“You know this, how?” I grumbled.
“Don’t be a dick. We’ve passed coming out of our buildings. Plus, I figured you’d want to know in the end. Jeez!”
I winced. “Sorry. Go back to sleep.”
“I can’t. I’m supposed to be ready to go when your parents swing by to pick me up.” He hung up.
Turning, Mom stood behind me. “Your father went for the car. He’s going to pick us up outside.” She slipped her arm through mine. “Do you want to go and stop by her place? We need to pick Jaxon up too before heading home.”
“She lives across the square from the apartment.” Absentmindedly, I let Mom lead me from the airport, wondering what was going on with Jenna.
I hadn’t heard from her for just over a day, but I hadn’t worried because of the time difference and then my flight. My gut told me I should have been worried. I also had a sinking feeling it had something to do with Tracy.
Groaning, I climbed into the back seat of Dad’s SUV and tried calling Jenna again. Each time, it went to voicemail.
“No luck, huh?” Dad asked, watching me through the rearview mirror.
“Oh honey,” Mom turned and patted my knee, “I’m sure she’s okay.” Smiling, she added, “Can you message Jaxon and let him know we’re close?”
“Yeah.”
Jaxon ignored my message. “You guys go up to Jaxon. I’m going to go and find Jenna. I can’t leave until I know she’s okay.”
“Are you sure everything is okay between the two of you?” Dad asked, turning the engine off.
“Jenna is Isaac’s niece. Turned out we go to the same school.” I glared at Dad. “I don’t suppose you knew that already?”
“News to me.” He grinned.
“You planned it.” I rolled my eyes and Mom laughed. “It worked out well, which is why I don’t know why she didn’t meet me.” I had a thought. “Perhaps she got scared of meeting you both.”
“Now Dylan, don’t be using those kinds of excuses. We’re not scary.” Mom patted my knee. “Go find her, honey.”
I swallowed hard suddenly hit with nerves. “Wait for me,” I shouted over my shoulder already dashing across the square.
The air was icy as I gasped, slipping and sliding my way toward the girl I’d fallen for. What had happened between then and now, I didn’t know, but I was determined to find out. My only hope was that she was actually okay.
Skidding to a stop on Jenna’s floor, the unmistakable sound of Tracy’s voice floated down the hallway, although I couldn’t see her. Tracy was obviously being a bitch to Jenna, and it suddenly clicked why Jenna hadn’t been at the airport or answered her phone. If I wasn’t partly responsible for Tracy’s actions, I would be annoyed with Jenna for not believing in me. However, I was annoyed at the girl and myself. I should have known better but hadn’t wanted to be horrid, so I’d responded to her messages. Little had I known she’d use them to upset the girl I was in love with.
“I’m going to call him if you don’t believe me,” Tracy snarled.
I quickly retrieved my phone and hit the silence button on the side, and as soon as her call appeared, I cancelled it. What would the horrid girl do now?
To my amusement she started talking, clearly a one-sided conversation with me. I chanced a glance around the corner so I could see what was going on and Tracy and two of her friends had their backs toward me. Jenna didn’t.
Taking a chance, I slipped toward the opened doorway and held my finger over my lips to indicate for Jenna not to give me away. Although with her reaction, I thought the girls would turn but they didn’t. Instead, Jenna looked back at Tracy and carried on listening to her chatting away—to herself`!
When Tracy said, “So you’re already in Lexington, huh? Well, I hope you have a good New Year’s party with your family. I know, you can’t wait to get back but you really need to spend it with your family. I love you too. Kisses baby. Bye for now, Dylan,” I decided to step into view.
Tracy was left with her phone hanging from her hand while her cheeks blushed a bright shade of red. Her two friends looked between her, me and Jenna, and then back to their friend.
“As you can see, she wasn’t talking to me.” I shrugged before I pulled my phone out from my back pocket. I stepped beside Jenna. “She did call me, but I canceled the call and blocked her number.”
“You still messaged me from Ireland,” Tracy insisted, her lips pressed into a stubborn scowl.
“Yes, I did. To be polite. And if you thought I would tell you about the girl who has my heart before I’d told my family, then you don’t know me at all. Oh, and you might want to avoid Jaxon for a while because he’s annoyed that you got the photograph of the village from his phone.”
I placed an arm around Jenna and ushered her away from the door before I slammed it in their faces. “She’s the reason you weren’t at the airport?”