Page 96 of Beautifully Broken
Cali stops me, seeing my eyes watery with unshed tears she says, “Let’s have a girls’ night, fuck these boys. We can vent, snack, and just avoid it all.” I nod with a small smile as we head out.
***
Jax
I don’t see her for most of the next day. The guys don’t bring her up again either, which I guess I should be grateful for, but all I can think about is the way I’d torn her apart without even blinking.
By the time the bell rings for the end of the day, I still haven’t figured out how to fix it. I thought maybe if I saw her in the hallway, I’d have a chance to explain. The moment I step outside, there she is. She’s standing by her locker, talking to Cali, laughing about something, but the second her eyes find mine, it is like everything freezes.
She stops, that smile slipping for just a fraction of a second before she forces it back. Her beautiful blue-violet eyes glazing over and turning icy.
I take a step forward, but she doesn’t move, doesn’t even look at me as she grabs her bag. Cali gives me this look, like she knows exactly what happened, and it hits me hard, the way they both seem to silently agree to ignore me.
“Hey,” I call, trying to sound normal, but my voice cracks, like I’m already apologizing, and I haven’t even said anything yet.
She doesn’t stop walking. She doesn’t even slow down.
I stand there, frozen, watching her disappear down the hall. It feels like I’m suffocating, like every breath is an inch closer to the truth I can’t escape. I ruined this. I ruined her. And no matter how many times I try to apologize, I know it won’t change the fact that I broke something that can never be fixed.
***
Nova
I am going to fucking strangle him, telling people I am a head-case and not worth the time. What the fuck! I walk over to Cali’s for a much needed girl’s night. She’s been down recently and hasn’t talked to me about what is going on, so I’m hoping we can talk all the things out.
I burst through the front door, shutting it closed behind me with a grin. “Hey girl, where are you?”
“Hi bestie!” Cali’s voice floats in from the kitchen. “I’m making us somecrack cookiesfor our official bitch and rant session!”
I pause in the hallway. “Wait—crack cookies?”
She laughs, full-on giggles. “YES. Chocolate chip cookieswith Rufflesmixed in. Gooey, salty-sweet perfection. I swear, they’re addictive. Hence the name.”
“Hold up,” I say, walking into the kitchen with my eyebrows raised. “You’re puttingpotato chipsin cookies?”
“Not just any potato chips, babe—Ruffles,” she says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “They’re the best. Just trust me. These are the ultimate girl’s night, cookie-fueled vent session snacks.”
She slides the tray into the oven, still laughing, and I’m already way too curious about how these salty-sweet little chaos cookies are going to taste.
“Come on, let’s go change while they bake!” she says, heading upstairs.
I duck into the half bath and change into my penguin pajama set—tank top, tiny super soft shorts. Cali’s got on the flamingo version I got her, so we’re basically an adorable sleepover team. By the time we make it back downstairs, the entire house smells like heaven.
We grab the cookies (which are, no joke,amazing) and sprawl out in the living room, surrounded by our messy pile of DVDs and throw blankets. I reach for another cookie, because wow, she wasn’t lying, and glance over at Cali as I do.
She’s laughing at some stupid rom-com trailer, but something catches my eye.
Her shorts have ridden up a bit, and I notice the cuts and scars on her thighs. Some are healing, others... not so much.
My smile falters for a second.
But I say nothing, yet.
I just sit there, holding the cookie in my hand, the sweetness turning just a little bittersweet.
“What’s that from?” I ask, nodding to her legs.
“Nothing.” She covers her legs with the blanket.
