Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I reply, grabbing the glass from him.
“We leave in about half an hour,” he says, and I nod as he kisses my lips.
“Isn’t he the sweetest?” Debbie says, looking at Derek.
“He is,” I mumble, taking a sip of the sweet tea. “It’ll be hard when we aren’t together all the time.”
“I don’t know how you’re doing that,” she states. “Did you guys talk about how long you will go between visits?”
“We did not,” I respond. “I think we’re both pretending it’s not going to happen.”
“I get that,” she agrees, and thankfully, Courtney changes the subject, talking about a movie she wants to go see on Friday.
I finish the sweet tea when I hear Derek whistle and look over when he motions with his hand that I have to come to him. “Well, that is my cue,” I declare, getting up with the cup in my hand. “Courtney,” I say, “I’ll see you tomorrow at work.” I clap my hands together as she groans.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into working at the pizza place,” she moans as she gets up. “Nothing about this sounds like fun.”
We turn and walk toward the guys. “How are you getting home?” I ask.
“Ben said he would drive me home since he has lacrosse practice early tomorrow.”
I hug her before she walks away with Ben to his car, and I make my way toward the truck with Derek. I take four steps before I feel like I’m going to fall down and hold on to his arm to catch myself. “Wow.” I look over at him. “I got dizzy there for a second.”
“Need me to carry you?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“I should be good,” I tell him, walking toward the truck and rushing to get in. I blink my eyes a couple of times, trying to focus, but it’s starting to get a little fuzzy. “I feel weird,” I add as he gets into the truck.
“What are you talking about?” he says, starting the truck and pulling away from the parked cars.
“It’s just”—my words start to slur—“I feel like I’m drunk.” My eyes close, and I feel my head hanging forward, fighting to keep my eyes open. “Derek.”
“What?” he snaps, and I turn to look at him, seeing him just staring at me, but his eyes look like he hates me.
“I—” I start to say, and I think I continue speaking, but nothing comes out, or maybe it does, but I just don’t hear it.
“Why couldn’t you just listen to me for once?” I hear Derek, and then I feel like my head is pushed back into the seat. “You had to be all independent and shit like that.”
I try to lift my hand to my head, but it feels like it’s a million pounds, as I feel pain in my cheek. I groan out, or at least I think I do. “Derek,” I say when I feel the hits to my head coming one after another. My body feels like I’m floating as I try to move away from the pain.
“Got to take out the fucking trash!” I hear him yell before I feel him on top of me, and then I feel a sharp pain in my side when I hit what feels like a brick wall, and I fade into blackness.
Chapter Two
PRESENT TIME
LILAH
My hand reaches out of my covers at literally the same time the alarm rings. I turn it off and bring the phone into the bed with me, curling into a ball for a second before blinking my eyes open. Looking out of the window, I see the sun slowly creeping over the skyline. “Up and at ’em,” I encourage myself before I fall back asleep for a seven-minute snooze. I don’t waste any time, toss the covers off, and get out of bed. I slip my feet into my blush-beige slippers before walking to the bathroom. Turning on the warm water, I cup my hands under the stream, splashing the water on my face a couple of times before grabbing the white towel to dab it off. I reach for my blue brush, combing through my long brownish-blond hair, opting to braid it today since it showed that rain might come later in the day. With the rain comes the wind, and the last thing I need is my hair getting in my eyes.
After brushing my teeth, I walk to the kitchen, grab my water bottle, and fill it with ice and then water. Putting it on the counter, I grab my lunch box and place it next to it. Looking at the clock over the stove, I see it’s just a little after five fifteen. I have ten minutes to get dressed before I have to leave. Heading back to my bedroom, I make my bed quickly before going over to the closet and pulling it open.