Page 104 of Faux Real
“Max, hold on,” I say, putting her on mute. I smile at my mom. “Can I stay with you over the break?”
“Of course, baby,” Mom says. “As long as your father—”
“I’ll tell him I’m staying at Max’s,” I say. “He won’t care. He never does.”
Mom frowns. “Ken—”
“Later,” I say, forcing a smile.
One fire at a time.
thirty-two
Mistakes and Stakes
OLIVER
“Hey!Kid!Wakeup!”
“Bugger off,” I groan as someone repeatedly kicks my shin. My brain pounds as I roll over, the clanging of cans echoing in my ear. “Shut up.”
“Bud, you gotta go,” the voice says. “I have a rental for the space in like half an hour.” I don’t move. “Oliver! Get the fuck up.”
“Fuck!” My eyelids flicker open as Bobby’s face comes into focus.Shit. “Just give me a few more minutes.”
“You have ten minutes.” Bobby shakes his head, judgment oozing from his glare as he surveys all the empty beer cans and trash around the band space. “I’m charging you and the boys a cleaning fee. Hope you know.”
“Here—” I sit up, leaning against the edge of the couch as I pull my wallet out of my pocket and hand Bobby two hundred dollar bills. “This enough?”
“I will never understand your generation.” Bobby clicks his tongue, judgment now morphing into pity. “One day you’re gonna have to get your shit together.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, a sour taste coating my tongue as the events of last night flash in my head. “Shit.”
When Bobby finally leaves the room, I glance around the floor I apparently slept on for my phone. Oh God. Please be a dream. Please be a dream.
Unlocking the screen, I’m smacked with reality. She did text me last night. I didn’t make that up. She told me she was going to be late. Why didn’t I check my phone? Why didn’t I take one fucking minute to check my goddamn phone? What’s wrong with me? Why couldn’t I have given her the benefit of the doubt? Why?
I squint, scrolling up to unread messages from Max. From 1 a.m. last night. Lovely. This should be good.
Max: DUDE WTF HAPPENED? KENNY TOLD ME EVERYTHING AND I AM GOING TO KICK YOUR STOOOPID BRITISH ASS LIKE IT’S 177-FUCKING-6!
Max: OLIVER, do NOT ignore me! Tell me what was going on in that dumb DUMB head of yours?!?!?!
Max: You are DEAD TO ME.
Max: DEAD.
I rub my eyes, my gut twisting as I continue reading.
Max: K, that was harsh BUT DUDE, seriously, what did you do? WHY? I thought you and Ken were finally gonna get together but instead you MAKE OUT WITH A GOTH CHICK? Like what?!
Max: Call me in the morning cause this shit is NOT OKAY. AT FUCKING ALL.
I drop my head to my knees, the pain in my heart overtaking the pain pulsing my temples.
She’s right. What I did was not okay. It was idiotic and impulsive, and it ruined everything. Everything I touch turns to utter shit. I’m shit. Christ, what is wrong with me? How could I do that? To Kennedy? To the girl that’s the one fucking good thing in my life.
And now she’s gone. Just like that. I’ve lost her. She hates me.
