Page 8 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

Does she think I was born yesterday?

I scoff. “Right.”

“I’m serious,” she protests.

“Sure, whatever you say. Can you go make sure Oli isn’t destroying the living room looking for Dad’s watch, please?”

She huffs and puffs but obliges.

“Jesus, Oli!” I hear her shout, and I just know my brother’s turned the living room into a war zone.

“It’s not here,” Oliver snaps, his voice thick with frustration. “Shit, what if I left it at soccer practice?

“You had it when you came home Friday. It’s got to be in the house,” Sierra tells him.

The buzzer of the dryer steals my attention away from their conversation, and I make a beeline for the laundry room. I’m emptying Oli’s clothes into a hamper when the doorbell sounds in the distance.

Mrs. Harrison’s here early.

“Can someone get that?” I call.

Then, I hear something shatter.

Something like glass.

“Oli! What did you do?” Sierra gasps.

I don’t think twice, dropping everything to go assess the damage. I realize my brother’s panic has morphed into anger when I see the hole.

He’s broken the living room window.

“It was an accident, I swear! I was just so angry I… I threw the remote, and it landed in the window.”

Great.

Just what I need today.

Deep breaths, Lacey.

No point in getting angry. What’s done is done.

“It’s fine. You didn’t mean to.”

I’m going to have to call the landlord after lunch. It’ll probably cost me a fortune, but maybe he’ll agree to go half and half on the repairs. God, I hope he won’t take too long to come fix it.

Oli’s features twist with guilt. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know, it’s okay.”

The doorbell goes off again.

“I’ll get it,” I say before heading for the front door.

I told TJ I’d meet him at his house in an hour.

Might as well make that two.

I’ve never beenin this part of town before.

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