As Fortune Would Have It ✔

{Chapter 29}

"Wait, WHAT happened?"

I sat at the lunch table across from Addie. Andy was nowhere in sight. I hadn't seen him since the night before, because the words I hate you tumbled out of my mouth. I hadn't seen Jake either, I was avoiding him the entire morning because I didn't want to face what was about to come.

Ryder was there to comfort me after my meltdown. I was crouched up against the door in a crying heap, completely unattached from everything and everyone except for my current situation. I didn't want to accept the fact that I had to let Jake go. It just wasn't possible. I had yearned for this guy and finally had a chance to be with him, except the obstacle was in my way. And that obstacle was my mom. If I disobeyed her, she'd most likely disown me. I had nowhere to go, considering I was still in high school and also minor legally. No one would take me in, so what was I to do? I was out of options. I HAD to do what my Mom asked, even if it killed me.

I scrunched my hair in my hands, clenching my head tightly. "Some shit went down last night, Addie. Intense stuff."

"Is THAT why Andy came home sobbing? He could barely see whenever he came into the front door. Stumbled over the coffee table and went sprawling into the fireplace. He got up, claiming nothing was wrong, but seriously? How are you gonna come home crying and pretend that nothing's wrong? Like, does he think I'm gonna buy that bullcrap? Because I don't. Like, at all. Something seriously-"

"My mom is making me break up with Jake," I interrupted.

"WHAT?!" Addie was speechless, close to falling off of the lunch table. "Are you being serious? She's making you break up with him? But.. I though she was on this business trip, you know, the one she takes every year. Well, more like every month."

"She WAS on a business trip, but someone decided to butt their nose in my personal life. Specifically, your brother."

Addie cursed, her words coming out in a string of mumbles before she spoke clearly again. "Andy did that? Are you flipping serious?"

I held my hands out in frustration. "Can't you understand this is a serious matter? Why would I even joke to you about this stuff? Andy and I aren't even talking now because of this."

Addie's angry reaction to Andy suddenly took a different direction, this time aimed at me. "You and Andy aren't even speaking anymore because of THIS guy?"

"THIS guy? How can you even refer to him as that?"

"Well, how can YOU stop being friends with my brother over something so, SO stupid."

"This is NOT stupid, and you know it. You KNOW how much Jake means to me."

Addie huffed, rolling her eyes, shoving all of her books into her book sack. "Yeah, sure. You know, Andy and I meant something to you at one point, too, just in case you've forgotten that."

"If I wouldn't have known better, I would've sworn you were HAPPY that Jake and I can't be together. So much enthusiasm."

She stood up, her book sack on one shoulder. "Normally, I would suggest us hanging out at your house, but that obviously isn't going to happen. I'm going to be cramped with studying tonight."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. In case you haven't noticed, I'm on house arrest."

Addie said nothing, just grabbed her lunch plate and left, leaving me alone at the empty table. God. What a mess my life has turned into.

"You've been avoiding me all morning, and you haven't responded to any of my texts from yesterday. Is everything okay?"

Jake sat down next to me, his hand tracing circles lightly on my thumb. I took a deep breath, doing what I needed to do to allow myself to look into his eyes and give the news.