“They don’t know,” I replied. “Someone comes, I’m sure they’ll tell us to get the fuck outta here.”
There were charred trees for as far as the eye could see, but only on the back and left sides of the house. The excavator, parked near the woods on the right side of the house, was completely untouched. It was almost as if the fire had turned a corner, and right at the corner had stood my grandparents’ home.
Bad fucking luck.
I looked up just as my parents pulled in behind the rest of the cars and parked.
“My parents are here,” I told Kara.
“Good,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “Your grandparents need them.”
I nodded.
“Oh, Curt’s with them,” she said as my brother climbed out of the back seat.
“Fantastic,” I muttered as she tensed. “He’ll keep his distance,” I assured her.
I said it, but I wasn’t sure that he would. In Curt’s mind, we’d probably settled the issue and now things would go back to the way they’d always been.
Except, I reminded myself, things weren’t the way they’d always been. They hadn’t been since I’d gone inside—I’d just been too stupid and too wrapped up in my own shit to realize it.
“Goddamn it, Draco,” my mom said as she reached us. She lifted a hand to brush it against my face. “It wasn’t the fucking time.”
“No, it was years too late,” I replied through my teeth.
Mom jerked in surprise.
“Keep him away from me.”
“Grow the fuck up,” she snapped. “Today clearly isn’t about you.”
“Draco,” Kara said softly, putting her hand softly on the small of my back. I looked down at her and nodded, keeping my mouth shut as my mom turned and walked away.
“Come by the house later,” my dad said as he passed us.
“I might have shit goin’ on tonight,” I replied.
“It wasn’t a question,” he said, not looking back.
I didn’t realize that Curtis was walking up more slowly until he was directly behind us.
“Oh good,” he said with a chuckle. “All it took was a little fight in her honor and she let you back…in.”
I told myself I’d heard him wrong as I slowly turned to face him.
Chapter 9
Kara
“Don’t fucking do it,” I snapped, holding the back of Draco’s shirt in a death grip. “Not right now.”
Curtis laughed humorlessly as he moved around us, walking toward the house.
My stomach churned with anxiety and my skin felt hot as Draco watched his twin join the crowd of people standing closer to what used to be the house. Curtis’s words had stung. No, that didn’t even describe it. They burned all the way down to the bone.
They affected me so much, in fact, that I felt naked. I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands, so I dropped them down at my sides. Draco’s presence loomed huge beside me and all I wanted to do was escape. Just for a minute. Just to get my shit together.
I searched for my parents in the crowd and let out a small breath of relief that they weren’t anywhere near where Curtis had gone.
“I’m going to go talk to my parents,” I said to Draco. Even I could tell that something in my voice was all wrong.
“Kara—”
“Just stay away from him,” I said, cutting Draco off. “Don’t let him goad you.”
“I think I can control myself,” Draco replied tightly.
“Good,” I said, only realizing after I’d replied that he was being sarcastic.
I walked away quickly, scanning the yard for Charlie. She was standing with her arm around her mom’s shoulders while they stared of what was left of their house.
I didn’t want to leave her behind, but I wasn’t sure I could stay, either. I had to get out of there.
“What’s wrong?” Rose asked the second I’d reached her side, our earlier argument already forgotten. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, waving off her concern. “Are you guys going to stay long?”
“I’m not sure anyone’s plannin’ on stickin’ around,” my dad replied. “Why?”
“I’m just ready to go,” I answered with a shrug. My palms were sweating.
“Thought you rode with—” my dad stopped talking when Rose shook her head at him.
“I’m ready,” Rose said. “Let me say goodbye to Lil, though.”
I nodded as my dad dropped his arm over my shoulders.
“I need to kill him?” he asked, leaning down to whisper in my ear.
I couldn’t help the small laugh that spilled from my lips. “No.”
“Alright,” he said with a sigh, straightening up. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
“You gonna tell me what’s goin’ on?”
“Nothing,” I replied stubbornly. “This is just depressing.”
“Did you think it would be a party?” he asked in disbelief.
“No, I just—I don’t know what I thought.”
“It is pretty shockin’ to look at,” he said with a sigh, leading me over to where Lily and Rose stood talking to Charlie and Farrah. “Even if you know it’s gone, it’s still hard to see the wreckage.”