Page 35 of Bleeding Hearts
“I heard that! Nobody is as cute as me!” Skylar yells. “Hi, Alice! I like your dress.”
“Thanks, Skylar,” I call in response.
“Don’t encourage him,” Bones mutters, flipping him off over his shoulder. “He didn’t tell me I looked nice today,” he grumbles, “but he can tell you.”
Propping my chin on my hand, I stare at him. “Wow, you two really are made for each other. You’re totally batshit, you know that, right?”
He points his fork at me with a narrowed gaze. “Do not take his side, Alice. He might have grown up on the streets, but I know how to get away with murder.”
“You should remind him of that,” I tease.
“I did. It made him horny,” he scoffs.
“I can’t wait to hear your vows,” I retort.
“Me too. My angel will look so good in a suit with my name!”
“Who said I’m taking your name, Warren?” Bones retorts. “Now go home. I mean it, or we won’t do that thing with the caramel.”
“Shit!” Sky falls from the bushes and hurries over, dropping a kiss on Bones’s cheek. “Okay, bye, love you.” He races toward the parking lot. When I glance back, Bones smiles before he focuses on me.
“So it’s your turn tonight, right?” he asks as I wonder if I want to know what caramel has to do with anything. Probably not.
“Insane, we are all insane,” I admit.
I lift my hand and knock. I’ve been to her room a few times. When we were . . . close, I was always here, and after, I dragged her back drunk more than once, but I’m nervous tonight. Straightening my spine, I remind myself to take whatever she throws at me and be bold like her.
She doesn’t answer, so I bang my fist against the wood. I can hear her in there. I slam my hand into the door repeatedly and even add my foot for good measure. Finally, it’s ripped open, andLally glares as she leans against the doorframe. “What the fuck—Alice?”
“Hey,” I say with a wide smile as her glare fades, but she doesn’t let me in or say anything else, and there’s this weird tension between us. After her confession, then the intervention, there is so much left unsaid between us, and I think we are feeling that. I refuse to let this be the end of us, though, and more importantly, I want to give her a chance to heal and find happiness again, even if that’s not with me. She needs a friend right now, and I can be that for her.
“Not going to let me in?” I tease, cutting the tension.
“No.” She frowns. “Why are you here?”
“For a sleepover.” I shrug casually, like my heart isn’t pounding out of my chest.
“No.” She starts to shut the door, so I wedge my foot in it, watching as her mouth drops open and her eyes widen.
I barge past her, drop my bag to the floor, and kick some cans aside with a twist of my lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll sleep here.”
“Like hell you will!” she yells, the door still open. “Get out, Alice.”
“Or what?” I challenge, my hands on my hips as I face her. Her mouth opens and closes wordlessly. I grin. “Close the door, it’s cold. Do you want pizza or Chinese for dinner?” I look around. “Or maybe something with vegetables, considering what was in all these take-out containers.”
Her cheeks heat, but she folds her arms. “Get out, Alice. I mean it.”
“No.” Kicking aside more cans, I roll my blanket out as she shuts the door and walks over to me.
“You’re telling me you’ll sleep here, on the floor, surrounded by trash? Not a chance. Go home, princess,” she sneers. “I don’t want you here. What don’t you understand about that? Are youreally so desperate for a scrap of attention that you would stoop this low?”
Her barb digs in just like she knew it would, but I let it wash over me. Lally is like a feral dog that has been cornered. She’s scared and lashing out due to fear. I accept her anger, even crave it a little. It’s better than silence. Silence means she’s given up and I can’t reach her.
“Yes,” I answer with a smile. “Now what do you want to eat?”
“Unbelievable.” She heads over to her bed and throws herself down on the twisted sheets. “Fine, do whatever you want.”
“I was going to anyway.” I set up my bed and look around, shaking my head. Walking over to her desk, I sit in her swivel chair and start to clean up.
