Page 129 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

I got home at around 3:00 a.m.—after I spent two hours crying into Dia’s arms—and everyone was fast asleep. I wascareful not to make a sound as I passed Daniel sleeping on the pull-out couch in the living room.

Then, I spent most of the night tossing and turning. I didn’t fall asleep until the sun was peeking through my bedroom curtains, and when I did pass out, the pain manifested itself in my dreams.

I just kept seeing that moment.

The look on TJ’s face when Aaron removed the wool from my eyes and told the whole world about TJ’s fucked-up little scheme. Maybe I’m an idiot for not seeing it sooner.

No, not maybe. Iam.

Of course TJ paid Aaron to flirt with me. Of course it was all a plan to ridicule me.Of course, of course, of course.I let myself fall, and the universe made it a point to teach me a lesson.

I hear you, Universe. Lesson fucking learned.

Worst part is, I knew something was off. I knew TJ was hiding something from me. Sure, I thought his secrets were about his mom, but I’m guessing the reason he couldn’t be bothered to open up about his life was because he never intended to let me get close to him. He probably didn’t see the point in letting himself be vulnerable with me, knowing he was just going to use me anyway.

And I don’t even know why.

What did I ever do to him? Why does he hate me? It’s as though a fist is closing around my throat, coating the inside with glass and all sorts of sharp objects.

All those moments we spent together were based on lies.

All of them.

He pretended to care, and I fell for it. Because I so desperately wanted to believe that love was a possibility for me. I feel a sting as tears begin to gather in my eyes, but I fight them to the best of my ability.

I promised Dia I would text her to tell her I got home okay last night, but I forgot, and she must be worried sick. And now, my battery’s dead. I’ll have to go get the charger in my car.

Still in my pj’s, I walk to the full-length mirror on the wall. I didn’t remove my makeup last night. Streaks of smudged mascara snake down my face, and my hair is a mess. I could scare the hair off a cat right now.

I can’t let my family see me like this, so I grab a makeup wipe from my vanity and rub away to try and make myself presentable again. As for my hair, making it look good would require a shower and a few hours with a curling iron, so I throw it into a ponytail.

I get a whiff of my dad’s chicken enchiladas the moment I walk out of my room, and all I can think about is how grateful I am that he’s here. I can barely function right now. At least someone’s keeping my siblings fed.

I make a beeline for the front door, grab my keys off the hook on the wall, and slip my feet into my shoes without socks.

“Lacey? Everything all right?” Daniel asks when he hears me open the door.

“Yeah, Dad, just going to get my phone charger in the car,” I answer.

I’m halfway to my car by the time I notice something weird through the windows of Daniel’s Mercedes.

The windows are tinted, but not enough to hide all the boxes and trash bags piled up in the back seat of his car.

What the…

Why does he have so much stuff?

I move closer to the glass and rest my hand a few inches above my eyes to try and see better. Two of his fancy suits are hung on the coat hooks in the back seat.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say everything he owns is packed up in that car. I make a mental note to ask him about it and continue toward my car to grab my charger.

I plug my phone in as soon as I get in the house and leave it on the console table by the front door to charge.

I realize it’s way later than I thought when I pad into the kitchen and see the time on the stove.

12:40.

No wonder Daniel was worried I’d died in my sleep.

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