Torn (Torn Series) Page 0,63
on our way back to Charleston before dawn the next morning. I remained quiet the first part of the ride as I thought about last night. Seeing Drake had been a shock to my already fragile heart. I realized that even though I hated him, I still cared about him so much that it hurt. Having my heart out there for him to crush made me feel vulnerable and that vulnerability scared me more than the feelings I had for him.
Amber seemed to blame my quietness on the early morning hours and left me alone as the miles slipped away in silence. We stopped at the half way point to grab something to eat, use the restroom, and fill the car back up with gas. My mood was greatly improved when we went to the restroom. Amber refused to ever sit on any public toilet seat, especially one as disgusting as this one was. The walls were covered with stains that I didn’t even want to contemplate and the stalls were covered in more graffiti than a train car.
She was in the stall beside me holding onto the walls like a monkey when I heard a commotion followed by a splash and a few choice words. I stifled my laughter as the curses continued.
“Do I even want to know?”
“Shut up! I just fell in this God awful bacteria infested toilet! I think I’m going to vomit!”
I couldn’t contain my laughter as she came out of the stall, the back of her T-shirt soaking wet. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I bent over clutching my stomach. “Oh my God Amber, I’m dying right now. I. Can’t. Breathe!” I managed to gasp out between fits of laughter.
Amber shot me a death glare as she washed her hands and walked back to the car. She pulled a shirt out of one her bags in the backseat cursing as she went. She took her shirt off right in the parking lot and threw the clean one on.
“I need a shower pronto.”
I was still chuckling as we made our way up the entrance ramp and into the congested traffic. I pulled one of my favorite CD’s out and threw it into the stereo. We spent the rest of the drive head banging and singing off key.
Emma ran out to meet us as soon as we pulled into the driveway, Dave right behind her. She grabbed us as soon as we were out of the car and pulled us into a rib crushing hug. “My babies!”
I laughed as I pulled away and rubbed my now tender ribs. “I missed you too Em.”
She kissed my cheek as Dave started grabbing our bags and taking them into the house. I grabbed a few to help him and made my way up the sidewalk to the massive house. Although I had pretty much lived here during my high school years, I was still dazzled by the size and beauty of their home.
It was a two story colonial red brick home with white windows and trimmings. Two large white pillars sat in front to support the roof of the massive porch that had several hanging baskets of flowers spaced across it. The yard and flower garden in front were well tended. Around the back of the house, I knew there was a full tennis court and an in ground pool that took up most of the space.
Emma was an emergency physician at the local hospital while Dave ran his own law firm. Needless to say they were rolling in the dough, but for all the grandeur of their home, I had never met two people who were more down to Earth. I stepped into the spacious marble floored foyer and glanced around to see if anything had changed. Everything remained the same, except for a few pictures hanging on the wall that Amber had sent home of us at college. My heart clenched at the one of me standing between Drake and Logan at the bar one night, all of us smiling and happy.
To my left was the kitchen, where Emma was making sandwiches for us. It was bright and cheery, designed with beautiful pastel colors and white tiled floors, the appliances all black and state of the art. The dining room opened up across from it. A polished oak table sat directly in the center of the room, large enough to sit ten guests.
To my right was the living room. The leather couch sat against the far wall,