Page 118 of Betting on You

He got up and they hugged as people around us clapped, and I had the weird sensation of being all alone in the world. Logically I knew that wasn’t the case, but the pinch in my heart and the homesickness in my stomach said otherwise.

I sat there, numb, as the wheels on yet another new life started turning. For the rest of my life, it would be my mom and Scott.

“Can you believe it?” my mom asked, pulling out of the hug to grin at me and hold out her hand.

“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head and working really hard to come up with a smile. I grabbed my bag from the back of my chair and slung it over my shoulder. “I forgot that I have to go—I have a thing with Charlie. I’ll catch up to you at home, okay?”

“What?” my mom asked, her smile dimming just a little. “You’re leaving?”

“I just have to do something,” I said, blinking back tears while giving her a big smile. “But you stay and celebrate. Congratulations, you guys!”

I headed for the exit, walking as fast as I could because I didn’t want to break down and ruin her night.

Somehow, I managed to wait until I turned the corner into a Walgreens before sobbing hysterically.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWOCharlie

“Check it out,” Eli said, opening the cabinet where Clark kept his booze.

“Duuuuude.” Austin got a shitty grin on his face as he pointed to the bottle of Jack. “What the fuck is this?”

“Don’t even think about it.” I reached over his head and slammed the cupboard door. “That belongs to the douche, and I’d rather have my nails plucked out than listen to one of his lectures.”

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket.

Bailey: Is there any way you can come get me?

I hated how happy that made me, knowing she was coming to the party. I hopped onto the counter and texted:I suppose. Where’s your car, Glasses?

Austin pulled a twelve-pack out of his baseball bag and put it in the fridge, and I wondered just how many people those two had told about the party.

Bailey: I’m at the Walgreens on 132nd and Center. I walked here because while my mom and I were having dinner at Zio’s, Scott showed up and PROPOSED.

Holy shit, holy shit. I texted:Did she give him an answer?

Please don’t say yes, I thought.

Bailey: She said yes.

I sent:Fuuuck. You okay, Mitchell?

She wasn’t; I knew she wasn’t. Even though I couldn’t see her, I knew exactly what Bailey’s face looked like at that moment, and it broke my heart.

Bailey: I ran out of the restaurant and now I’m bawling in the pharmacy, begging you for a ride home. That’s okay, right?

Ah. She wasn’t texting because she wanted a ride to my party; she was texting because she needed to be rescued.

Made sense.

I pulled my keys from my pocket and got off the counter. Typed:Absolutely it is. Hang tight—I’m on my way.

“Party’s off,” I said as I slid the phone into my jeans, not making eye contact with either of my friends. “I have to go now.”

“What?”Austin asked, his voice rising in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No way, bro,” Eli said, shaking his head and pointing at my chest. “What the hell happened? You arenotbacking out, you fucking hermit. We’ve already called everyone.”

“I have to, it’s an emergency,” I said, having zero intention oftelling them about Bailey. “And I have to gonow. Let’s just move it to tomorrow night.”

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