“Did you tell Parker about this?”
“Yeah, I texted him.”
“I told you no fucking texts! What the hell?”
“Yeah, I know. I forgot.”
“This is what I’m talking about! You do shit without thinking!” I’m pacing the floor, getting more anxious by the second. “What else have you put in texts?”
“Nothing. And I didn’t give anything away in the text. I just said my dad took the Range Rover in.”
“Did Parker text back?”
“Yeah, he told me to call you. So what do I do? Should I let them drop it off?”
“Give me some time to think about it. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“You going to the party tomorrow? The one at Kendra’s house?”
“No. And neither are you. It’s too soon to be doing that. We shouldn’t be around people right now, especially if we’re drinking.”
“I’m not going to stop living because of this shit. It’s senior year. I’m not spending it at home.”
“Finn, I’m not fucking around here. You go to that party I’ll—”
“Go fuck yourself, Briggs. I’m done listening to you.”
He ends the call. I throw my phone against the wall, trying to take a deep breath, but my chest is too tight to even get a shallow one.
“Briggs!” I hear my father yell from outside my door. “What’s going on in there?”
“I dropped something,” I yell back.
I hear his footsteps as he walks back to his room.
I’ve been able to avoid him all week by staying late at the gym, then hiding out in my room, telling him I need to study. This weekend, he’s making me go to the office with him again, but I’m trying to find a way out of it. I need to catch up on homework and I want some time to myself where I can just do nothing. I’m so sick of having every waking moment scheduled with shit to do. I never get any downtime.
Around ten, I’m trying to read through an assignment, but I’m falling asleep. I put my laptop away and get into bed. I check my phone and see a text from Ella.
We have to meet to do our lab assignment. It’s due on Monday.
I want to tell her to just do it herself, but knowing her, she’ll tell the teacher I’m not doing my part.
Tomorrow,I text back.
When?
I don’t know. I’ll tell you tomorrow.
I need to know when. What if I have plans?
You never have plans.I smile as I text it. I love giving her shit. I don’t know why. I just do.
I actually do have plans so I need a time.
What are your plans? You have a date?
Yeah, with a guy who’s nothing like you. Can we meet right after school?
