In Between the Lines

Chapter 21: To Break a Rule (Part 1)

"We'll talk about this when you get home from school."

That was all my father said as he found me on the couch and spotted the mostly-empty crystal decanter on the coffee table. I'd forgotten to take my phone off of silent last night, so when I hadn't responded to any of Ethan's texts or calls when he'd come to pick me up in the morning, he'd ended up calling my dad. He had a key to the house in case of an emergency, but he'd figured since the boss was home . . .

There wasn't a hint of anger in my father's expression as he put away what was left of the whiskey. Only disappointment—and what looked like an anchor of guilt. I remembered the words he'd uttered to me last night. I'm sorry I wasn't there.

I wished he was angry instead.

Ethan hadn't commented on it as he drove me to school. Neither had Elise as she arrived at my bedroom door to make my bed—only to find me still standing there, rushing to get dressed while simultaneously brushing my teeth. They were both well aware of how dinner with my mother last night went.

Thanks to the aspirin, by the time Ethan dropped me off, my headache had subsided a bit. As I made my way to my desk, I found a breakfast bar, a bottle of gatorade, and a note waiting for me. I glanced around the classroom, but all I got were equally guessing stares in return.

I read the note:

Considering you missed all four of my wake-up calls this morning, I assume you're coming in late. If you're not here at all . . . well, good for whoever takes the food.

Despite my curling hangover, I felt myself smile as I tucked the note into my back pocket.

I wasn't embarrassed after last night, even with all I'd admitted to him, how I'd called him. I didn't regret promising that I would tell him the truth, because when I woke up this morning and realized he was the first person my drunk mind went to—and the first person my sober mind went to—I knew I was making the right decision. I cared about Dez, more deeply than I wanted to admit.

It was because I cared about him that I decided, today, I had to tell him everything.

But it was because of how much I cared that I knew—I had to let him go.

***

"I never thought I'd say this, but you look like shit, Lyra." Alyssa gaped as I approached her locker before our free period together. I hadn't realized what I was wearing or what I looked like until she pointed it out.

"Don't take this the wrong way," she added, gesturing to my flushed skin, the loose hairs sticking to my forehead, "but I'm sort of relieved to see you like this. I was beginning to think you weren't human. Even on that day you came to school wearing that cupcake shirt, you managed to pull it off."

I huffed a laugh.

The cupcake shirt.

"So, what's wrong? Are you sick?"

"Just a bit of a headache," I said, changing the subject before she asked anything more, "Have you heard from Olivia and Reed at all? I tried to get a hold of her the other day, but she wasn't answering her phone."

"More from Reed than Olivia. She's done nothing but bury herself in schoolwork since that night at Dez's. I think she just needs more time—to sort of accept things."

I sucked in a breath. "I feel terrible."

"Don't. Olivia's a smart girl, but she's clueless when it comes to boys. I mean I'm not blaming her for having a crush on Jeremy before. None of us could have seen that coming. But it's so blatantly obvious that she and Reed are perfect for each other, and she refuses to wake up and see it." Alyssa shut her locker as we went on our way to the library. "I mean, to some extent, I get it. She's this quiet little bookworm and he's . . . well, Reed. He's loud as hell and impulsive and her total opposite. And to be fair, as much as he does for her, he's never actually told her how he's felt. He's always teasing her and pretending like flirting with her is just a joke to him. If he'd just admitted his feelings, I don't doubt she'd tell him she felt the same way. But then again—how much more obvious could he get?"