Page 236 of Filthy Elites

I hate that we made those sacrifices to move herefor meand now I’m throwing it all away, but my world today is nothing like it was three years ago. My priorities aren’t the same, and I don’t know what life will look like when all of this is over, but I’m pretty sure I won’t give a single fuck about the things that used to mean the most to me. I’m just not the same person who valued those things anymore.

I don’t know who I am anymore.

I don’t have time to figure it out, either.

This year, I’ll be a mess.

When the clock runs out, that’s when I’ll start cleaning it all up.

EIGHT

Aubrey

I’m sittingon the curb when Dare’s Audi comes down the road. I stand, watching the all-black car slow to a stop so I can get in.

This feels weird.

Wrong.

I walk around to the passenger side, anyway.

Every instinct I have screams at me not to get in that car, but I know they’re just being dramatic. Poor, sleep-deprived instincts. Someday we’ll get some rest.

I pull the handle and open the car door. Dare leans forward and watches as I slide in and close the door without looking at him.

I know I’m not doing a great job at trying to appear unaffected, but it’s so weird being in the car with him. My stomach is in knots, and I know looking at him will make it worse.

I can feel his eyes on me. My skin burns beneath his gaze as I slide my backpack between my legs and settle it on the floorboard.

God, it’s hot in here.

I glance at the temperature controls. “Can you turn the air up a little?”

He does, and the blast of cool air feels so nice on my flushed skin.

“Thanks,” I murmur, lifting my gaze to look out the front windshield. I feel like I’m being a little rude, so I finally shift my gaze and look over at him. “Thank you for picking me up, too.”

I knew looking at him would be a mistake. Chase Darington is obscenely handsome from a distance, but up close, here in his car that feels and smells like him, it’s actually pretty overwhelming. It’s not just his hard, clean-shaven jaw or those gorgeous brown eyes. His attractiveness isn’t about the right classical features arranged in perfect order. It’s something else. Something I can’t quite put my finger on.

My stomach starts to ache. My head does, too. Probably from consuming so much caffeine on an empty stomach. Definitely not because I’m in the car with Dare.

“Glad I could help,” he says. “I have to admit, I was surprised you calledme.”

The answer is simple, so I give it to him. “I didn’t have anyone else.”

He nods, then looks ahead and starts down the road toward the high school.

I have one more phone call to make, so I ask him if he minds, then I call the auto repair shop in our old town. It’s a drive and it will cost more to tow it there, but I want to see if it would be worth it for cheaper labor because I cannot swing the last quote.

When I hang up and rest the phone on my lap, Dare glances over at me. “What’d they say?”

I just feel fucking sad. Utterly defeated. I open the Chase app on my phone so I can double check Mom’s credit card balance.

I have about $1,200 left on that credit limit, so if I have to spend $600 on tires, another $100 for labor, and then another $90 for a tow…

Fuck.

It’s too soon for the money to run out.

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