Chapter Forty

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In the house, the atmosphere is as glum as I expected

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In the house, the atmosphere is as glum as I expected.

The drip of the tap and the hum of the fridge is the only noise filling the silence. Upstairs, Hailey's door is closed, and I suspect that either she and Lucas are in there sleeping or they've gone out for the day.

Either way, I don't care. I go into my room and close the door, shutting everything else away.

Ten minutes into my studying, the front door flies open, Hailey and Lucas marking their entrance. I briefly wonder when Lucas is going to go home.

"Trust me, I'll be speaking to her when she's home." I hear Lucas say.

"Maybe we should just let her be. It is her life." Hailey then says.

I shake my head. They obviously haven't taken any notice to my shoes at the bottom of the stairs.

May as well just get this over and done with.

My door flies open. I fly to the stairway, forcing a smile. "I am here you know?"

Lucas and Hailey both look upward, their faces like they've just witnessed a murder.

"Hey Mia," Hailey mumbles.

Lucas' jaw rocks as he looks to me, his eyes flattening. Then he looks away, storming into the lounge.

I roll my eyes, hurdling down the stairs.

"Mia, we just need to sort of all this out," Hailey whispers in the hallway. "Please?"

I fold my arms. "I agree. But there really isn't anything to sort."

     "Huh! Is that so?" Lucas snorts from the lounge.

I trail inside, my confidence peaking. "What's your problem?"

Lucas is on the sofa, chugging a bottle of beer I hadn't even realised he had on him. "You're the problem."

A curt laugh rolls from my lips. "I'm the problem? Are you even hearing yourself right now?"

     "What are you even doing, Mia? Seriously. What are you doing with your life?"

I sink into the other sofa, watching as Hailey perches on the arm. "I'm living my life. And I have no regrets."

    "No regrets?" Lucas scoffs. "So you don't regret nearly taking drugs last night?"

Okay. Maybe I regret that. But he doesn't need to know that.

I huff. "Look. You don't understand." I look to Hailey too. "Neither of you understand! But I love Grayson, okay?"

Hailey sighs. "I know Mia. But I think by being with him you're putting yourself in danger."

A hard lump forms in my throat, but not the kind when you're sad, the kind where you realise your best friend betrayed you. "You've told him?" I ask through my shock.

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