Page 168 of Sincerely, Butterfly

“Thanks, Dad.” I smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now eat up.”

Today might not have ended up how I wanted it to, but I’m choosing to see that as a blessing.

I’m having the time of my life with my parents. We’re laughing, enjoying all the things going on around us.

It’s genuinely ending up to be a really great day.

The sun is setting, and things are getting a lot more crowded. People are drunk, and we’ve gotten to the point where we’re weaving our way through the crowd.

“I think I’m ready to go home!” Mom shouts over the noise of the people.

“Yeah, this is getting to be too much.” Dad keeps eyeing up every person around us like they’re a threat.

I’m about to agree with them, but then I get a notification on my phone. Pulling my phone from my purse, I check to see what it is.

Huh.

With my life being so busy lately, I’ve been leaving the cam harness on Skittles a lot more. Between Skittles following the guys and Callie eavesdropping on the guys, filling me in on anything she’s been able to listen in on, I’ve been under the impression that they haven’t hooked up with anyone. At least not anyone I’ve been able to get concrete proof of, nor any of their wild group sex.

With me veering away from killing anyone with an obvious connection to them, I assumed they would pick back up with their typical sex-capades.

I was honestly surprised to find out that they haven’t. And my lovesick, delusional brain lets me think that maybe, just maybe, it was because of me and of all the time we’ve been spending together.

I’ve seen the way they look at me, the way they noticed how much I’ve changed.

They’ve been seeing with their own eyes that I’m not the girl they thought I was. I stupidly thought that maybe I was winningthem over on my own, that maybe the résumé of murders might not be my only way to win their hearts.

I was hoping that these new changes they were seeing in me might help sway their decision when it came to keeping me at bay.

Clearly, I’ve gotten it all wrong, because as I look at the camera feed, my stomach sinks.

From the look of it, based on the background and surrounding area, they’re here. On Bourbon Street. With not one, but three fucking girls sitting in their laps.

My hand clenches around my phone, my breathing becoming more labored with every breath I force into my lungs.

The chaos of the partygoers around me drifts away, replaced with the sound of blood pounding in my ears, and an all-consuming fury slithers into my veins. It starts at the top of my head, melting over me like a thick coat of paint, all the way down to my toes.

They told me they had to work, that they weren't coming to any of today's festivities.

They lied to me, right to my fucking face.

Why? Why would they tell me they weren’t coming, only to show up anyway? And instead of wanting to come here with me, they’d rather spend time with those stupid whores?

“Nola, is everything alright?” My mom’s concerned voice snaps me back to reality.

“Huh?” I blink, forcing my gaze away from the phone.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asks. “Is everything okay? You look upset.”

“I’m fine.” I force a smile because I’m not. I’m anything but fine.

I thought they were coming around. I thought they were finally accepting the fact that we belonged together, seeing it with their own eyes what was right in front of them.

I’ve been so stupid to think it would be that easy. They’re blind, only seeing what they want to see.

Well, I’m done taking my time. I’m done waiting to see if they will come around.