Coasting

Chapter 17

Day 51

I didn't have to work this morning, which I was very happy about. It was a Saturday and the last thing I wanted to deal with was a rush of impatient people needing their caffeine.

Instead I was sitting on the beach, phone in hand, knowing I had to call my dad. He had called me three times yesterday, none of which I answered. Fletcher also kept bothering me with constant texts, asking if I was okay. I avoided them all up until he sent me this one:

To: Jamie

From: Fletcher

Don't do this thing again where you ignore me.

So I said:

To: Fletcher

From: Jamie

Sorry. I just need a day to myself. I'll call you tomorrow.

To: Jamie

From: Fletcher

Ok.

I didn't respond. Now, I was deciding whom I should call first. It was 11 in the morning here, which meant that it was 8 back in California and my dad always got up early. So, reluctantly, I pressed his name on the phone and the call began.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Hi, honey," he said in a relieved voice. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," I replied, digging my toes into the sand. "What's going on there?"

He cleared his throat and I could already feel the emotion radiating through the phone. "Well she's being watched almost 24/7. Your mother and I have been visiting her every day now. We're actually here right now. Do you want to talk to her?"

"No," I said quickly.

"Jamie..."

"Dad, please," I whispered, pulling my knees so far into my chest I almost couldn't breathe. "Is she okay?"

He hesitated and that was enough for me to know that he was just as unsure as I was. But instead of being honest, he said, "She's going to be just fine."

I nodded even though he couldn't see. "Okay. Well I should go."

"Oh," he murmured. "But we didn't even get to talk about how you're doing."

"Don't worry about me," I replied. "I'm going to be just fine too."

"You call me if you need anything. Okay?"

"Okay. Hang in there. Tell Mom I love her," I said. Then we hung up and I collapsed back into the sand, loving how warm it was from the summer sun. My eyes fluttered shut and I couldn't get over how it was July 31. I was leaving for school in 20 days.

Fletcher crossed my mind. 20 days left with him. I couldn't help but feel like this whole thing was a disaster. I've gotten too close to him. We should've just been friends or hook up buddies from the start. Pure and simple. None of this in between, all feelings shit. What kind of guy at my age even likes that?

"Boo!"

I shrieked and sat up quickly, spinning around to see a grinning swoopy haired boy right behind me. He plopped down right beside me, ignoring my displeased glare, and leaned his shoulder into mine.