Page 29 of This for That (The Edge of Retaliation 1)
I can hardly hear.
Warm blood is running down my side, and I am in so much agony I feel like I could curl up and die. My already broken hand is nothing on the pain in my body right now.
I’m thrown into my room, and the door is slammed closed. Madeline isn’t in here, and I fall onto the bed, too scared to look, too scared to do anything. Tears burst forth and flow down my cheeks, and my body starts to shake. I clutch my side, praying for the pain to go away, but it doesn’t—it gets so much worse.
I take hold of a spare uniform and press it against the wound, and I let darkness take hold of me, slowly dragging me down until I pass out.
This isn’t how my life was supposed to go.
I can’t live like this anymore.
I just can’t.
12
NOW – CALLIE
“You’ll do fine here. It’s easy, and the people are great,” Andrea tells me.
Andrea is Tanner’s older sister, and the owner of the café I now work at. It’s a great little place in the heart of town, with an incredible menu and a great atmosphere. The few times I’ve come in here before starting, it has always been busy, people everywhere, coffee machine purring constantly. It’s a good job, from what I can see so far, and it’s good pay.
“Thank you for this,” I tell her, mostly thankful that she didn’t ask for a criminal check because her brother recommended me. If she had, I wouldn’t be here. “I really appreciate it and I’ll work hard.”
Andrea smiles. When she smiles, she kind of looks like Tanner. She has the same dark hair, but her eyes are more hazel then brown. She’s tall, she’s lean, and she’s really pretty. “You’re welcome. If you want to take the orders for those three tables today,” she points to a few tables, “we’ll work you up from there.”
I nod, and get right to it. I take orders, I clean up without being asked, and I make sure I leave the best impression on Andrea and the people in her café. There are three other girls working today, too—one on the coffee machine, one in the kitchen, and the other on the floor with me. Meals fly in and out all day from the kitchen, and they look incredible. The whole place is fantastic .
My mind constantly goes to the message spray painted on Joanne’s car. We called the police and I gave a statement, but when asked who I thought would do something like that, I didn’t have an answer. I don’t know anything about Celia’s family, or her friends, or anyone else in her life. How can I honestly say who I think would do something like that to me?
I’ve never met anyone on her side.
The officer told me they’d look into it, but without any evidence they can only ask questions, and I was told to simply keep an eye out and let the police know if anything else happened.
They’re not on my side, and why would they be? In this situation, I’m the bad guy, aren’t I? I’m the girl who got into trouble. I’m the girl who went to prison. They have little to no sympathy for me.
I told Joanne I’d pay her back for the car, which she refused, saying insurance would cover it. She didn’t tell Patrick, which I’m super grateful for, because I don’t want him to have another reason to dislike me.
This will be the week I start my journey to clearing my name. At least, clearing some of my name.
I’m not going to start with her family. If they know I’m out of jail, and have any idea where I am or if they had any involvement in the vandalization, I can’t risk making it worse. I need to be subtle about my search. I’ll start with the school she went to. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something. My face wasn’t all over the news after the accident, because I was underage and my mother demanded privacy.
My name might be well known, but my face shouldn’t be.
I’m hoping that’s the case, anyway.
“You’re doing amazing,” Andrea says just after my lunch break. “You’re quick on your feet and efficient. How are you enjoying your first day?”
I smile at her. “I’m loving it. It’s so fast paced; it’s great.”
She nods. “It is pretty hectic, but it makes the day go faster.”
She’s right about that—the day is flying by. “It sure does.”
She sips her coffee, just beginning her break as I’m finishing mine. “Listen, I know you’re new to town and probably don’t know a great deal of people, but a few friends and I are going to the beach and then out for the night on Saturday, if you’re interested in joining us?”
