Page 5 of Bleeding Hearts

Luckily, my mind has always been stronger than any other part of me.

I look down to the text he just sent.

Asher: BBQ at my boss’s at five. Lots of free food (none as good as yours) and free booze. It normally goes until pretty late. You and Lo should come hang.

He sends a second text with the address, followed by a SpongeBob meme that reads, “You miss me, don’t you?” I laugh at the meme, some of the anger from my meeting with my mother leaving my body as I do.

Anxiety still has its claws in me though, and the free booze is desperately calling my name. It might be a shit idea to use alcohol as my coping mechanism for the day, but right now it’s my only idea. I open up the messages to respond.

Demi: free food AND free booze??? soldddddd :)

I click send on the message and follow it with a SpongeBob meme to match his that reads, “See You Soon!”

I shove my phone into my purse as I walk into my apartment. I see Lo sitting on the couch, still in her pajamas, watching TV while playing on her phone.

“Fantastic news,” I say loudly. I smile at her as she looks over at me, an eyebrow raised as she waits for me to continue. “Get up and get dressed. We’re going to a barbecue.”

CHAPTERTWO

Demi

“Why did I agree to this?” Logan shakes her leg anxiously from where she sits next to me in the passenger seat.

It took more convincing than I thought to get her to come with me to the barbecue. But somehow, I managed to get her dressed and in the car and we’re officially on our way.

It’s nearing seven p.m. and Asher said it started at five, but who am I if not a little fashionably late? As I pull into the suburban neighborhood, it doesn’t take long to spot the house where the barbecue is taking place.

Cars are packed into the small driveway and line the road all the way down the street. It’s just my luck that someone is pulling away from a spot on the street that’s directly in front of the house just as we’re pulling up. I pull into the spot before turning to face Lo.

“Because you love me and because you need to get out of the house and have fun on your day off. I love you, but I refuse to let work become your sole personality trait.”

She rolls her eyes at me as I turn off the car and open the door to get out. I look much different from what I looked like when I met with my mother earlier in the day.

My once straight hair is now bouncing with soft curls and my natural makeup from earlier now includes winged black eyeliner, white eyeliner on my waterline, and fresh mascara to make my dark-blue eyes pop.

I kept on my jeans from earlier and changed my top into a lacy black bralette with a white, short sleeve crop top that stops about halfway down my chest over it, the lacy material peeking out from under it. I kept on my white Nike Air Force 1s and finished the look with glossy pink lips.

It’s still family-friendly, but the black lace gives it a bit of danger. It’s something both my father and mother would’ve thrown a fit over, so obviously, I fucking love it.

I lock the car and walk next to Lo to the gate on the side of the house that I can see other people coming in and out of. Music fills the air, and the smell of smoke and burgers clings to my nose, making my stomach rumble.

I never did get to eat that chicken salad earlier. Just another shitty thing about today because I really fucking love that chicken salad. Now that I think about it, I can’t remember exactly when the last time I ate was, which is definitely out of the ordinary for me.

Food and me? Besties. Maybe it’s the chef in me that fell in love with constantly expanding my palate as a kid, but I have a special appreciation for food in every way, shape, and form. It’s rare for me to find an ingredient that I don’t like or, at the very least, see the appeal of.

But right now, I’m on the hunt for my other best friend.

Tequila.

I push open the side gate to a large backyard filled with people. It’s mainly adults, with a few kids scattered around. I look over to Lo to see her eyes locked firmly on my brother, who hasn’t noticed that we’re here yet. I laugh under my breath to myself, she’s totally fucked.

I watch Asher walk up to my brother, who is standing with another man and a little girl. Asher says something to Kaden, and I watch as my brother’s eyes change from relaxed to pissed.

My body stiffens and I fight to push down my nerves. My brother is a good guy, one who I believe would never lay a hand on me or any other woman for that matter. But watching his eyes turn angry, the same eyes as mine, the same eyes as my father, jolts me in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

“You okay?” Lo asks, noticing my sudden change in demeanor.

“Yeah, of course.” I stand taller and adorn my face with a bright, reassuring smile. “Let’s go say hi.” I grab her hand to lead her over to where Asher is now holding the little girl in front of him, laughter flowing freely from the both of them.

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