Page 100 of Faking Forever 1
All yesterday morning, I was forced to listen to each of them list different reasons why Rich was surely going to win andnotJohn at all. Every day before that, Dad’s been entering rooms with another new opinion—in which my mom then strongly agrees. Tate nods with a grin at every word said, probably clueless as to what this election even means. It’s overwhelming knowing that not only was my family ecstatic like this, but Sierra’s as well.
She called me last night from her parent’s flower shop, in between the fuss that the town has been going through. Her dad got creative and made some sort of flower banner that spells out Rich and Josh’s last name, and they’re planning to hang it on the side of the fire hall where the banquet will be. She told me that, and quickly, I realized how much I underestimated Rich’s support by an extreme deal. I never doubted him, but I thought I was one of the few who felt that way.
“Paisley, lock the doors before you leave—and for god sake, hurry up. It’s supposed to storm. Try to be ready within the hour, please?”
I raise my shoulders, rubbing a cheek with one as I nod, attempting to wake myself more. She kisses my forehead, pushing my head down into my shoulders, and I wait for my dad to do the same, but he stops and stares at me instead.
“Be careful.” he finally speaks, nodding once andthenkissing my head.
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A WARNING
Wasn’t he still upset with me? What the hell happened?
They each leave out the front door in a single line, one by one, until I’m alone. My bare feet smack the wooden floor as I walk to the door, peeking out of the window to watch them prepare to drive away in pure bliss. The irony was so blatant with the weather being totally opposite of their sunshine smiles.
I, on the other hand, felt very much the opposite of everyone around me today. I could blame the weather, but I would be fibbing because that’s not that at all. Itiseasier than explaining that I’m in love and it’s over before it even began.
I single-handedly have had the most passion-filled, sexiest, most romantic summer ever to experience, and it’s over. I wish I were on that plane to London and stat. The longer I have to pretend he isn’t in my vicinity, the more I want to crumble into dust.
In a way, I feel I’m doing nothing more than embarrassing myself in front of him. When he said what he said, part of me knows he meant nothing by it. The girl who remembered everything Nick had ever said to hurt my feelings wasn’t thrilled and still isn’t. They’re two different men, yet it isn’t easy to differentiate when they’re behaving so similarly. It’s only a matter of time until Darcy is having more of my sloppy seconds.
I’m still going to show my face since I committed to do so, and I worked extra hard to create a sweet treat for today. I’m pretty proud of it, and shockingly, I would like to enjoy some of everyone’s favors so long as I get to hear this speech that Josh claims to have been working on for longer than a month.
If I’m not going to be here for election day, I can pretend this is close enough.
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FAKING FOREVER
I made my family leave me behind with Big Red, the truck. The one that Dad claims to have fixed completely now and says it shouldn’t cause me any more problems. I almost don’t want to trust him. It’ll be the fourth or fifth time now that I’m taking my chances, and I’m not sure why, but I have an unwarranted amount of faith in my father and his mechanic skills to a point where I am now risking being caught in a wicked storm, and not being able to make it to this banquet at all.
There was nothing to pack except myself in the truck and my tiny straw handbag. Walking out of my house, I instantly noticedobjects flying down the street that shouldn’t be. From outdoor pillows to flowerpots, it was something like The Wizard of Oz. My freshly curled hair wasn’t standing a chance, and my dress wasn’t holding on the best either.
There was no life on my street at all.
Eitherallof my neighbors were at this banquet, and I was even more tragically late, or I really shouldn’t be driving anywhere at all. It’s just about twelve miles away, though.
It can’t be that bad, and I need to drive with some momentum.
Josh does it all the time, and so does Beau—I’m not that different from them. I refuse to risk Josh looking into the crowd andnotseeing my face. No matter how pissed at him I am.
Battling the wind full throttle, I shuffle to the truck, whipping the door open while gripping it to hop in. I yank it closed behind me, watching branches and leaves fly past the window afterward. Bits and pieces of trees mocked that action, flying around different parts of the truck and making noises as some of them collided with the exterior. Ignoring every dark thought, I take my shaky hands and start the truck, looking over my shoulder to back out of my empty driveway.
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A WARNING
As I rode through the city, I searched for some life, but it was equally as much a ghost town. Big Red rumbled along the now dusty streets, its engine straining against the strong winds, whipping faster the harder I pressed on the gas. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, every time the sound of something smacking the truck would hit hard enough.
And then the first few rain drops began to fall on the windows.
Until now, I was looking at the sky every few seconds, waiting for the first sight of rain. We’d been waiting for over the entire summer for a sliver of something, and it was now coming in full, holding back nothing. The smell of petrichor filled the air around me—one of my favorite scents. It began to fall harder, and already, the city, plagued by a relentless dry era, was starting to come alive despite the winds carrying on without hesitance.
I turned my windshield wipers on and carried out my journey despite my knuckles growing pale from gripping the wheel like a maniac. The howling seemed to get louder, and the further I crept onto the parkway, the more the rain wasn’t so pretty anymore. I was already so far into the drive that if I considered turning around, it would be even dumber than coming out here in the first place.
The amount of debris blocking my path on the road was almost like playing Subway Surfer. I managed to avoid two cars coming from the opposite direction, but they were coming like bullets, driving faster than I had time to react. I was waiting for one of them to smack me and put me out of my miserable stupidity. The fact that I’m doing this for a man, more than anything, blows me.
