Page 67 of Unraveled

ISABEL

Annie did not resurface. Not at first. I watched my sister crumble, and when I finally had to point out the time,cringingto do it when she was finally letting herself feel and unleash some of the burden she’d been holding in for so long, Annie didn’t respond. Not until Mom and Uncle Blake tried to help her up, and she flipped. I had to call Jet over to help me get her up the stairs, and I stood with her in the bathroom as she showered while Jet waited in the bedroom, looking like it absolutely killed him to see her that way.

By the time Annie had gotten out of the shower, she was composed enough to get dressed, and we headed out to meet Tucker, driving to our graduation practice in his truck.

“Not another word today,” she said before we got out. “I’m fine. Or I will be. Today is supposed to be a good day. Can we ignore this morning to turn it back around? At least for today?” She looked around at all of us, hope in her voice as she quietly begged.

“You got it.” Tucker gave her a grin, and Jet pulled her in for a quick kiss, touching his forehead to hers before we got out.

I agreed as well, willing to do whatever my sister needed, but I was skeptical that this was it. The only reason I was agreeing to put it on hold was because of what she said. Today was supposed to be amazing. But between breakdowns and nightmares and tension mounted so high it felt like I had to swim through my own house, it was nothing like what I’d pictured for graduation day.

Witnessing Annie’s breakdown earlier had been heart wrenching, and I finally understood how she felt all those times when she’dwantedto but knew shecouldn’thelpme.

What she’d said to Mom was true. Wedidn’tneed her anymore. We knew how to get by on our own. But at the same time, she was ourmom. And in other ways we hadn’t wanted to admit, we did need her.

I’d chipped at the iceberg that encompassed my feelings about the overdose that night after prom. Today, it had been Annie’s turn. Our relationships with Mom were still rough, but they were better than before. We werestartingto heal, at least, IhopedAnnie was. Especially since now it felt like Mom was finally beginning to understand how deeply what she’d done had impacted our lives.

Mending what she’d broken was going to take work, and in all honesty, I was nervous. After this weekend, Uncle Blake would be gone. Aunt Rosa and our cousins were coming today for graduation, and they’d be leaving together in just a few days.

If only they were theonlycousins coming.My stomach twisted in knots as that realization hit me, my anxiety hitting full force over it the rest of the time we were at graduation practice. I’d encouraged Tucker to make amends with Micah, but since I’d refused to come forward to our families about all the things he and his brother had done,Ryderwas getting a front and center seat to our family gathering and graduation, too.

He’d be sitting in these stands, watching me tonight. I’d have to be in the same room with him again, pretending everything was fine around our families. The thought alone made me sick. Half of me would rather deal with Zane. In a way, I’d done it to myself, but I stood by my decision. I wouldnotscrew up Tucker’s family.

Family was precious. Even if mine was messed up.

I could make it through one day.

When practice was finally over, Annie and I went out for a quick lunch with the guys, the four of us scarfing down our favorite platter of nachos after Tucker called the restaurant to check and make sure Ruby wasn’t working today. I’d tried to invite Nic, too, but he was already on his way to Houston to meet his dad at the airport.

Promising to invite him out again before he flew home in a couple weeks, I hung up to Annie’s frown, but she quickly shook it away. After that, the four of us talked and flirted and sipped at our drinks as long as we could, our mood lifting as the excitement of the day started to set in.

This wasourday. One we weren’t going to get again.

We needed to enjoy it.

Eventually prying ourselves away from the reverie of our bubble, Tucker drove us home, and while he and Jetwere roped into helping prep for the party, Annie and I were sent to the store for some last-minute things Jenna and Helen messaged that they needed.

“Streamers and balloons?” Annie scoffed at the text. “I’vegotto plan a late birthday thing for Jet after this. I should never have left it up to Stef and Helen this year.”

I grinned, turning the basket around to head to the party supplies aisle. “To be fair, they’re combining it with a graduation thing, too.AndNic’sbirthday.”

“Which is onMonday.” She rolled her eyes. “Jet’s is tomorrow. It should be two separate things. Or they should’ve let me plan something for both their birthdays tomorrow and just made today’s party about graduation.”

I widened my eyes, mocking like I was aghast. “You’d plan a birthday thing forNic, too?”

Annie side-eyed me with a look. “You know what I meant.”

“Come on.” I bumped her arm with mine. “You haven’t warmed up to him at all?”

“Not really.” She frowned, rushing ahead to start looking over the decorations. “I’ve learned to tolerate him some, but will I ever like him? Debatable… Doubtful.”

“Better than a hard no.” I glanced at my Fitbit when it buzzed with a text.

Chuck: Charcoal. Lighter fluid.

“Crap. That’s on the other side of the store.”

“What is?” Annie tossed a few bags of balloons in the basket.

---