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Harleigh
“Harleigh,” Sabrina greeted me with a strained smile as she ushered me into the house.
“Hi,” I said, hitching my bag up my shoulder.
“Will today be the last of it?”
“I think so.”
God, this was awkward.
In the six weeks since everything had happened, things between me and Sabrina had been difficult to say the least. But somehow, I got through it.
We both did.
A whole lot of avoidance on both our parts helped, not to mention my weekly sessions with Dr. Matthews, my new therapist.
“Well, if you need anything…” The empty offer of help didn’t upset me. She was trying, at least, in her own cold and detached way.
Sabrina didn’t like me. Maybe she never would. But the feeling was mutual and Dr. Matthews said that it wasn’t always about trying to change things. Sometimes it was about acknowledging them and letting them exist. We could dislike one another but act civilly around our family.
“I’m sure I’ll manage.” I smiled. I had a lot to smile about these days. “But thank you.”
“Harleigh, you’re early.” Celeste appeared at the end of the hall and her presence instantly lifted the oppressive atmosphere.
Sabrina excused herself and Celeste bounded over. “I can’t believe it’s finally here.” She pouted. “I’m so sad you won’t be staying here anymore.”
“I barely stay here anyway.”
“I know but you still lived here. It’ll be different now.”
“I’ll still visit and we’ll see each other all the time.”
Almost a month had passed since I’d left DA and transferred back to Darling Hill High. But she was right, I had still been around. Splitting my time between Nix’s place and here. I was eighteen tomorrow though, and I’d decided it was time to make it official.
I was moving in with my boyfriend… and his stepmom.
But Jessa was barely around since she’d met Colt at the bar just out of town, where she’d been working for the past month. He was a good guy. Hardworking. Solid. Dependable. And he treated her like a freaking princess, which after Joe was exactly what she needed. Colt had a cabin on the edge of the Hudson River, so they spent a lot of time out there. Which meant Nix and I got to play house a lot.
Sometimes we invited everyone over and hung out. But sometimes we locked everyone out and laid in the dark, making plans for the future. It still terrified me, looking too far ahead, but I was working on it.
Baby steps, Dr. Matthews liked to remind me.
“Yeah.” The sadness in Celeste’s voice pulled me back into the moment.
“Come here,” I said, pulling her into my arms. “I love you, Celeste. You’re my best friend. Me moving out won’t change that.”
“Good.” She eased back to look at me. “Because I know where you live and I’m not afraid to turn up on your doorstep on an evening armed with ice cream and cheesy movies.”
“There’s always a spare bed for you, you know that.” I hadn’t used my room at Nix’s in weeks. Jessa didn’t care if we shared a room. She only cared that we were safe and happy.
“Are you excited about the party tomorrow?”
“It’s not a party,” I said.
“Chloe said—”
“Chloe needs to butt out. It’s a small gathering.”
