Page 55 of Inseparable
“He won’t cheat on you.”
“He can go and fuck the whole cheerleading square for all I care,” I spit out, and the worrying thing is how little that statement genuinely affects me. I should care that my boyfriend would rather stay with those skanks than see me home safely, but I think I’m immune to rejection at this stage.
Mariah tries to steer me to her car, but I shake her off. “I love you, M, but you need to let me walk, because if I don’t, I’m going to go into my house and trash the fucking place. I need to walk off my anger. I have my phone, and I’ll text you the minute I get home.”
She nods sadly. “He’s being an ass, but that’s not who he is. You know he worships the ground you walk on.”
“He has a funny way of showing it lately.”
“Maybe he’ll talk to you now. Tell you what’s wrong.”
I hug my friend. “Perhaps. Go back to your boyfriend, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
She watches me until I disappear out of sight around the bend. I pull my hoodie up over my head, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans as I walk home, my head cluttered with grave thoughts and my heart aching.
I’ve been walking for ten minutes when a truck pulls up alongside me. “Ange?” Devin calls out, and I look up. “What are you doing walking by yourself?” I shrug, unwilling to discuss it with him. He kills the engine and hops out. “Get in, I’ll drive you home.”
“I want to walk.” I keep walking, refusing to look at him.
He jogs after me, gently taking my elbow. “Just stop for a minute.”
“Why? It’s not your job to take care of me. I want to walk so keep driving.” I shuck his arm off and take a step forward, but he plants himself in my path.
“Where is Ayden?”
“At Zach’s.”
Devin frowns. “And he let you walk by yourself?”
“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Did something happen?” I shrug again. “I’ll kick his fucking ass.”
“Forget it, Dev. It doesn’t matter, and it’s nothing to do with you anyway.”
“The hell it isn’t! He can’t let you walk off by yourself close to midnight. It’s not fucking safe. Get in the truck now, or I’ll put you over my shoulder and drag you myself.”
I glower at him. “You wouldn’t dare.” He sends me a cheeky smirk, and my lady parts swoon. God, I have missed him so much.
“Try me. Go on,” he challenges.
I sigh in exasperation, shaking my head. “Fine. I’ll get in the truck with you.”
We walk side by side in silence. Devin opens the passenger door for me, and I climb into the seat. “You fixed your truck,” I say once he is inside.
“Patched it up as best I could. I still need a few parts, but I’ll have to save up for them.” I pull my knees into my chest and look out the window. “I can’t believe Saint Ayden blew you off for a party. What the hell is wrong with him?”
“I don’t know. He won’t talk to me, but something is up with him.”
He’s reflective for a minute. “I can try talking to him if you like.”
I pin him with a dubious look. “And you think he’d talk to you over me? Hardly likely.”
“Probably not, but I can try.”
“I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s too late. He was adamant that nothing’s changed. That you don’t belong in our lives anymore.”
“What about you?” he asks, glancing quickly at me. “What do you think?”
