Burnout - Coralee June Page 0,25

been sleeping with her. She was a one-night stand that wouldn’t quit. I felt my body grow clammy with sweat. The reminders of everything else that happened afterward broke through me like a freight train. Mom’s addiction to booze. Dad’s yelling. He could deflect with the best of them.

“Decker,” a voice said softly. “Decker!” it screamed. I blinked. Blinked again. Blinked a third time before digging my nails into the table once more. My eyes went back to Blakely, who looked as terrified as I felt. “I want to be a doctor.”

The smoke cleared. The screams faded. “A doctor, huh?” I choked out.

“Don’t think too highly of me. It’s not because some doctor changed my life while Mama was in the hospital. I just think it’s the only profession that’ll fit with my terrible handwriting.”

“Wait, what? You’re picking a dream job based on the fact that your handwriting is bad?” I asked while shaking my head, all previous thoughts fading from existence.

“That’s why it’s a dream job, Decker,” she said before standing and putting her coffee mug in the sink. She didn’t ask about my parents. She didn’t ask about what happened or where my mind went just now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was distracting me. Why the fuck was that? “It’s a dream. I can do whatever I want. Reality, though? I’ll be lucky to keep this job with Rose.”

Yeah. We’d see about that. Suddenly, I started racing through my knowledge of the admission process for the school I worked at. Something about her answer and nonchalance made me determined.

“We still on for Tuesday?” I asked as she walked down the hall, away from me. I didn’t like that she was leaving so soon.

“Yeah, I suppose,” she called back. And when I heard the door to her bedroom shut, it was like all those bad memories came flooding back.

Yep. I was definitely fucked.

7

Blakely

“This is where you wanted to take me?” I asked as Decker’s classic car, an ostentatious man-machine with black paint and shiny chrome, pulled up to a large, modern school. The manicured lawns and white concrete exterior made the building look polished and welcoming, but I was intimidated all the same. A crest hung over the front door boasting its name: Memphis Academy for Math and Sciences, or MAMS for short.

Decker rolled his eyes while he put the car in park before twisting in his seat to stare at me. “I have to get the labs ready for school. I figured I could give you a quick tour of the place, and you can help me get everything set up.”

I felt myself growing angry at another unexpected twist. First, it was the sneaky bribe to get me to tell my secrets. Now, he was taking me to school even though I hadn’t made any decisions yet. Decker bit his lip as he openly observed me, a small smirk kissing his features. He knew exactly what he was doing, and it was pissing me off.

“Who says I even want to help you? Besides, wouldn’t it be weird for a teacher to be spending his Saturday with a prospective student alone on campus?” I taunted. His easy-going expression slipped a fraction, and I watched in amusement as doubt flickered across his dark eyes. Got him.

He pulled his keys from the ignition before opening the door with a confident shove. “Are you insinuating there’s something inappropriate going on?” he asked in a deep voice that I felt in my core. “Because I was just planning on showing my best friend’s baby sister around. I’d hate for you to get any ideas about this.” He stood up and slammed the car door shut as I sputtered in disbelief. That asshole.

I opened my door and got out with a huff, hating the way light chuckles escaped his lips as I fumbled to stalk over to him.

Once we were both standing in the concrete parking lot, I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance before addressing him. “I don’t have ideas about this,” I replied in a whisper before gesturing between us. “I was just looking out for you. I don’t usually go for older guys, anyway,” I added while looking him up and down with scrutiny. Even though I tried to appear nonchalant, my eyes still lingered on his broad shoulders and long, muscular legs.

“Older, huh?” he asked with another chuckle. I hated how self-assured he sounded. Decker looked around the empty parking lot before taking