Norma Jean - By Amanda Heath Page 0,45

someone else.

I just wish I could have seen how crazy he is before I started seeing him.

Chance

Walking through the sea of people, I feel as if everyone is keeping some big secret from me. Everyone seems to be at my house, and I mean everyone. Even my dad and step mom are sitting at the kitchen table next to my mom. And surprisingly my dad isn’t blaming this on my mom. I don’t know how the hell that happened but it did, and I’m so grateful. Mom doesn’t need that right now.

“Hey, we are going to get out of here. Let me know when the search party is heading out and we’ll be there.” Dean claps me on the shoulder before throwing his arm around Paige’s waist and walking towards the door. I can only nod.

When I spot Norma walking out of the living room, it takes all the energy I have left not to walk over there and apologize. That was seriously a dick move last night, but I can’t do it. She’ll have an in and I so don’t want that. I can’t be crazy like that ever again. No matter how much I want it.

When she spots me all the color drains off of her face. She takes a deep breath and her chestnut colored hair falls over her face. I want to shift my fingers through it, brush it along my lips…no I don’t. What the hell am I doing?

“Chance…I have to talk to you about something.” she says so low I barely hear her.

Now I feel the color drain from my face. She wants to talk about that here? Yeah I don’t think so. “I’m not talking about it ever. There’s nothing to say. I don’t care.” I lie right through my teeth. When tears start shining in her eyes, I know what I just did. And it’s not a good feeling.

“Chance Duncan, I know you did not just say that. What the hell is wrong with you? And who told you?” Cassie pops into the hall way looking like she’s going to find a sharp weapon and stab me.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” I say to Cassie. Then I look at Norma and feel the anger boil up. “You told her? What the fuck Norma?” I somehow made it down the hallway and ended up right in front of her. I don’t remember even moving.

“If you’re talking about last night, I didn’t tell her you just did.” Her cheeks are flushed and her breathing is erratic. I have a feeling I might get punched. “We aren’t talking about that, we are talking about something else, which I’m guessing you have no idea about. Yet again you can only think of yourself.” She pushes past me and heads towards the kitchen.

I grab her wrist and pull her around and right into my chest. Her violet eyes are full of anger and pain, and I’m not sure all of it is directed at me. “What is going on? What do I need to know? You two better start explaining.”

“I’m not telling you anything. Your fucking niece is missing and when I go to tell you something about that, you think I’m talking about fucking you last night.” She steps even closer and stands on her tippy toes and narrow those startling eyes at me. “Last night didn’t mean anything to me. It was honestly the last thing on my mind, until you brought it up. Macy is missing and that’s all you can think about? You’re seriously a piece of work Chance. Get your head out of the gutter and worry about someone other than yourself.”

“You didn’t seem to think it was nothing when I kicked you out of the room last night. In fact you were pretty upset about it. So don’t go giving me that ‘I don’t give a shit attitude’.” I take a step back and look between Norma and Cassie. “Now what is going on?”

They share a look and I have a feeling I’m not going to like what I hear. “We should go sit down.” Cassie says, flipping her thumb over her shoulder pointing at the living room.

I nod and follow them into the room. Sitting down I cross my arms over my chest and brace myself. I feel it deep in my bones this is going to kill me.

“When I left Duke, I lived with my dad in his cabin outside of Arkadelphia. After the summer I started attending