Heather followed me into the house after Chance left, and she immediately accepted Mom’s invitation to stay for breakfast.
“Goodbye, girls. Zara, please take it easy today. Rest is the best medicine.”
“Don’t worry, Kelly.” Heather reassures her. “I can look after Zara. My mom is making her chicken soup from scratch. And I’ll make sure she gets some rest.”
Mom nods. “Wonderful. Scott is going to be back soon from Sacramento, and we have a string of meetings at town hall; but I’ll keep my phone on me. If Zara feels worse, call me.”
Mom’s idea that rest is the best medicine is a winning one. Even though I slept soundly all night, I still feel exhausted.
“I think I’m going to do as I was told and spend the rest of the day in bed. I’ll text you later or tomorrow, Heather.”
But my new best friend doesn’t look intentioned to leave. “I was hoping we could hang out. That’s why I came to bring you medicine. I was gonna look after you and spend today together. Unless you’re mad at me and you don’t want me here.”
“I’m just really tired. If you don’t mind that I lay down, you can stay.” I say, starting up the stairs. “Why would I be mad at you, anyway?”
Heather doesn’t answer my question until we close my bedroom door behind us.
“Because of the thing with Chance?”
That’s why I was hoping she’d go home. I would rather not discuss this right now. But I know if I refuse to talk about it, Heather is going to take it as confirmation that I’m mad at her.
“I’m not mad at you.” I sigh, flopping down onto the bed and patting the spot next to me. “Why would I be?”
“Because I slept with your boyfriend?”
I cover my face with my pillow for a long moment, lifting it away from my mouth before I finally speak so that my voice isn’t muffled. But I keep my eyes covered with the pillow. “Chance and I weren’t together then. I was at boarding school in Connecticut, and Chance and I had just kissed at the bonfire the night before…” I don’t finish the sentence. Before Atlas’s death. “Those kisses didn’t mean anything; we barely knew each other. We hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers. If our parents hadn’t met and fallen in love, we might never have seen each other again. So, being mad at you would be very unfair.” I slide the pillow off my face and hug it to my chest for comfort.
Being mad at Chance would also be unfair because I was keeping secrets too. I never told him that I was JJ Smith. I lied about racing against them in the past few weeks. I didn’t do it with the intention of hurting him, and he and Lev did the same with me.
Sometimes we have to keep secrets to protect the people we love, but life would be so much easier if everything could always be out in the open.
I would be lying if I said that a part of me isn’t unhappy about the fact that Chance slept with Heather. But I meant what I said to her. I have no right to be upset with Chance. And while he could have told me, I understand why he didn’t.
Heather has been looking at me, searching my expression for any signs that I might be lying about being mad at her.
She must find what she’s looking for at last.
The tension in her shoulders eases partially. “Thank you, Zara. It means a lot to me that you understand. And I’m not mad at you for not telling me about you and Chance. I understand that you wanted to be sure that it wasn’t just a fling first.”
“I’m happy you understand, Heather. And thank you for not judging me for being with Lev too.” I’m surprised at how relievedI really am. In the weeks since Mom and I moved to Star Cove, Heather has become one of my best friends.
“Oh, I would never judge you. If anything, that’s a boss bitch move, and I’m proud of you.”
Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, though. She looks angry despite her reassurance that she isn’t.
Maybe I should leave this alone, but I can’t help it. My dad has always told me that my obsession with fixing every problem and making everyone happy is going to be my downfall one day.
I think he’s probably right, but I can’t fight it; it’s in my nature. The words tumble out of my mouth despite the feeling in my gut telling me that I should leave sleeping dogs lie.
“Are you sure? You look upset.”
“That’s because I am,” she says. “But I’m not mad at you, Zara. I’m mad at Chance.”
There’s a distinct possibility that I’m gonna regret my next question, but I can’t ignore what she just said.
“Why?”
“He knew I felt vulnerable and lonely when I asked him to kiss me at a post game party. When he rejected me, he said that he saw me as a sister. I asked him specifically if it was because he liked you, and he lied to me.”
