Page 12 of Don't Leave Me Behind
My limbs feel heavy,pulse pounding in my head. I don’t think I slept a wink last night. I lay there, replaying the night over and over in my head. Thinking of the last time I saw him. He doesn’t know, no one in the family does, how bad that night was for me. Running scared from that hotel room, trying to figure out a way to get back home with the limited resources I brought. Baby Leni thought Clay would welcome her into his life. That he would choose and want me.
I groan, mentally cringing at how fucking naive I was, on so many counts. I ruined my life by chasing after him. I’m still trying to pick up the pieces, still a mess with no clear direction or way to move forward.
I’m desperate to roll back over and get some sleep when my phone starts to vibrate.
Best Bitches Group Chat
Pepper
Excuse me.
ELEANOR
Care to tell me why I just got turned away from your HOUSE by a married couple in their thirties??
Miya
Why are we yelling already Peps?
…
Maybe because I got kicked out…?
Miya
EXCUSE THE FUCK OUTTA YOU
WHAT?
Pepper
Now who’s yelling?
It gets worse…
Video chat?
I’ve barely sent the text before my phone rings with an incoming video call from Pepper. She’s wearing a white crop top, long legs pulled up into her chest as she paints her nails. Her long blonde hair is braided off to one side, and her eyes sparkle, because she always sparkles somehow. Miya and I met her in a bar during our senior year. She was a sad little freshman that night, drowning her sorrows when she spilled her life story, and we just sort of adopted her into our friendship.
“Hey, Lenibeni!” She chirps her greeting, that megawatt smile of hers making it impossible for me not to return it.
“Pepperoni! I miss you!”
Miya’s face pops up next; her smooth black bun is styled perfectly, and if you didn’t know her, you wouldn’t know how tired she is. I can see it, though. It’s mostly in her eyes. They look exhausted and maybe a little lonely. I miss herso much. I know I only left Benson yesterday, but it’s been months since our schedules aligned for us to see each other in person. I might video call them often, but we hardly ever get to hang out.
“Mimi!” Pepper squeals. “I forgot how much I miss your face.”
Miya, to her credit, laughs. She’s not much for squealing or girl talk; fast-tracking your way through medical school will do that to a person. “Hey, Pepper, miss you too.”
“What about me?” I whine, faking offense.
“So needy, Len.” She rolls her eyes, but her face softens with a smile at the same time. “I think I might actually be dying from withdrawals. I miss you so much.”
“Much better,” I croon. Rigging up my phone on the nightstand, I lean against my pillows, getting comfy.
“Alright, spill.” Miya leans forward, eyes widening when she sees where I am. “What happened, and why are you home?”
I blow the bangs I panic-cut on Tuesday off my face before deciding how to answer. I’m the one who called this little ‘meeting,’ but I find that I’m nervous to talk to them about everything. Why is being an adult so hard? Couldn’t we have someone tell us what we’re supposed to be doing?
