Page 39 of His Pretty Little Lies
“Oh, he texted me asking if we could give you a lift back to the house.” Cosima pulls her phone out. I grab mine too. Sure enough, I do have a text from him. He must have sent it right when he got back to the locker room. He hasn’t been off the field that long.
Jax:Can you meet me back at the house? I need to talk to the coach and see about a few things.
“I got a text from him, too,” I tell Cosima, wondering what things he needs to see about. It must be football-related, and he doesn’t want me to have to linger and wait. Blair’s nosy ass steals a glance at my phone. I can’t say I wouldn't have done the same.
“This is bullshit, Mom.” Nix hops over. “Dad said Jax is going to a party, but I can’t.”
Wait, what the hell? Out of the corner of my eye, I see Blair's lips press into a firm line. I’m sure she’s thinking the same thing I am. I can’t help the hundreds of scenarios that seem to simultaneously run through my mind. Why would he not tell me he was going?
“You’re a freshman,” Cosima tells her. “And you need to mind yourself.” There is a firmness in Cosima’s tone I’ve never heard before.
This must be the other side Jax says there is to his mom. That she’s as sweet as can be unless she has reason not to be. Then you’ll get a whole other person. This has Nix backing down, only nodding.
I’m not nodding at shit. I grit my back teeth. Jax didn’t lie to me, but he also hopped right over what he was up to.
“Kins is coming with me, actually. We have plans,” Blair says out of nowhere.
“Really?” Cosima’s brows pull together, her eyes bouncing between us. “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” I get the sense Cosima might want to order me to do so, but it’s not her place.
I mean, I’m sure they could toss me into the trunk of a car, but I don’t see this warranting that.
“Yep, I need some—” I almost say girl time, but I know Cosima would sink her nails into that and try to get us to go with her. “Some Blair time.”
“Well, okay then.” Cosima gives me a hug. “I guess I’ll see you back at the house later?”
“I’m not sure,” I tell her honestly.
“Let’s roll.” Blair has slid her arm into mine and is tugging me away before Cosima or any more of the Marinos might try to lure me back with them. They have been closing in around us. I saw how intently Z was watching me. “The fuck?” Blair asks when we’re out of earshot.
“No clue.” I hate the ache that has formed in my chest. I can’t help but think that this is what I get for letting my guard down when it comes to Jax.
“You want to go to that party?” Blair asks. I feel my phone vibrate. I pull it out of my back pocket to see another text from Jax.
Jax:Bunny?
Jax:Ride with my mom.
Jax:Are you going to Blair’s house?!
“Fuck that.” Blair plucks my phone out of my hand. I think she’s going to send him a scathing text back, but instead she powers it off. “We’re going to the party.”
“Not sure I want to see him. Especially if he ends up at the party.” While the curious part of me wants to know what he’s up to, my heart is begging me not to subject it to seeing Jax in any sort of compromising situation.
“But don’t you want to know why he’s not telling you that he’s going? What is he up to?” We stop when we get to her Jeep in the back school parking lot.
“If I see him with one of those girls?—”
“Then you’ll know.”
“Then I’ll know.” I nod in agreement. You know what they say about curiosity killing the cat. I can’t help myself. I suppose this is one way of finding out the truth of not only what Jax is up to but also his intentions with me.
Chapter Nineteen
JAX
Ihit the showers and quickly get changed. My grip on my phone is so tight I’m surprised the screen doesn’t shatter. My little bunny is not responding to my texts. What the hell is going on? This isn’t like her.
A text comes in from my mom telling me Blair and Kinsley took off together. Which isn’t that big of a deal. If they wanted to go hang or do whatever girl shit, I’m okay with that. But I want to be around to make sure she’s safe. A few new pieces of information have popped up that I want to check into.
