Page 85 of Her Pretty Words

“Let’s go for a drive,” Sarah says. She stands and wipes the sand off the backs of her legs.

Julia follows suit and holds out her hand for me to grab. I only saw Sarah with a couple of drinks tonight. I hesitate, but I think Sarah seems coherent enough to drive, so I take her sister’s hand.

Chapter 33

Grayson

“That’s another win.” I smirk at my opponent. Some blond-haired guy whose name I didn’t catch. He hands me a ten-dollar bill, which I pocket with the rest of my winnings for tonight.

I beat Elliot five times in foosball. Shortly, we developed a crowd around the small table, and people started making bets if they could beat me or not. I’ve never played the game before, but I’m pretty good. That, or everyone else is too drunk to possess any skill. I haven’t had anything to drink since I’m Macy’s designated driver.

I look back at our table and see it’s still empty. Maybe the girls went to the bathroom. I have no idea what they do in there for so long, but I know they like to take care of their business in packs, which I’ll never understand. I pull out my phone to check the time when I see a text from Macy and feel myself grin before I even read it.

Crash Detected SOS: This phone detected a crash. You are receiving this message because the owner has you listed as their emergency contact.

Blood rushes to my face and pounds in my ears. Suddenly I’m out of the crowd and standing at our table, as if Macy will return to it at any moment.

My whole body shakes, and I can’t hear a single thing besides my blood pumping loudly in my ears. Someone claps me on the shoulder. I recognize the man, he wanted to play me next. Words are coming out of his mouth but it’s all gibberish to me at the moment. Then, his hands are on my shoulder and he’s trying to pull me back to the game. Away from helping Macy?—

Oh God, Macy.

“You scared you’re gonna lose, big guy?” he gets in my face and the next thing I know he’s knocked back and touching his bloodied nose. “What the fuck, man?” he seethes.

Suddenly Elliot’s beside me, snapping his fingers in my face and telling me to slow down. Slow down? “Not Macy. Please don’t take Macy,” someone pleads over and over.

The voice follows Elliot and I as he drags me out of The BARnacle. The voice stops when I clear my throat.My voice.

It feels like every particle of my soul is carried away by a breeze, like dust in the wind. Like I’m nothing if not for Macy. I won’t survive my world being ripped away from me a second time.

I gasp when my cheek stings. I blink at Elliot, who’s voice finally registers in my head. “Talk to me, man. What’s going on? Where is Macy?” As I bring my hand to my burning cheek, I realize he slapped me.

Words. Right. “S-she crashed.”

“What?”

I show him the text with shaking hands. His eyes widen and he inhales a deep breath. He pulls his phone out of his front pocket and messes with it for a moment. “Come on,” he says.

“I need to get to Macy.” My voice is choppy with hysteria.

“I’ll get you to her, man. She’s probably with Sarah. I have their location,” he explains, walking briskly to his car.

“I’ll drive,” I say, needing a semblance of control.

“You’re in no state to drive,” he says, opening the driver’s door and climbing in.

No state to drive? I haven’t even had a sip of alcohol.

“Everything’s going to be okay. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

I hold my hand up in a desperate plea. I don’t need a false sense of security. I refuse to hold onto hope until I can physically see her for myself. I’m numb to the external world, completely blind to whatever is in front of my eyes. I don’t hear Elliot’s voice anymore or see the inside of his car. I only see the vivid details in my nightmare, where Macy is in Delilah’s place. Scarlet pooling on the road and anguish tearing through me when I see how much of it is a puddle on the ground instead of inside her veins.

My throat feels as if I’ve swallowed fire. My knuckles ache while something thuds repeatedly until delicate hands still my wrists. I blink back into reality, my fist aching, realizing I was punching the dashboard. I hear Elliot telling someone not to touch me because I’ll hurt them.

And then the only thing that exists to me is her voice. I close my eyes against it, welcoming oblivion. “Grayson,” Macy whispers.My angel.I must be in heaven. “It’s okay,” she coos. “Look at me. I’m right here.” Her hand touches my cheek and the delightful weight of her rests in my lap. I feel her breath against my face and open my eyes to see gold flecks swimming in her wet eyes.

“Don’t cry,” I say in a choppy voice.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I dropped my phone and it shattered. I forgot that I put you as my emergency contact since I’m so far from my family.”

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