Page 46 of No Place Like Home

I let my head drop and hit my desk. Today was going to be a long day. My body was tired, my mind was exhausted, and I smelled like bleach. I’d spent the whole night cleaning Quincy’s house. Simba trailed after me, happily observing me as I busted my ass, cleaning all sorts of messes. By the time I was finished, it was time for me to be at school.

* * *

Around lunchtime,there was a knock at my door.

“Come in!” I yelled.

“You didn’t come home last night.”

I could hear the accusation in his voice. I did not have time for his overprotective bullshit today.

“Do you see me giving you the third degree every time you don’t come home?” I snapped when I turned to look at him.

Cubbie didn’t look all that happy. He was grinding his teeth, but did give me a small head nod.

“You were with him, weren’t you?”

“Am I supposed to know who you are talking about?” I asked as I continued to get homework packets ready.

Blake got closer, and then he set something on the table.

When I saw the gray and yellow cup, my eyes lit up.

“Is it cold brew?” I asked as I reached for it.

“With your stupid foam on it,” he replied.

I drank that coffee like it was water, and I knew Charlie could come at me with all of his questions after recess, and I wouldn’t care.

“Jess,” Blake said.

Slowly, I looked up at him.

“Just be careful, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Blake looked at me for a few seconds before he left.

Too bad for him. I had already been hurt. Nothing could compare to the wound of finding your mother dead at your own father's hands. Sure, time made the damage a little less fresh than if I really tried. I could pretend that it was never me, that I wasn’t some tragic sob story, but eventually, the winds of time blew strong, and they tipped everything in my path over, leaving me with all the open wounds.

Time didn’t heal all wounds. Time just taught you how to deal with the pain.

After school was done, I went home so I could change clothes. There was a note on the door from Cubbie.

Emergency work travel. Be home in a few days. I’ll miss you.

My hand reached for the sticky note and crumpled it. Oh, yeah. He was really worried about me. I rolled my eyes as I walked into the house.

As I changed clothes, I texted the girls’ group chat. Before I pressed send, I knew I was going to regret that decision. We had two chats. One for the whole family, and I did mean the WHOLE family. The Dunnetts, minus Prescott because he removed himself, the Carsons, and myself. Then in the girl chats were Freya, Emma, Juliet, and Jana, and when I got older, they added me.

Sunnypines Finest.

It was so like Freya to name the chat like that. I was embarrassed to open it in public.

Jess: The house was a sty. Nope, scratch that. Pigs would be insulted at such a comparison.

Freya: Jess! Be nice. He’s so lost right now.

Emma: Poor Q.

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