Page 106 of Goodbye Note

“Tastes good.” Fox held out his spoon. “Try it.”

Arik stepped forward, opening his mouth.

I growled.

They all turned to look at me. Vallen burst out laughing, and the rest followed, which made Arik spit cereal and milk across the bus.

Val jumped back, wiping his face and still laughing.“You motherfucker.”

I lifted my shirt to wipe my face, holding up a middle finger with my free hand. “Fuck all of you. You are going to be cleaning up little droplets of milk for days. And all of you better help so it doesn’t smell like sour milk in here.”

“Why do I have to help? It’s not my fault!” Arik was still fighting his laugh.

Another growl rumbled in my chest. “Because you took a bite of Fox’s food!”

“That a problem?” Arik asked, and his smug grin told me he fucking knew it was.

“Yes,” I said through my teeth.

“Why?” Fox blinked innocently. “Explain it to me like I’m five.”

My jaw flexed.

They got to work mopping up milk and picking up little bits of cereal from every surface of the bus.

“Your phone is buzzing,” Val pushed it toward me.

I picked it up, expecting it to be spam, but froze when I saw the name flash across the screen.

Piece of Shit Calling

I held it up to my brother. “What the fuck does he want?”

“I haven’t spoken to him.”

I clicked ignore and tossed my phone on the table. “Fuck him.”

A message came through.

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK.

“What’s wrong?” Arik noticed the change in my behavior immediately.

But I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t force myself to find words. My hands shook, and my body went rigid. Never in my entire life did I think…

Bile rose in my throat, and my knees banged together.

“Varian.” Arik grabbed both my arms, looking into my eyes. “Did you take something?”

I shook my head, swallowing again and again, trying to make words happen. I looked away. I didn’t want him to see me like this, like a weak and unsure of myself. I hated how that piece of shit could do this to me. I hated myself for allowing it still, all these fucking years later.

“Varian.” He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I’m worried about you.”

Val picked up my phone. “Is he fucking kidding?”

---