Bitter Kisses (It's Just High School #3) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,148

followed, I felt so angry, I was sure I was going to call him or track him down and beat his ass, but I restrained myself. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me affected by him.

“Uh, thank you, John,” I mumble, then glance at Liam and Cole who shrugs.

“He insisted on tagging along,” Liam says sarcastically. “And traveling with him has its own perks. He charted one of Ju… I mean, his private planes to come out here.”

For a second, I’m sure Liam was going to say Julian’s name, but I shake it off as I look at John.

“You didn’t have to be here,” I mutter, glancing at my Mom who’s silently crying.

“It wasn’t a problem,” he says, looking at me. “I know Nancy would’ve wanted me to at least be here in her stead and I personally wanted to be here and see you soar like an eagle.”

My chest clenches tightly all over again as the part of my heart that is still moaning the loss of my aunt tugs at the strings of grief in me. I haven’t seen John since years ago in that hospital room when I divulged all the shit Nathan did, and now, looking at him, I can’t help but wonder what happened to his stepbrother. Only this time, I wonder out loud.

The tension on our small circle changes,

Dread decides to make an entrance so spectacular as Mom looks away. Cole, who’s always good vibes and positive energy, grows tense beside me. He looks almost livid. Liam looks away, as if he doesn’t even want to hear Nathan’s name. So, I look at John, sure that he knows.

“Nathan is dead,” he says simply.

I don’t ask. I don’t bother commenting on the news. I just take a deep breath and announce that we can move to the hall for snacks and whatever.

After all the festivities of the day, Cole gives me another tight hug, saying he has a flight to catch but I had this feeling that he was uncomfortable and on edge the whole time he was here.

I expect him not to say anything about Julian, keeping with our non-verbal agreement to let the past be, but when he pulls me aside at the restaurant John booked for my celebratory dinner, I see it in his eyes.

“I was told to give you a little something,” he had said.

“I don’t want anything from him.”

“Mia, he said—”

“Throw it away, whatever it is or burn it if you can, but I don’t want it.”

“Maybe you’re being too rash—”

“It’s been four years. I’ve moved on. I don’t give a damn anymore.”

He just stared down at me, then wrapped me in his arms so softly and carefully, my heart kinda broke at his continued sincerity with me.

“Maybe I’m just an optimistic, sentimental fool but to me, you two are not over, baby girl. Not by a long shot.”

And with that, he places a kiss on my forehead and then he’s gone.

Liam on the other hand doesn’t even talk about his brother. He just glares at his father all night, drinking and checking his phone obsessively, like he’s waiting on something.

“Why don’t you just call first.”

“Call who?” he says, looking alarmed. That look in his eyes though…

“Roxy,” I whisper. “Or is it her twin, Kendra?”

His face tightens almost immediately. His jaw clenches, making him look like a pissed off, perfectly etched marble statue.

“Did you call Julian?” he fires right back and that’s how Liam and I hurt each other. We go for the deepest wound but in his case, I have no idea what happened between him and Roxy.

It’s later when John asks to talk to me in private. I’m not sure what he wants to say, but I just follow him to a private room off the private dining room we’re in.

“Before you say anything, John. I don’t want to hear anything about your older son or about your stepbrother,” I say as soon as the door closes.

“I’m not here to cause you any anguish, Mia,” John says softly. “I just… please sit.”

I’m skeptical at first but I drop down into one of the fancy chairs close to the faux fireplace. John takes the one opposite me.

“I was fourteen when I met Nancy,” he starts. My head whips up to look at him as soon as he says those words. I wasn’t expecting him to say that. No one talks about Nancy and John and John doesn’t seem like the type to just offer up