Page 66 of Forever Summer

“Did you hear that, Ellie? Kerry’s responding to treatment.”

“Really?”

Kerry nodded.

“Oh my God, that’s fantastic,” I said, hugging her once more.

“Yes, well, one day at a time, but the doctors are really pleased with how it’s going.”

I nodded like a fool, because I could feel, despite all my efforts, the tears welling in my eyes. I was so relieved, so happy to hear such great news, but equally as devastated about Adam refusing to even meet my eyes.

“I can’t tell you how happy this makes me, Kerry.”

Kerry smiled, squeezing my hand.

I took in a deep, steadying breath, overwhelmed and suddenly feeling closed in.

“Look, Mum, I better make sure our car hasn’t been towed.”

“What?”

“Yeah, remember the signage was pretty dodgy; the council are pretty fierce around Maitland.”

“Oh God, maybe we better go, I don’t want to risk it.”

“Okay, well, if you get your lunch to go, I’ll bring the car around,” I said quickly, desperate for an exit.

“We better get going too,” said Kerry. “Aw, Ellie, it’s so good to see you. Next time you’re back in Onslow drop in and say hello.”

My eyes flickered to Adam, who still managed not to even say a word.

“I will,” I said, before heading for the door. It was like everything around me was in slow motion. I felt numb as I walked through the automatic doors, the fresh air hitting my face and stinging my eyes. I blinked, causing my vision to blur. I was aware of the rise and fall of my chest and no matter how much time passed, Adam hadn’t followed. He hadn’t run after me, screaming my name and telling me to wait, that I had gotten it all wrong. There was nothing. He was nowhere to be seen. As I walked up the long, sloping hill toward where our car was parked, the silence was broken by the buzzing in my pocket as my mobile chimed, alerting me of a text message, causing me to still in my tracks. Clumsily foraging in my jeans pocket, I pulled out my phone, my heart thumping with the hope that ‘Adam’ was displayed across the screen; instead, my brows lowered as I read:

Tess

1 Message.

Ellie, you better call me, right NOW!

Thirty-Three

“Ellie, what are you doing?”

I sat in the passenger side of Mum’s car, taken aback by the harshness of Tess’s tone. The question was more of an accusation, one that had me glancing around the interior of the car, confused.

“Sorry?”

“Look, I don’t know what you are playing at, and try as I might to be on board with you and Adam, I honestly draw the line this time.”

What was she talking about?

Had I woken up in some kind of parallel universe where everyone around me spoke a different language?

“Tess, please speak English.”

“Ha! I honestly don’t know what is more insulting. The lying or the fact you think people’s emotions are just so bloody disposable.”

Okay, now I was getting mad. Between Adam’s betrayal and now Tess’s ranting and raving like a lunatic, I was about to seriously lose my shit.

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