room watching movies with me while my mom sobbed in her bedroom and my dad stormed around the house packing his shit.”
“I had no idea.” I felt awful. How could I not know these things? I had thought Skylar and I were best friends. There was Adam, and there was Skylar. Sure, we all hung out together, but I had never thought of them having a friendship separate from me. How egocentric was that? I felt incredibly ashamed.
“You were there for me too, Meg. I wouldn’t have been able to get through all that if it weren’t for our late-night phone calls and sleepovers at your house. But there was Adam—and Kyle—too.”
I swallowed around the thick lump in my throat. It made sense that Adam would support Skylar. He had always been that kind of guy. Until he wasn’t anymore.
It hurt that he could still be that guy for Sky.
“Did you hang out with Chelsea too?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking, inwardly cringing at how babyish I sounded.
Skylar let out a noisy breath. “Yes, sometimes. But mostly Adam was by himself. We talk periodically. Not like we used to, but like old friends, which is what we are. And if you could see things clearly where Adam Ducateis concerned, you’d realize it’s incredibly selfish of you to expect me to cut him out of my life simply because you chose to cut him out of yours.”
I blinked rapidly so I wouldn’t tear up. Skylar’s words hit me hard because she was right. My wounded pride and hurt feelings were hard to let go of, but I needed to at least try. It wasn’t right to make Skylar feel as though she were in the middle. She had been put in that position most of her life by her parents. I had to get a grip.
That didn’t mean I had to forgive the jackass, though.
“I get it now. I’m sorry I jumped all over you,” I apologized.
Skylar shrugged. “It’s cool. I get it. You and Adam have bad blood between you. But you have to understand that’s why I never said anything. Because I knew you’d react just like that.” She pointed at my face.
“Still, Sky, you should have mentioned it.”
She shrugged again. It was one of her more infuriating traits. “Maybe, but you’ve been mad at him for so long it never felt like I could casually mention that ‘Hey, Adam and I still hang out.’”
“Okay, okay, point made.” I held up my hands in surrender. I was done talking about Adam. The topic was giving me a headache.
“So if you’re done grilling me, what’s this about the mural?” Skylar asked.
“It’s the town’s bicentennial this year, I guess. There’s a bunch of stuff planned over the summer to commemorate it. Mr. Ducate mentioned that the town was commissioning a massive mural to be painted downtown along the side of several local businesses. It appears Adam is heading up that committee, and he offered me the job. Which is crazy. I’ve never painted a mural in my life.”
Skylar sipped her coffee, making a face. “Yuck, the girl made me a cappuccino. I ordered a soymilk latte.” She pushed the cup away from her in disgust. “You should do it. It’ll be good for you. It’ll be outside in the fresh air, and you can get back into painting again.”
“I still paint,” I started to argue, but then stopped myself. I could lie to myself, but not to Skylar. “Yeah, okay, it does sound like a great opportunity. And I could use the money. Mom’s having some financial trouble.”
Skylar’s face clouded. “Is June okay? What’s going on?”
I knew Mom wouldn’t appreciate me telling anyone else about her debts, even if it was only Skylar. I smiled at my friend. “Nothing for you to worry about. I’ve got it covered.”
“Okay, but let me know if there’s ever anything I can do. June is the mom I wished mine could be.” Skylar loved my mom. All my friends did. She was the sort that embraced everyone and made them welcome.
“She loves you too, Sky,” I told her.
Skylar gave me a hard look. “Take the mural job. Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face, my friend. Don’t let your Adam rage get in the way of you doing something for you.”
She was right. Of course, she was.
But the idea of having to see Adam day in and day out made every part of my body tense. Was it anger?