High School Treachery | ✓

43 | Graduation

4 3
Graduation

The second the car stops in front of my house, David shoves me off of him and jumps out.

"If there is one fucking scratch on my baby, you're both getting my foot up your asses!" he shouts as he inspects his car.

Malia exits from the driver's side. "Keep your kinks to yourself," she tells him, rolling her eyes. When she sees me slowly getting out of the car, her face softens. "Lyndon..."

"I'm fine," I say, though the break in my voice gives away how not fucking fine I am.

For the first time since moving back here and reconnecting with my cousin, I see her actually look conflicted. Like she doesn't even know what to say to me.

"Wow, you look like shit," a new voice says, coming closer as it continues. "Malia, I asked for your help in cheering Lynnie up, not making it worse. Me and Knox could've just done that."

I don't even bother turning to look at my annoying twin, but the angry glare Malia sends his way succeeds in shutting him the fuck up.

Thanks, Malia. You were always the best at shutting Noah down.

"We can... we can talk about it," Malia says softly to me, stepping closer. "If you want."

Adding the if you want makes me think she'd really rather not hear what happened, and truthfully, I don't even wanna say. How many times am I going to have to cry over him? Feel this way because of him? How many more times can I handle how hurtful our relationship is?

Then, I pause. What relationship is there to handle anymore? If anything was made clear from this airport trip, and finally talking to Jalen after our last fight, it's that we are done.

So why can't I accept that? Why can't I believe that's true? Why does it hurt so fucking much to say we're over, even after everything?

He slept with Cortney. He actually had sex with her. After all she's done to me, said about me and my family. He ran to her the second he was free of me. The girl his parents approve of, the one they're begging him to marry, the biggest obstacle in our entire relationship—and he went to her.

I hate him. I fucking hate him.

Well, I wish I actually did. That'd make this a lot easier.

"Where did you guys even go?" Noah asks while adjusting the watch on his wrist.

I assume he's about to head off for a run, judging by his clothes and the fact that he uses that specific watch to mark his times. I wish he'd just take off. The more we all talk, the harder it is for me to hold it in. I cried enough on the ride here already.

"We went to see Jalen," David answers, apparently done checking his baby and ready to engage in conversation. "Which, as you can tell, was a huge ass mistake. Nice going, Malia."

Malia huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, and for a second, I think I actually see sadness on her face—as if the outcome of bringing me to Jalen really has upset her.

"What!" Noah yells dramatically, eyes looking ready to pop out of his head. "You took her to Jalen? Are you two fucking idiots? Why would you do that?"

"They needed to talk," Malia defends, eyes hardening. "There's clearly been a lot of miscommunication, so I thought..."

She trails off, seeming unsure of what else to say.

"You thought wrong," David finishes for her.

"Yeah," Noah agrees with him, nodding along. "Because clearly," he says while motioning toward me, "nothing was fixed! In fact, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you've somehow made this whole thing worse."