Pieces of Summer

No one ever acts like they want to go to my house, but Mika never cares to. We laugh and talk and devour the cones before they melt. It takes a while to walk all the way there, but when we reach the steps, I release her hand.

“Wait out here,” I tell her.

“Nope. Sorry. Not getting rid of me that easily.”

Groaning, I turn and lead the way in, stepping over the laundry that is scattered right in front of the doorway. Unfortunately, Mom forgot to put up the sign, and we walk in on her sucking off the judge.

He doesn’t notice, and my stomach roils at the sight as I start to step back out. Mika doesn’t even react before following me outside, and she wraps her arm around my waist.

“Movie tonight? I was thinking we should watch something with some violence for a change. No chick flicks,” she says as though we didn’t just see my mother giving the judge his weekly freebie to keep her out of jail for prostitution.

“You don’t have to act like you didn’t just get sick. Even I’m sick. How the hell can you—”

“If I gave a damn about what your mother does, I wouldn’t be the girl for you, Chase. I’m not going to let a gross blowjob ruin our time. She really should remember to put the sign up though. That man’s ass was too hairy to be natural, and I can’t un-see that.”

She shudders, but she’s laughing.

Despite the fact I should still be on the verge of vomiting, I pick her up and crush my lips to hers, clinging to her. She wraps her arms around my neck, holding me close and kissing me back.

“Thank you,” I finally say.

“For what?” she muses, kissing a line down my cheek.

“For not giving a damn about where I come from.”

She wraps her legs around my waist as we stand in the middle of the dirt road, and she studies my eyes.

“I only care about you, Chase. Fuck the rest. You’re no

t them.”

“And you’re sure about coming here and dealing with this in two years when we’re both eighteen? I don’t want you to regret that decision.”

She smiles at me as though the world around us is getting brighter instead of darker.

“I can’t wait. And I’m not giving up anything to feel regret over. I get you. There’s nothing better out there for me.”

Getting into the psych ward is fucking impossible unless you’re a family member, and I’m going crazy in the waiting room. Aidan had to leave to get Dr. Stein from the airport three hours ago. She flew in just for Mika… To help her get out of this place.

Mika has been here since yesterday, and I can’t get in to see her even during ‘visiting’ hours—that ended two hours ago. The next visiting hours won’t be for another hour. Not that it matters for me. I’m stuck out here.

“You look like hell.” Whit’s voice has me turning away from the waiting room window, and I cock my head to the side.

“The hell are you doing here?”

“Hello to you too, asshole. I’m here for Mika.”

“How did you find out?”

She shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “Hunter called and said she wanted to see me. I assume she’s worried about this leaking to us.” Real concern is in her voice, and she looks like she’s as tired as I feel as she takes a seat. “I never knew anything like this was going on with her, and I feel like absolute shit for being so nosy and trying to pry. I… I… I don’t even know what to say. How’s she doing?”

Mika asked for her? She hasn’t asked for me. Fucking bullshit. She doesn’t want to see me because she doesn’t want me to know.

I drop to a chair and blow out a breath. “Fuck if I know. I can’t get back there.”

Hunter walks in, eyeing Whit on his way by, and he turns his attention to me. “You can get back there. Just paid a big chunk to a woman willing to risk her job. I think it’s best if you see Mika, despite what she thinks.”

“She doesn’t want to see me?”