Page 20 of Still Here

“Did you see me running away today?”

“No, but I did see the looks you and Miguel were giving each other. When did you start sleeping with him again?”

“W-What?” Becky chokes out, clearly thrown off by my question.

“Oh, don’t act like a prude. I know you very well, Rebecca Williams, and you have that recently fucked glow around you.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“Mhmm… If you say it enough times, you might even believe it yourself.”

“I do believe it! Besides, we were talking about you, and you’re evading my question.”

“Am not.”

“Liar.”

Turning around, I pull open the door. Becky stumbles forward in surprise. I just quirk my brow at her. “Well, I guess that makes two of us.”

“I guess it does,” Becky huffs.

I take her hands in mine and give them a firm squeeze. “Soon. I promise. I have my reasons.”

Becky nods. “I know. I just worry.”

Well, you aren’t the only one.

I still remember the almost empty look on Becky’s face when I first saw her during the school holidays when I returned home. I instantly knew something was wrong, only to realize, after I threatened to beat her ass, that she and Miguel had been broken up for weeks, and she didn’t even call to tell me. A part of me was hurt; the other part wanted to knock some sense into her. Becky was the first person to jump in and help out when you were feeling down, but when she needed somebody, she’d usually close in on herself and rarely ask for help. I hated that. I hated that my friend needed me, but I didn’t even realize it.

“I worry about you, too,” I whisper softly. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing? You were…”

“I know how I was. But things are…” Becky lets out a sigh. “Complicated.”

“Aren’t they always?” I rub my thumb over the back of her hand. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

I love Miguel. I couldn’t not. They were both my friends, and it hurt seeing them separate when I knew deep down they were meant to be together.

“I’m not. I’m not the girl I was back in high school. This time around, I know exactly what I’m getting into. At the end of this, he’s going to go back to Dallas, and I’ll stay here, and I’m fine with that.”

I just watch her for a moment. “Are you really?”

“I am. This is our goodbye. A real goodbye.”

Becky forces out a smile, but I can see right through it, and my heart aches for my two friends. I want them to find a way to work through this, but I know what Becky is saying is correct. Miguel will never choose to stay here, and Becky could never leave her family, not when her mom needed her.

“C’mon, let’s get you back to your groom before he sends out a search party.”

Nodding my agreement, we leave the house and join the rest of the partygoers. Some of the people have left, but there is still a decent amount of guests lingering around.

I spot Emmett with our college friends, so I leave Becky and join them.

Emmett extends his arm to me, and I place mine in his, letting him pull me in.

“Two out of three Ravens have fallen; when are you two planning to get hitched?” Jade asks Callie and Hayden.

“Well, technically, it’s two against two,” Hayden points out. “You’re forgetting about Prescott.”

Jade rolls her eyes. “I’m not forgetting anything. I’m just refusing to think about the man when he’s not in my vicinity. Nobody needs that kind of negativity in their lives.

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