Page 25 of Girl Violence

Emotion and panic builds inside of her. Josette knows the picture is terrible, and she had hoped no one in her family would see it, but her father’s reaction makes her feel worse about it. She knows he’s disappointed in her but hearing it dripping from every word stabs deep. He’salwaysdisappointed in her.

What, is he embarrassed that her mum had called to tell him about it? Had she criticized his parenting?

“You don’t respect me as your daughter,” she says. “Yes, it was stupid, but don’t act like you’ve never made mistakes. Your biggest one is standing right in front of you.”

Whirling around, Josette storms out of the house. He calls after her, but she ignores him, slamming the front door and rushing down the street. She knew his good mood was a fluke—

“Josette.” Turning around, Vince is outside his house with a jacket on, like he’s on his way out. He doesn’t have to say anything for Josette to know he heard all the shouting.

He doesn’t care about you either. Walk away.

Ignoring her inner thoughts, Josette goes to him instead. Before she knows what she’s doing, she wraps her arms around his waist and lets the tears fall. Vince goes still but then breathes out slowly and puts his arms around her as tightly as she can remember.

Just like old times.

CHAPTERNINE

Josette ends up in Vince’s bedroom. It’s the same as how she remembers, the same dark blue shade on the walls and wooden oak floors, but it’s also different. Because it doesn’t look like it belongs to someone who has settled. Most of his stuff is still in boxes, and it doesn’t look like he plans on unpacking.

It feels weird sitting on the end of his bed when before it wasn’t a second thought. Back then, things weren’t so complicated, and there weren’t so many secrets between them. And they weren’t older, and she wasn’t thinking about doing sexy things with him on this very bed.

Thankfully Vince is downstairs getting Josette a drink, so he doesn’t have to witness her daydreaming. On the way upstairs, they met Diane in the hallway. She told Josette she could stay if she wanted until things calmed down with her father.

Diane was painting the living room when the argument happened, so Josette knows she heard the shouting from all the open windows. If she didn’t feel so numb, she might’ve felt embarrassed, but they’ve all heard shouting between their houses before.

The door opens, and Josette’s back straightens as Vince walks in holding a mug. He hands it to her, and she takes it, smiling when she sees he’s made a hot chocolate. He remembered—it’s the drink that never fails to make anyone feel better.

But then Josette’s smile fades, and she sighs. She needs to stop. She shouldn’t be happy and shouldn’t have hugged him. That was a moment of weakness on her part. He was always there whenever she was hurting in the past, and she reverted. Even when it felt so good hugging him—like home.

“Thanks.” She takes a sip and sets it down on his bedside table. She finally lets herself take him in properly since she pulled away from his embrace. He’s sat on a chair in front of her, eyes searching her face. God, she would give anything to know what he was thinking. “Uhm…You can leave if you’re going somewhere.”

“I was just coming back.” Removing his jacket, he slings it across the back of the chair. “I was hanging out with my old friends and was just coming home when I heard...”

“When you heard my dad reminding me what a failure I am.”

“I bet he’s more disappointed in himself.”

Standing, Josette wraps her arms around herself as she gazes around his bare room. She and her dad have argued worse than this before, and she’s coped, though he’s never said he’s sending her away. He must have reached a point where the easier option is relocating her rather than making an effort.

“It’s fine. I’ll go home tomorrow, and it will be like nothing happened.”

“Until the next time, right?” Josette glances at him tiredly, knowing he isn’t wrong. He pulls a packet of smokes out of his pocket and goes to his window, pushing it open.

She stands beside him and watches him light up with that same dragon lighter. But before he can take a pull, Josette reaches over and takes it out of his mouth, putting it in hers. Inhaling a cloud of smoke, she hands it back, eyes lifting to his. She coughs slightly when she sees his eyes focused on her lips. And still, he gives nothing away, certainly not the reason for his sudden interest in her mouth.

As she exhales smoke, he looks away, taking a drag of it himself. Silence floats around them, and it drives her crazy.

“Can I use your laptop?” she asks, spying it on his dresser.

“Go for it.”

Grabbing it, Josette sits back on his bed and opens the lid, firing it on as he continues smoking out of his window with his back to her. After it finally loads, she pulls out the USB Jason gave her and pops it into the port.

“That better not have a virus on it,” he warns her, flicking the stub out of the window. Josette looks at him flatly, but she hopes so too. Jasonwoulddo something like that.

Returning to the screen, she clicks on the file as Vince sits next to her. After it loads, Josette frowns when she sees just two video clips on it. She clicks on the first one. It’s a black screen and weird crackling sounds on it. After a whole minute of nothing happening, Josette clicks out of it thinking it a dud file. Clicking on the second, there’s static, and some rustling, like the person filming is outside. Finally, there’s light. It’s coming from a window, and once it’s focused, you can see someone being pushed onto a bed. Josette’s eyes widen when she sees Alyssa on her hands and knees being fucked from behind by Tyler.

“What the fuck...” Vince says next to her, but they both still watch on. In the middle of it, the door opens, and Ian joins them. He sits on the chair and watches the pair with his hand rubbing his crotch.

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