Page 28 of Just Between Us

It’s been two days, and I still haven’t given Levi and Cole an answer. I want to say yes and each time I almost do, something stops me. A voice telling me I don’t get to want this, that somehow it will end badly.

“Nope. Still unlucky in that department. I did go on a date though…” I say and tell her about how awful James was.

Her face visibly falls when I mention the dealer comment. “I’m so glad I’m not dating in this generation,” she laughs, shaking her head. “With the apps, and the Tinders, and whatever else is out there.” She waves a hand.

I burst out laughing. “Where did you learn that?”

She gives me a level look. “I teach English to teenagers, sweetheart. I’m down with the times.”

I keep laughing, shaking my head but my stomach twists a little.

My real father walked out on her when she fell pregnant with me at twenty. She married Kenny when I was five and whilst he was always decent enough to her and the twins, he became an alcoholic once he lost his job and never bothered to find a new one. It hasn’t been easy for her either.

It’s around eight p.m. when we’re clearing up and my phone buzzes in my pocket. When I pull it out, a message from a number I don’t recognise appears on my screen.

Unknown Number: Hello, Kai. It’s your old man.

Unknown Number:Have you missed me?

Unknown Number: I know I’ve missed you.

The phone clatters to the floor, making my mother let out a yelp.

“Sorry,” I mutter, picking it up. It feels like hot ash in my hand. I stare at the message again, eyes wide. I feel paralysed looking down at it. It’s been years since I’ve heard from him. Nine to be exact. I thought I’d long buried him but here he is, in my phone, mocking me. I see his face, that dirty blond hair and my stomach threatens to wretch all of its contents.

“Everything okay?” Mum asks.

I glance at her and nod quickly. “Yeah fine. Sorry. It just slipped.”

She nods and turns away, but my eyes stay trained on my phone. Kenny should still be in jail. He got ten years which means he’s got at least another year to serve. Where did he even get my number? Maybe he asked the twins for it. I know he speaks to them once in a while.

I swallow, swiping on the message and deleting it as quickly as I can.

“Uh, I have to go,” I say.

My mother glances at me. “In a rush?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No, I just uh promised I’d pick something up for Jenna and I don’t want to get home too late.”

It’s an obvious lie but my mother never pushes. She nods and gets on the tip of her toes to give me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you for coming over, sweetheart,” she says. “Your sisters will be home in two weeks, by the way. Maybe we can all do dinner.”

“Sure,” I say. “Good night, Mum.”

As I make my way to the train, my head won’t stop racing. It’s freezing and the cold feels nice against my burning skin. I need to think of something other than Kenny’s face. I know he only sent that to scare me but why now? What does he want?

I have that answer inside me. I always have.

The night they took him away, he promised he’d be back for me. He promised he would–

No.

This is what he wants. He’s only doing it to scare me. He’s locked away and he can’t come and get me. Not yet at least.

I need to think of something else. I need to get his smirk, his scent, and his words out of my head.

With shaky hands, I pull out my phone and click on Levi’s name. I look at our text thread, gnawing at my bottom lip. This could be a horrible idea, but I still write out the message, I still press send because I need something—anything to forget Kenny.

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