Meant To Be (The Callahans #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,20

gaze glued to his phone.

“You want coffee, Ava?” Mom asks.

“Sure,” I tell her before I glance over at my father. He’s watching me now, and I see wariness in his expression. He’s probably still upset with me. I suppose I can’t blame him. All illusions of his sweet baby girl are shattered, thanks to me sneaking the rival bad boy into our backyard. “And yes, I slept great. Like a baby.”

All lies. I tossed and turned last night, wishing Eli would respond to me, yet he never did. Why not? No way could he have been with that girl.

Could he?

My entire body burns just thinking about him being with someone else.

Jake eventually sits, and so does Mom, bringing my coffee and the platter of French toast with her. We all dig in, passing the French toast around. All of us grabbing some bacon. No one’s talking. The only sound in the room is silverware against plates and chewing.

I feel on edge. Like they’re going to spring something on me halfway through the meal. Do they know something I don’t? Am I somehow going to end up in more trouble than I originally thought? God, Eli didn’t take any…compromising photos of me, did he? And then release them onto social media so anyone could see them? Including my parents?

Okay, my imagination is running wild. Taking a deep, calming breath, I reach for my coffee and sip from the cup, my gaze latching onto Jake’s to find he’s already watching me.

“Your so-called boyfriend has already moved on,” he says snidely.

These are the first words he’s said to me since we sat at the table.

“Jake.” Dad’s voice is firm. “Stop.”

“What? It’s true.” The faintest smirk curls his lips. “I saw it on Snapchat. Some girl was giving him a lap dance, and it looked like he was enjoying it.”

My heart drops, and my appetite disappears. I push the plate away from me, crossing my arms. “Are you purposely being a dick or does it just come naturally to you?”

“Ava!” Mom sends me one of those don’t you dare looks, but currently, it has zero effect on me.

“At least I’m not the dick who chases after randos at a party and calls it nursing my broken heart,” Jake says, just before he takes a bite of bacon.

I’m so glad he can eat. That he can feel completely normal while I’m sitting here trying my best not to fall apart. And when I say fall apart, I don’t mean cry and carry on. I mean get pissed and scream at him.

Yeah. Right now I’m mad as hell.

“Aren’t you going to tell him to stop?” I ask my parents, pointing at Jake, who leans back in his chair with a smirk on his face. The same expression he had when he told me about Eli’s party last night. “He’s purposely trying to make me mad by saying awful things about Eli.”

“Please. Have some respect for the family and don’t say his name at the table,” Jake says, earning a dark glare from Dad, though he says nothing.

“Ignore him,” Mom says, waving her hand at Jake as if she’s easily dismissing his behavior.

“I can’t. He’s sitting right there, bullshit just pouring out of his mouth.” I glare at Jake, but he won’t even look at me.

Again.

Ugh.

Big brothers are the freaking worst.

“Ava, please. Language,” Dad says.

“I’m so sick of this.” I rise from my chair and storm off, ignoring their calls. Dad says my name, his tone sharp. Mom asks me to come back. Beck asks what’s wrong with me.

Jake just laughs.

I go to my room and grab my phone to see if I have a reply from Eli yet. I purposely left it in my room, so I could get away from it during breakfast. Get away from the incessant need to keep checking it for a notification from Eli.

Nothing. There’s nothing.

Slamming my phone onto the table, I crawl into bed and pull my comforter over my body until it’s even covering my head. I just let loose and cry into my pillow, silently cursing all boys, especially one in particular. I cry myself to sleep, grateful no one knocks on my door or asks if I’m okay. I’d rather be alone. With my thoughts.

With my sadness.

Monday morning and I’m exiting my car when the warning bell rings. I pick up my pace as I stride through the parking lot, though I know I’m wasting my time. I’m definitely going to be late to class. And I