitement to it.
“You’ve always wanted to go there.” My smile doesn’t quite reach my eyes. I hate seeing her like this, especially on a day that’s meant to be special.
“I know. I’ve been saving up since Eddie asked me to marry him. Then I just booked us a full week there. It’s going to be amazing! I plan on visiting Tuscany and seeing my favorite sculpture, theApennine Colossus,in person.”
Amber’s mother’s head shoots up, voice slightly trembling. “That’s your dad’s favorite sculpture.”
“I know,” Amber whispers. “That’s why I want to go.”
Her mother quickly wipes away her tears, doing her best to stay strong even though she’s emotionally losing it.
This isn’t good at all.
“Eddie’s not gonna like that shit,” Pippa interjects. “He’s going to only want to eat Italian food and stay in to watchsoccer or something. He’s going to be a fucking drag the whole time.”
“Do you always have to talk shit about Eddie? You used to be friends,” Amber snaps, unaware of just how close Pippa and Eddie really are. This would be a perfect time for Pippa to say something, but of course, my sister doesn’t.
“Used to be. Once he started dating you, he wasn’t interested in beingfriendsanymore.” Pippa uses some pretty cynical air quotes and looks to Devony and Katie Lyn for support. They both roll their eyes… typical mean girl behavior.
“Well, I’m sorry he pushed you away, Pippa. That wasn’t my intention. I’ve always been supportive of your friendship.”
“Speaking of which. I overheard you having a heated conversation with him the other night. What was that all about?” Pippa prods, trying to get under her skin even more.
“He admitted to fucking another girl the night we broke up.”
“Did he? Did he say who it was?” Pippa pretends to act innocent, but I see through her. Amber somehow doesn’t.
“I didn’t care. We were broken up.”
Now it’s Pippa rolling her eyes.
“Why are you asking?”
Just tell her, Pippa! Goddamn it, she deserves it.
“Oh, I just wondered if it was Jinafer again? That’s all.”
Amber looks at the clay sticking to her. “I don’t think he’s that stupid.” There’s an uncertainty and uneasiness in her tone, but it’s obvious that she’s not picking up on anything, so I do the only thing I can… lie.
“He’s pretty fucking dumb. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“He’s an asshole, Amber. I’m just sad you can’t see it yet,” Pippa adds, her smile spreading condescendingly, her tone a bit too cruel.
The girl who has been shuttling us around this place suddenly appears. “Time’s up. Please make your way to the eucalyptus showers.” I was so busy worrying about Amber’s mom and the two bitches being here, I never caught her name. Not that it matters, all the women in this place look like they came straight out of a sci-fi magazine. Same hair color and style, same height, weight, and eye color. It’s unnerving.
We do our best to get out of the mud, but it’s sticking everywhere.
“Rawr, I’m a clay monster,” Mallory says with a giggle.
“Gross, why don’t you two grow up?” Devony says in disgust.
Unfazed, Mallory pretends to chase after her. “Rawr, bitch. Rawr!”
“Come on, Katie Lyn, let’s go.”
Finally, the bitches leave, only leaving the five of us to enter the eucalyptus showers. Once under the spray, my mind starts to wander, dwelling on my conversation with Wesley at the jail. I still don’t understand how he knows about my little addiction.
Am I that bad at hiding it?
