Page 41 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“Make him leave orI will,” my dad whispers, his simmering rage building.

The knocking gets louder, and I swear I can feel the vibrations on the window coursing through me.

“Can I go to him?” I whisper back, already shuffling to the edge of my bed.

“No,” he says and I freeze, looking over my shoulder to face him.

“Please, he—”

“I saidno!” Dad’s voice rises and the knocking immediately stops, drawing our attention.

I hold my breath, desperately hoping that he’s gone, but equally hoping it was just a coincidence and he didn’t hear my dad’s voice.

It’s an excruciatingly long minute before we find out, and his broken words destroy me.

“I’m sorry, Lainey. I hope you’re okay. I just needed a friend.”

Tears continue to fall, but I’m stuck. I can’t go to him. I can’t help. All I can do is tell him to leave.Beghim to leave.

But before I can say anything, he hits me with one final blow, completely shattering my heart.

“My sister’s gone.” Then almost inaudibly he adds, “Summer’s gone.”

I rock back and forth, my fists clenched at my mouth, trying to keep silent until his knocking slows and eventually stops.

Dad walks over to the window and opens the curtains, making my heart clench. If Thomas is still there, I’m terrifiedof what he’s going to do. But when he opens the window and leans out, looking in the direction of the stairs, I know Thomas has gone, and the relief I feel is consuming.

It’s over. He’s safe. But he’s going to hate me. Especially when he discovers I’m gone too.

Chapter Sixteen

Thomas

Ipace my room, my heart lodged in my throat as I run through the events of the past twelve hours.What the fuck is going on right now?

Summer’s gone and Lainey… I have no idea what’s happening with Lainey but whatever it is, it has my stomach in knots and my heart clenched so hard it might break me. She was crying, that much I know, but was it me? I wanted to ask, but then I thought I heard someone and…fuuck. I’m so messed up I couldn’t even process it all. I still can’t.

But Lainey wanted me gone, and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt her.

The air around me thickens as I wipe at my eyes, stopping the tears in their tracks when they threaten to fall. I suck in a breath, but it’s no use. I can’t get enough air in to calm myself, and it’s only getting worse.This is so fucked-up.

The two people I care most about in this world are hurting, and I have no idea how to help them. I don’t even know what’s wrong.

I pick up my phone to call Summer again, since I at least have her number. But I can’t get Lainey’s sobs out of my mind for long enough to contemplate what I would say, and deep down, I know Summer won’t answer, just like every other time I’ve called her phone.

After a few shallow breaths, I drop to my bed and run a hand down my face, while the other clutches my cell, the device burning my palm with what I’m about to do.

I know who I have to call, but I don’t know if I can hold back my feelings, and I don’t want to get Lainey in trouble if I say something I shouldn’t. But I have no other choice. I need to know Lainey’s okay, and visiting her house is no longer an option.

Luke answers on the first ring, but when he does, I feel worse. “Man, shit is crazy here and I can’t really talk.”

“What’s going on?” I rush out before he can hang up on me. “Is there anything I can do?” I try not to appear panicked while my pulse races.

“Nah. Nothing you can do. Everyone’s okay. It’s just my sister’s leaving for some ballet school in New York and… Ah, fuck, I gotta go. I’ll call you soon.”

He hangs up without letting me speak, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. I wouldn’t know what to say if he hadn’t.Lainey’s leaving?She’s disappearing just like Summer and she couldn’t even tell me? Couldn’t even yell out a goodbye.

Does she hate me for what I did? Or is it something else?

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