Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

“Stop what?” I raise my voice.

I notice Dia approaching us from the corner of my eye. Finally. Some backup. I could use her help getting Ash into my car. She’s at my side within seconds.

“Acting like a concerned sister. Just stop it,” Ashley spits, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

“I’m not acting,” I snap. “I’ve done nothing but cover for you these past few weeks. I’m on your side, Ash. I’ve always been on your side.”

“Really?” She scoffs out a bitter laugh.

Then she daggers me in the heart with one question.

“Were you on my side when you were fucking Logan?”

I stumble back a step.

As though part of me wants to run.

And I do.

I’ve always known I’d have to tell her eventually. I just never thought Logan would pull the rug from under me. Ashley stares at Dia in expectation of a reaction. Probably thinks Dia should be disgusted by me, her own best friend, but Dia’s known about me and Logan since the moment it happened. I called her bawling my eyes out afterward.

“Oh my God.” Ashley’s face collapses as it dawns on her. “Everybody knows, don’t they?”

I wince at her betrayed expression. I should apologize, beg her to let me explain, tell her how much I regret it, but a high-pitched voice splits my ears in two before I can try and salvage what’s left of my family.

“Babeees!” Arms are thrown around Dia’s and my necks from behind. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I need a beer pong partner. Who’s down?”

I flip my head back to see a wasted Lacey smiling at us. Her eyes are bloodshot and her breath reeks of liquor. I know what you’re thinking—Weren’t we done with her? I thought so, but she liked one of Dia’s pictures on Instagram a few days back, and apparently that makes them friends again. I don’t answer her, guiding my attention back to my sister.

Problem is, she’s gone.

Damn it, Lacey.

I unlink Lacey’s arm from my neck, exchanging glances with Dia, whose eyes say, “I’ve got this,” and I nod, grateful when she starts making chitchat with the cheer captain. Conveniently, that’s when my phone goes off in my pocket, and I pluck it out, convinced things can’t possibly get any worse.

Until I read the alarm I set for 11:50 p.m.

Meet Zac in 10.

Fuck.

Can’t believe I almost forgot about Xavier with the category four shit hurricane sweeping through my life. My phone pings again, this time, with a text.

Zac: I’m already here.

What do I do? Go meet up with my hotter-than-hell pen pal or chase my sister to the ends of the earth to apologize?

Another text from Xavier pops on my screen.

Zac: I can’t fucking wait for this to be real, L.

His message settles it. I have the rest of my life to make it up to Ashley. Beg until my knees bruise. Pick up the pieces and earn her forgiveness.

But this…

This is now.

I check my phone again.