Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
My mother’s eyes go wide. “Are you coming back to Dallas?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t know where I’m going to go just yet, I was just thinking about it. But last week I was in California, and I really like it there.”
“Same distance from Dallas to there as it is to here,” my father observes. “You’ll get better weather in California.”
“Why the sudden change?” my mother asks me, tilting her head to the side and watching me. I avoid looking into her eyes, knowing she can totally tell when I’m lying.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I was there and I like the greenery.”
“The greenery.” My mother practically laughs at me. “Since when do you like the greenery?”
“I like the water, you know this,” I defend myself.
“I can call Evan, see what he knows about places since Zoey lives there now.” My father doesn’t see the standoff between my mother and me.
“Dad, no. If I’m going to do this, I’m doing it. Not, ‘oh, here, I bought this house, you can stay in it.’”
“It’s an investment,” he explains. “Besides, you can keep this place and rent it out.”
“No, if I move there, I’m selling this.”
“Fine, sell it,” he says, not caring.
“California,” my mother repeats herself. “Interesting.”
“There is nothing interesting.” I give her a look and she nods her head like “sure.”
“I’m going out there again next week,” I tell them, “for a couple weeks to scope out things.”
“I’ll come with you,” my mother offers and I tilt my head to the side.
“And leave the kids?” I smirk, knowing she wouldn’t leave my sister for that long.
“Oh, the puck is about to drop,” my father states, oblivious to the showdown between my mother and me. He gets up and walks over to the couch, sitting down.
“You think you’re pretty slick,” my mother accuses. “I know you.” I roll my eyes. “He may be in the clouds but I know there is more to it than, ‘I think maybe I’m going to move,’” she mimics me. “Please, you either broke up with someone or you’re dating someone.”
“Well, time will tell.” I get up and kiss her cheek. “And when it’s time to tell, you’ll be the first one to know.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she warns, “you better be careful.” I’m about to tell her it’s way too late for that but instead I look at the television, seeing Jaxon skating on the ice. His helmet off as he goes in a circle.
I watch half the game before my eyes give out on me and I fall asleep. My parents wake me up when they are heading out. I’m climbing into bed when my phone beeps.
I grab it, thinking it’s my parents telling me they got to their hotel, but instead it’s from him.
Himeros: I’ll add it to our list. Talk to you tomorrow. Sleep tight.
seventeen
Ariella
“Good evening, passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for Flight 4679 to Los Angeles. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes. Thank you.” I see the woman behind the desk hang up the phone and I stand up from my seat, along with about fifteen other people as I head toward the gate.
Slinging my carry-on bag over my shoulder, I slowly make my way over with my phone in my hand. The minute I stop walking is when the phone rings and I look down and close my eyes. Why is he calling me? I said I was going to be early. I send him to voicemail right away, thinking he’ll give up, but of course he doesn’t.
Himeros: I know you’re awake, I can feel it.
I shake my head and try not to laugh at him but the smile fills my face.
Me: I’m trying to sleep and you are disturbing me. I’ll call you tomorrow.
He got home at one in the morning and slept until noon, which was three my time. He then sent me some crackers and ginger ale after I told him I was nauseated. He thinks I’m arriving tomorrow morning but I was able to snag a ticket on the red-eye tonight, landing at midnight.
Himeros: If you don’t pick up the phone, I’m going to call someone to do a wellness check on you. I have a certain Bat’s number in my phone. My father knows some of the Bats he flies with.
I think about what to answer him when the phone rings. I pick it up and wonder if I can hurry him off the phone without him knowing I’m not home.
I look around and see the airport is literally busting with people. Why are there so many people in this airport? “Hello,” I whisper, putting the phone to my ear and trying to block out the noise by rubbing the phone on my cheek.