Page 35 of From Our First

“Girls. We need you.”

I shook her off, wiping my face. “I’m fine. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Something sure did,” Paris said. And then I was in her hold, her strong little arms hugging me tightly. I sobbed even harder. Dakota’s soft arms were around me then, the same as Hazel’s. The three of them stood around me, cocooning me in a shelter of love and support as I let everything out.

I hadn’t even told them anything yet, and I was already breaking. What would happen when I finally said the words?

I leaned into my friends, sank into the comforting embrace I wasn’t even sure I deserved, and was finally able to breathe again. I had been holding in so much over the years, not to mention what I had been doing for the past few days.

Finally, I pulled away slightly, and they let me have some space, worry still in each of their gazes. My friends were so different, so much their own people, but their masks were all identical now. Worry for me. And, again, I wasn’t sure I deserved it.

“I know you called us because you wanted to talk to us,” Paris began. “But if it’s so bad, do you need a moment?” she asked, and I shook my head.

“No, I think I need to go over it now. All at once.”

“Do you want to tell us exactly why you’re so pale first?” Hazel asked, her voice careful. Oh, so careful.

I swallowed hard. “I’m pale because I almost got into an accident on my way over here.”

“Are you okay?” Dakota asked, sounding aghast. She reached out and cupped my cheek. “What happened?”

I explained about the stop sign, and Paris frowned. “That’s a pretty well-known intersection. Teenagers sometimes miss it,” she explained.

Hazel bit her lip. “I’m so sorry that happened. Do you need to sit down?”

I shook my head. “I think I need to stand for this.” I swallowed hard again. “Perhaps you should be sitting, though,” I said softly.

“We can do that.” Dakota met my gaze. “But first, are you sure you don’t need to sit?”

“Please, sit. And then I’ll go over everything.”

“I have a feeling we may need wine,” Paris said, taking the bottles from Hazel’s hands as she went off to the kitchen. Dakota tugged at my hand and pulled me into the living room. They had set out deviled eggs and a few other crudités and appetizers. Dakota had gone all out, and I knew Hazel had helped. However, Dakota was the chef among us, even though she called herself a home baker.

I wanted nothing. I knew that anything I ate would likely taste like sawdust, and it would be a disservice to Dakota’s talents.

Hazel came back in with the open wine bottle, and that’s when I noticed that there were already wine glasses and water on the table.

“Thank you for bringing it over in an insulated sack because Rosé All Day needs to be chilled,” Paris said, pouring glasses for us. I noticed that she gave me the largest one, and I didn’t blame her.

I had no idea what I looked like to them, but I knew it wasn’t the composed Myra I had tried so hard to be for so long. We clinked glasses, and I took a large gulp.

“Okay, now, tell us what’s on your mind,” Paris ordered.

I looked down at the rosé in my glass, studying the pink liquid, wondering if I could chug it and forget about why I was here in the first place. The other women gazed at me, all three of them thankfully sitting down. I stood, ready to pace if needed. No, I couldn’t simply drink my worries away. I had to tell them everything.

“I don’t know where to begin,” I whispered.

“Timelines usually work,” Paris said.

“Hush,” Hazel admonished, and Paris shrugged. I knew she was trying to help, and I was grateful, but I needed to tell them everything. And to do so, I had to throw my carefully planned speech out the window.

“My parents came here four days ago.”

Hazel’s eyes widened. “They were here? I didn’t even know they knew where you lived.” That made me snort, while Paris and Dakota frowned at each other.

“We do not get along. Shocking, I know.” None of us really got along with our parents, so I wasn’t the outcast.

“I moved away when things went beyond annoying and began to get unbearable, and I decided to come out here with Hazel, to a place I loved before.”

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