Ugly Lies (Book two)

Prologue

Prologue 

When I walk out of my lecture hall I feel a huge anvil lift off my shoulders. My heart flutters at the idea of college being over, every term paper written, every presentation given, every final scribbled in rushed handwriting. I can finally breathe again. I take my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and hit redial on the top number in my call list. I take a seat on the bench outside of the hall and listen to the phone ring with an irreplaceable smile on my face. 

"Hey baby," the sweet tone rings through my ears, only making my smile grow as wind rushes through my newly cut and dyed hair, the breeze brushing over my shoulders and causing a slight blush to cross over my cheeks. 

"Hi Momma," I say, my beaming smile evident in my voice. I'm not sure when I started calling Darcy's mom my own, the transition was all but slippery, so smooth due to my own mothers absence and my insane amount of time with Darcy's family. 

"How'd the final go?" She asks, but her voice slightly cuts as the end, the sound of a baby crying starting to drown her out while she hushes quietly on the other side of the line. 

"I totally aced it. I didn't know you were watching Lulu, I can let you go, just wanted to call to say I love you and I can't wait to see you." 

"We are all iching to watch you and Darce graduate next week, baby. Tell my girl I said hi." Her tone starts to turn babish and from the huffing and puffing I can assume she is trying to calm the baby down.

"I will. I love you." 

"I love you too," she means it. Darcy's family has become more of a family than my own ever was and I can never get used to the enever ending loving and support they shower me with. I hang up, letting her tend to Luna and start walking back to my car. 

I drive the short distance back to our apartment in silence. I'm so ready for this summer. No responsibility and the whole group will finally be back one place for two whole months before Cory and Eliza move to California for his new job for the Kings. (Crazy, I know) Well not the whole group I guess. I shake my head, hoping the thoughts of him move with them. They never do. I park my truck and turn off the engine before grabbing my purse and heading towards the building. 

I grab my key and unlock the front door, quickly greeting a mail guy and grabbing our designated stack before rushing up the first set of stairs. I unlock our door and give it a very aggressive nudge, the old hinges make a grueling noise before the door opens up to reveal the unruly state of our home. Packing for the shore has had Darcy in a tizzy, she'd worried she can't fit two months worth of stuff into two suitcases and a backpack. 

Speak of the devil, she walks into the room, her nervous energy radiating off of her glowing skin like a light. 

"You need to take a deep breath." I say in way of greeting while I shut the door behind me and throw our mail on the kitchen counter. Our living room has become humid due to all of Darcy's pacing and I move towards the back of the room to open our old windows as my skin grows sticky. 

"I'm just worried because-" she stops herself, taking my suggestion and breathing before turning to me. "You're right. I'm fine, everything is fine." I give her a concerned nod before heading to my room and grabbing my uniform. I undress with the door open so I can talk to my lovely roommate while I change, it's not really an issue seeing how we have shared much smaller spaces than this. 

"Your mom says hi," I say, raising my voice slightly to make sure she hears me while I slip on my white and blue button up. 

"I'll call her later." She says it out loud but I know it is a reminder for her later. once I slip my skirt back on I walk out of my room and sit down at the kitchen counter to sort through our mail before I leave for my shift. I switch through bills and bank letters before stopping at a handwritten address on a white envelope. I bite my lip in recognition of the handwriting and mutter a quick, "I'll be back," to Darcy, who doesn't respond. 

I shut my door behind me and lie on my bed, having a staring contest with the envelope in my hand. I lose. I rip it open and unfold it, my breath hitching at the logo stamped on top of the light blue stationary. 

Billiards Rehabilitation Centre, Boston, Mass. BM TM

I fold the letter back up again only to unfold it a moment later. I got the first letter a couple months ago, this would be the fourth. 

They say I'll be out soon. If you still haven't gotten back to me by then I will assume it has been on purpose. I know I can't blame you, Pip, I never would, but it is hard going through all of this by myself. I guess I just wonder about you. Late at night, when the centre is completely silent I swear I can hear your screams haunting me. I cry. Endlessly. No amount of sorrys will ever make up for the mess I've made of our relationship, I know that. But I miss you like hell and I wish I could see what you look like now. Twenty-two and still my little girl. I don't know when you'll get this, but happy birthday, Vada. My gorgeous red-haired miracle. 

I crumple it in my hand and throw it across the room before reaching up to touch the  shoulder length bleach blonde hair that now hangs from my head. I jump out of bed and straighten my shirt before snatching my purse and walking out of my apartment. The anvil I felt lift off of my after my final takes its rightful place back onto my shoulders and a potent feeling of nausea swims in my stomach. My abusive father is trying to worm his way back into my life. Worse... I might let him. 

...

WE'RE SO BACK.