Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“Everything is fine, Mom. Mitch is trying to talk me out of wanting to graduate early.”
She frowned as she looked between the two of us. “What? Skylar, we talked about this. Your father and I think it would be best for you to finish out your senior year. There is no rush here. Why on earth are you in such a hurry to leave?”
Mitch looked at me.
I forced a smile. “I thought it would be nice to take a trip before I started college—you know, get away for a bit. I’ve always wanted to go to Italy.”
My mother laughed. “Honestly, sweetheart, there is no way in hell that your father and I would ever let you go to Italy alone. We told you, we’ll all go as a family this summer after you and your brother graduate.” Smiling, she leaned down and kissed Mitch and then me on the cheek. “Get some rest, darling. You look so tired.”
And like that, the conversation was over. She turned and walked out the door.
I fell back and sighed. “I’m never going to get out of this damn town—ever.”
“What about Wyatt? He really wants to talk to you.”
Tears stung my eyes. “I think it’s best if Wyatt leaves me alone. I have a feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better, and I don’t want him to be stuck in the middle. People will start spreading rumors about him.”
Mitch shook his head. “I think you need to call him and let him make that decision on his own.”
“No! He kissed Jenny, and it’s been posted for the world to see. I’m done. I need to finish up the school year. I knew I shouldn’t have even talked to him. What was I thinking?”
“Sky, he didn’t post the picture. He didn’t kiss her back.”
“Mitch, please. I need to study. Can I please be alone for a bit?”
He turned to go, but he looked back at me with a weak smile. “I don’t know why you’re all of a sudden pushing him away, but I think you’re making a mistake. He knows the truth, and he really does like you, Sky.”
Lifting my chin, I forced myself not to cry. “Yeah…well, I don’t think that’s enough.”
Mitch closed his eyes while he shook his head. Turning, he slowly shut the door behind him.
***
That Monday, I did everything in my power to ignore Wyatt. The pleading in his voice for me to talk to him about killed me.
Finally, by fifth period, he stopped asking to talk to me. In a way, it broke my heart that he had given up that easily. It was for the best though, especially after the note in my locker this morning. This time, it said that Wyatt was a player, moving from slut to slut. The more he stayed away, the better.
***
By Wednesday, I couldn’t take it. Sitting next to Wyatt in English and calculus was proving to be more difficult than I’d thought. The way his eyes looked so sad had me almost breaking down more than one time.
Walking into the school office, I smiled at Mrs. Richardson.
“Hi, Skylar. What can I help you with?”
“I need to change my schedule.”
Pinching her eyebrows, she leaned in closer. “Is someone bothering you, Skylar?”
I loved Mrs. Richardson. She was always so kind to me. “Um…not really, but I really need to change my English and calculus classes.”
She started typing on her computer. “I can change you without too much interruption in the schedule.”
“Will it change my lunch?”
“No, you’ll have the same lunch.”
I was both relieved and upset. Wyatt had sat at our table on Monday and Tuesday, but I’d ignored him completely. Today, he’d sat with the football team, and it’d about killed me. Mitch had said it was because Wyatt couldn’t stand me ignoring him. According to Mitch, I was destroying Wyatt.
Pushing it from my mind, I thought back to the kiss.
This was for the best—for me and for Wyatt.
At least in my mind I thought that.
If only my heart agreed…
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
* * *
Wyatt
“HI, YOU’VE REACHED Skylar. Please leave a message, and I’ll get back with you as soon as I can.”
Dropping my phone on the passenger seat of my truck, I pushed my hand through my hair and let out a frustrated moan.
Hitting the steering wheel, I shouted, “Fuck!”
I shook my head and reached for my duffel bag. There was no use in bringing my phone. The only person I cared to talk to was ignoring me. No matter how much I’d begged her to talk to me, she would only look in my eyes and slowly shake her head. The sadness in them had had me wanting to drop to the ground on my knees and plead with her.
Walking into the locker room, I got ready to play the last football game of my senior year. It was the state championship game, and after this, I’d never get dressed in my high school football jersey again.