Page 71 of Cruel Devotion

I held my hand up and gave my mom a look that suggested she should shut up immediately. “She’s not a whore.”

“She’s—”

I gave my dad the same hard stare. “Haley is a good person. She is generous and loving.”

My dad fisted his hands and lifted them, as if it were a wishful thought to use them on me. “Stop thinking with your dick, dammit!”

I shook my head. “I’m not.”

When it came to Haley, I was thinking with my heart. My soul. All that I was.

Because I loved that sassy brunette who survived my bullying. I was completely in love with that bold girl who would always fit so perfectly with me.

Even though they ranted and complained, mistaken that my presence meant I would hear a word they said, I backed up with a smile on my face.

Finally admitting that central truth, that I loved Haley, I felt freer. I felt whole and able to get through any hard challenge like losing my chance of graduating.

With Haley in my life, I felt like I could handle anything that came my way.

And as I backed up, I wondered when the time would be right to tell her.

25

HALEY

Iwoke up too late for classes, and I just knew I wouldn’t be able to make it to campus.

Something wasn’t right. Something had to be wrong.

“Haley?” Aunt Cindy knocked on my bedroom door. “Please, don’t let Eli be in here,” she mumbled on the other side of the door. “Haley? Eli?” A few more knocks sounded.

All I could do was curl into a ball and press my lips together so I wouldn’t moan loudly.

I had a little bit of a kink developing with pain. I liked it when Eli pushed me. But this? These cramps and utter nausea? They weren’t just pain. It felt like I was wrung out and left to rot.

“Yeah?” I called out weakly, letting her know I was up.

She opened the door and entered carefully, as if she worried that Eli and I had broken her rule about his not staying over. In time, I was sure she’d warm up to him. Maybe she would have a better opinion of him if he stuck with me outside of Marsten.

But at this moment, as my stomach revolted, I couldn’t summon the energy or brainpower to think that far ahead.

“Oh, honey…” She winced as she stepped into the room. Before she got too far in, she lifted the collar of her shirt and covered her mouth and nose with it, like a paltry mask. “Youaresick.”

I nodded, wishing that I could go back in time and feel like I did last night instead of this misery I was waking up to. Last night, I felt just a little off. Queasy, but steady enough to move around and handle what was necessary. This morning, I felt like I’d puke if I sat upright.

“There’s so many things going around right now,” she said sympathetically. “Half of the staff at the daycare are out sick.”

I believed it.

“At least you’re going through this now, rather than closer to graduation.”

I nodded. “And final exams.”

“Yeah.” She lowered her makeshift shirt mask and pouted. “I was just coming in here to see if you were still going to classes today. I didn’t hear the water running for a shower and got a little worried.”

“No need to worry,” I told her. I hated to inconvenience her or make her worry at all. “It’s like you said, just one of those bugs that are going around.”

Taking a step back, she hesitated to leave me like this. “I bet. I need to get going, but maybe that’s all you need, peace and quiet to just relax and take it easy.”

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