Page 42 of Escaping Our Reality

We’re walking out the door when a Mercedes pulls into the driveway. Lulu murmurs under her breath, standing taller and holding back her shoulders. A girl with red hair climbs out, hauling a big-ass purse behind her.

“Hey, Ella, where are you going? I thought we were gonna hang out and watch a movie.”

“Kristie, what are you talking about? We did that Tuesday night. Remember? We ate pizza and watchedTitanic.”

The girl takes the large black sunglasses off her face and rubs her forehead. “Oh, right. I’m sorry. Things have just been crazy between work and school.” She finally looks over, noticing me. “Oh, hello.”

“Kristie, this is Crutch. Crutch, this is Kristie Vann. Her father, Phillip, is the orthopedic surgeon in practice with my dad. Kristie goes to the university. She’s a year younger than youand Carrie. She’s a sophomore. But she also works in her father’s office.”

I hold out my hand. It takes her a few minutes to shake it because she’s rubbing imaginary circles on the ruddy skin of her puffy cheeks. Her pupils are small pinpoints. She quickly pulls away when she sees me studying her eyes. Interesting…

She clears her throat. “So, you’re the person who has been monopolizing our little Ella?”

Our?She should know that Lulu belongs to me not her. Plus, I’m pretty sure Lulu would hate being called little.

“How did the two of you meet again?”

I keep my mouth shut. I’m not sure what all Lulu has told Kristie about me, so it’s best if I keep my mouth shut. All I know is that the words ‘drugs, Carrie, and Trey’ had better stay trapped inside Lulu’s own beautiful mouth.

“Remember, I told you we met at the coffee shop. Crutch is finishing his last year at the community college. He works as a mechanic.”

There she goes again. If she’s embarrassed by me, she hides it well.

Kristie licks her lips a few times, nodding her head. “That’s right. Nice to meet you. Ella, Dad is having some painting done in our kitchen this afternoon. Fine if I hang out here for a while?”

She wants to say no. I know she does. But this is Ella we’re talking about. Not Lulu. “Of course, Kristie. Make yourself at home.”

Once we’re backing out of her driveway, I ask Lulu about Kristie. “So, this is the girl who spends a lot of time at your house? The one who just shows up uninvited?”

“Well, I don’t really know if you can call it uninvited. Carrie gave her a key to our house.”

“You let her stay in Carrie’s room?”

She gasps in horror. “Of course not. If she stays the night, she either sleeps on the couch or with me, in my bed.” She sighs. “I don’t know why I let it irritate me. She’s not a bad person. She’s shy and meek. Friendly, though.”

“Yeah, she seems nice.”

Now I just have to find the right time to tell Lulu that this ‘nice’ girl was just high off her ass.

Chapter 19

CRUTCH

She’s studying the bakery case like the answer to world peace lies in the red velvet on display.

“Lulu, they have food here. Do you want something to eat? I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll take the soup and sandwich combo. Tomato soup and chicken salad sandwich.” She quickly goes back to ignoring me, asking the bakery attendant a question about the icing on the chocolate cake.

I head over to the register and pick up a menu, browsing to see what I want. A college-age girl walks from the back to stand behind the register. “What can I get for you today, sir?” Her posture and attitude completely change when she looks up from the machine and sees me standing there.

Uh-oh. I know that look.

Her smile flashes, showing her white teeth, and she immediately stands tall, pulling the kitchen apron lower on her body, exposing the small amount of cleavage poking out from her V-neck T-shirt. “We have a special on the potato soup bowl today. Tell me, have you been here before?”

She’s really pretty. Normally, the kind of girl I’d be fucking in my truck a few hours from now.

I rub my hand over my jaw. The stubble scratches my fingers. I need to remember to shave tomorrow. “No, this is my first time.”

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