Page 45 of Diem

Seriously? Fucker.

“You’re a dick,” I hiss, rushing for the door before I do something I can't take back, like stab him in his cold fucking black heart.

Thankfully, he doesn't stop me, but my pulse pounds anyway. I can't do this anymore. He’s a dick and a pathetic one at that.

“Maeve…” he says as I open the door and tumble into Robbie Young’s arms.

He wraps me up and drops his fist, looking between us with a weird frown. Stiffly, I step away while he says to Jaxon, “C’mon, bro. We’re taking shots.”

Jaxon chortles stepping around me and I watch him go before turning to Robbie who’s still standing beside me.

“What?” I ask.

He waves down the hall and with a frown, I precede him. What’s his deal?

Since when does Robbie care about what I get up to?

Chapter Eleven

Maeve

The following few days, I avoid Jaxon. I know I have to end it because he’s a skeevy fucker but I’m tired. I figure a little more time won’t hurt anyway.

Unfortunately, Matt’s been avoiding me which leaves me all out of sorts and frankly mad. If he’s my friend, he should be just that. I know I’m ignoring the elephant between us but as much as I’d like to never have the conversation, his inability to say what he feels stands between us like a wall.

On top of that, I’ve been hiding in my room when I’m home. I don’t know how to look my dad in the eye knowing he took advantage of my friend.

Although I will never condone my mom’s behavior, I have a better understanding of why she does it.

To make matters worse, when I lay awake at night, visions of my dad killing someone in cold blood haunt me. Truthfully, it’s all I can do to sleep anymore because even though I don’t think my dad would hurt me I have to wonder what he would do if he suspected I knew.

This morning while my parents argued downstairs, I stepped into their bedroom and looked around. Logically I don’t think my dad would keep anything incriminating in the room but it’s the first step in admitting I can’t make this go away no matter how desperately I want to.

Without much time, I opened and closed the drawers before stepping back into the hall just as my mom started up the stairs.

She eyed me with a frown while I rushed past mumbling about school. Now I’m going through possible hiding places in my head while the teacher drones on before me.

The garage. The shed out back. Dad’s office.

What exactly am I looking for? What could I possibly find that would reveal the truth?

A weapon? A letter? What?

Rubbing my forehead, I drop my pencil and turn my head, meeting Diem’s curious stare. He raises a brow but thankfully, for once, I’ve got nothing.

Score one for Dad and his disgusting behavior, he’s finally done what nothing else could, distracted me from ass hat.

∞∞∞

“Matt!” I shout, grabbing my bag and rushing toward him. He pauses outside my dad’s classroom and my heart drops when he stiffens.

I know he doesn’t like the Jaxon shit but come on, if you’re my friend then be a friend. Right? Or maybe I’m just a shitty human being.

Eyeing the open door, I consider tugging Matt away, but he takes the decision away from me when he backs to the wall and says, “What?”

“Well, Matt…you’re my friend, I don’t know what I did but…”

Of course, I think I know what I did but since he refuses toadmit anything, I’m stuck pretending that he’s not pretending.

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