his eyes. “You’re a very intelligent girl and I know you can go to any school you want. Your IQ is high, princess. We can get you the applications to get a scholarship, but I’m sure in a year, I’ll be up on my feet again.”
“That’s what you said last year,” I interrupt. “And the year before that.”
He stops, but he can’t look at me, let alone hold my gaze.
“Yeah, well, I’m so sorry, princess. This time, it’s going to be different. We just need to have some faith.”
Faith… Faith hasn’t worked for me so far, has it?
“What about Mom?” I question.
“You’re not going down the drain with my sister.”
We both look to the door where Aunt Nicky stands there, her palms balled into tight fists at her sides.
“Come on, Nicky. I’m not in the mood to fight with you,” Dad grumbles.
“I don’t give a damn about your moods, Nathan. You’ve destroyed my sister’s life enough, but this…” She takes a few steps into the studio. “You’re a disgrace to her.”
“I don’t give a damn what you think! What’s going on between me and my wife is none of your business.”
“Oh, give me a fucking break, Nathan. You haven’t been there for Nancy! Not since you found out that she’s got ALS…”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about…”
They start shouting at each other from the top of their voices. I feel faint, sick to my stomach, and my heart is pounding so hard in my chest.
This can’t be happening.
Oh God.
I need to get the hell out of here.
Without looking at either of them, I sneak out of the ballet studio, on the brink of tears, my heart shattered. My life upended on its axis. Everything’s getting distorted and dark.
I need to get drunk tonight.
So, I run to my room and hop into the shower. Twenty minutes later, m y hair’s in a sleek ponytail, with perfect make-up hiding the circles under my eyes.
As I run down the stairs, I can still hear the echoes of vicious shouting. I grab the keys to Dad’s beloved Merc and run out of the house like my ass is on fire, dressed like a fucking expensive call girl in black six-inch Gucci boots, a pastel pink leather mini-skirt and a black suede-silk crop top.
I dial Kristine’s number as I drive out.
“Where’s everyone meeting?” I ask the moment she answers.
“Ahh, her royal highness, the Ice Queen is coming out tonight!”
“Kristine,” I grit out, “Just don’t.”
“Well damn.” She laughs. “We’re all meeting at Shane Matthews’ house. You know where it is right?”
“Yeah.” Everyone knows where Shane’s house is. Nobody knows where the Fitzgerald’s actual house is though. Apparently, they have two. I didn’t want to find out about that. “Do you want me to pick you up?”
“No silly, I’m already there.” She burps really loud at the last word. “Sorry.”
“Wait, you are?”
“Yeah. Hurry the fuck up and get here. Tonight’s about to be wild!”
I wasn’t even aware of just how accurate she was.
10
MIA
The plan for tonight is simple enough.
All we have to do is wait in our cars, as the boys run into St. Jude’s school grounds, wreak all kinds of havoc in there, then we leave. In and out in ten minutes.
I saw buckets of paint, spray-paint cans and rocks. I have no idea what the rocks are for or what they’re going to do with them, but I couldn’t help but be fascinated with the ripe taste of danger in the air, all while acting like my life isn’t crumbling and that I’m not living a lie.
The festivities are already underway. The guys have masks covering their faces, all of them wearing the exact same black outfit that almost makes them hard to tell apart. We are all at Shane’s house, about to load up into various cars. The girls are get-away drivers, and all that nail-biting frenzy.
“This is going to be awesome!” Kristine shrieks for the third time in my ear.
“Yeah, because we like trashing stuff?”
“Totally, like what happened to your car.” She giggles, just as Shane and his older brother, Sean come out of their house, pissed off looks on their faces.
“Change of plans, yo!” Sean shouts, getting everyone’s attention. The music is lowered and people draw in closer. Sean is handsome, but in a conventional way. Rumor has it that he was also a victim of Roxy’s unrelenting, steam-rolling heartbreak. And I think he didn’t take it well.
He’s a mean sonofabitch who bullies kids and girls. He seriously gets on