Untouchable

Chapter 28: Calculation

Warning: Adult themes and violence. Mentions of physical and sexual assault.

Huge thanks to those of you who've read and voted on every chapter! xo

Only three more chapters left, which is why I've procrastinated putting this up! Thanks for reading!

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Chapter 28: Calculation

Will and I sat in the kitchen talking through our fail-safe plans. He had a bank account that held almost five thousand dollars from summer jobs and a left-over inheritance from his grandmother.

I had two thousand dollars, my pitiful college fund, which I imagine would deplete rapidly with the expenses a baby would bring. I'd always planned on getting some kind of job to replenish what would be lost, but the exhaustion of life and pregnancy had gotten in the way.

Our money combined could buy us some time... as long as the birth went well. I shook my head to erase the cloud of doom I felt hovering. If I started thinking about all the things that could go wrong I'd never move forward.

If things went bad here, as long as we got back to Phoenix, Will knew a guy that could hook us up with some stuff. I asked how a good guy like him, or who he'd been before last spring, would "know a guy." He scoffed and said that he was a nerd; if he had enough time and a laminator he could be "the guy" himself. But we couldn't assume we'd have time, so... he "knew a guy."

I kept repeating to myself that this was just in case. Dad still had witnesses, the police had my photos, and I was still pregnant.

Around ten, Ali trudged downstairs, resembling a troll. Her hair was literally sticking up everywhere. I didn't know hair that long could do that. I smiled at her, and she returned it with the stink eye.

"Good morning, sunshine. And here I thought that you were the morning person."

"Har har. I am a morning person when I actually sleep." She slumped into the kitchen chair across from me and laid her head on the table.

I looked at Will who was smirking, and barely succeeded to withhold a giggle. "You looked sound asleep a few hours ago."

"Doesn't feel like it," she groaned.

"You were sleepin', darlin'. We all heard it." Eliot appeared showered and dressed and entirely amused.

Will scoffed, and I bit my lip. Ali glared at Eliot. "What do you mean?"

He smiled, eyes lit up in teasing. "Nothing, darlin'. How 'bout we get this girl some coffee?"

I moved to stand, but Will pushed me back down. "I can get it," he said. "Just walk me through it."

While Will made coffee, I talked Ali and Eliot through the events of yesterday. They were kind enough not to mention my outburst.

"So witnesses, eh?" Eliot rubbed his chin.

"Stupid cowards should have spoken up sooner." Ali grumbled into her coffee. The glint in Will's eye showed that he agreed.

"Anyway, Jimmy claims they won't help us. So what's plan B?"

"Won't help? Why?" Eliot interjected.

I pursed my lips. "I assume that Mom leaked the information."

"Friggin' witch!" Ali exclaimed. She stood up, ready for a fight. "Where is she? It's time I took her down a flippin' peg."

"We haven't seen Jake and Susanne since we got up," Will answered for me. He gave her a look that said they needed to make plans. I rolled my eyes. I was through with my mother; if she was against us—fine. I would have to learn to deal with it eventually.