Page 62 of Survival

“Don’t worry about it.” I tried to brush it off, hoping I was wrong.

Emma was back within a minute, followed by Izzy, so I took my turn to go change, glad I’d finally be able to freaking pee. I’d had so much tea at the restaurant.

I washed my hands when I was done and was in the middle of pulling on my pajama shorts outfit, when I heard Emma’s parents arguing in the room next door.

Hurrying to finish, I stuffed my things into Jet’s gym bag that I’d gotten into the habit of swiping before reaching for the door, and then froze, the voices rising so that I could make out the words.

“I don’t care what you think about it, John. Emma’s been friends with her for years, and you’ve never had a problem with it. She’s an excellent young lady.”

“I don’t doubt that she is, Rachel, but that doesn’t mean I want her kind sleeping under my roof.”

“Her kind?! You meanHispanic? There are lots ofher kindin south Texas, John, and your daughter is friends with plenty of them. So am I. They are people just the same as you and I, and I refuse to let you make that girl feel uncomfortable in our home.”

“Ourhome?” I barely heard him hiss. “It’sourhome tonight, is it? I wonder what it will be tomorrow.”

“Don’t get sarcastic withme, Jonathan Kooper. I’ve had enough of your racist bullshit. What in the hell happened? You used to not be this bad. You were okay withfriendships,at least, but now you’re angry about Emma’sbestfriend? A girl that’s been here hundreds of times?”

He scoffed. “You want to know what happened?You, letting that wetback trash that you work with stick his tongue down your throat. I fucking saw you. I showed up to surprise you for lunch and saw you kissing that trash in the parking lot. What the fuck else did you let him do to you?”

“Perfect. Just fucking perfect. Youhypocrite. What you saw was me furious and talking to a friend, one that made a movewithout my consentwhen I told him I found the videos of you fucking your secretary on your laptop.Ishut down what he did, while you clearly couldn’t wait to screw someone else. I just wasn’t ready to say anything. Not with Emma so close to graduating.God, I should’ve listened to my mother. She warned me about you.”

“Oh, here we go again.”

“Shut up! Do you even care that your wife caught you cheating?” Rachel growled, fury and disgust radiating through her voice. “You know what? I’m done. I’m fucking done.” A door slammed and bare footsteps padded angrily down the hall.

I hadn’t moved in minutes. Frozen, not knowing what to do. I waited for a moment to make sure the coast was clear and then threw open the bathroom door to bolt down the hall to Emma’s room.

“What’s up?” I asked, trying to beat down my frazzled nerves as I claimed a space between Izzy and Emma.

“Truth or dare,” Dinah replied. “Emma wanted truth, so we just asked her what the deal was with Nic taking her to prom.”

I performed a mental eye roll. Even at someone else’s house, I couldn’t get away from the asshole.

Emma sighed. “I’ve explained this already. You know how my dad feels about Mateo, and somehow, my mom convinced him to okay the Nic idea. That way he can go to the prom. It’s more like an acquaintance slash favor thing. We’ve talked a few times, but I barely know him, so it’s not an actual date. My dad wouldnevergo for that. I’m basically just his ticket in. And hebarelyagreed to that.”

“Poor Mateo,” Megan muttered. “I just hate that your dad’s like that with him. He’s never been that way with me.”

“I’ve never tried todateyou, and yeah, my dad’s been brutal, but Nic said he’d hand me off to Mateo once we get there, so no big deal, really.”

“I don’t know.” Casey shrugged a shoulder. “You sure you don’t want to trade up for a guy with a hot British accent? He’s so fucking sexy.”

“Mmmm… Yeah, that accent’s the best.” Megan sighed wistfully.

Emma shot a begging look at me and Izzy.

“Oh, come on.” Dinah knocked her shoulder with Emma’s. “At least, admit the accent’s hot if nothing else.”

Izzy and Emma grinned, and if I put all the other shit that drove me crazy about him aside, then yeah, I’d have to agree.

Chapter 18

ISABEL

It was late the next morning when Annie and I trudged our way out of Emma’s house, exhausted, and ended up stopping for iced coffee before heading home. I had a ton to do today, and the mountain of stress was clawing at my chest, the pressure of my audition weighing me down alongside my grief, but after last night, Annie and I were in desperate need of a sister talk.

We sipped at our coffees, and I was gaping by the time Annie finished filling me in about her afternoon yesterday.

“I feel like such an ass.” I groaned, dropping my head to my hand in the chair I’d curled up in.

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