HAILEY POV
I tug my brand new white sweater blouse over my cream camisole with a sense of urgency. I have no idea how it is possible to miss someone this much in 24 hrs, but here I am. Getting back to Dylan is what drove me from my cozy covers early this morning.
I put on black skinny jeans and zip up my boots before throwing my hair up into a messy but controlled bun. I apply some mascara and chapstick, so my face doesn't look too bare. For the final touch I add some dangly turkey earrings.
I am so ready to feast and visit. I've missed everyone so much, especially Dad and Colt. Since I've already seen Dad, next up is Colt.
"Ready Kiddo," Dad calls from the living room.
"Yup," I call back while grabbing my phone and purse.
I hate lugging around a purse but this week is my visit from Aunt Flow.
"You look gorgeous, Hailey," Carol says as soon as her ey
DYLAN POV Mom comes down the stairs quickly with what looks like leggings and disappears back into the guest restroom. The whole living room is deadly silent, as I debate back and forth. Yes, if I propose it should take her mind off of this......but it could also be another embarrassing moment. Or I would be making a day she wants to forget, very important. I focus my mind on opening and shutting the box holding her engagement ring, over and over again. "What's the new plan," Mr. Evans whispers as he sits down next to me. I don't know when he came back inside. I suppose I was too engrossed in my own mind to notice, when he did."I don't know sir " I mumble while not looking up at him. He clasps my wide shoulder in his hand and sighs."I know this isn't what you had planned. And you are worried about how she will be feeling when she comes out of that restroom, so let me g
ONE WEEK BEFORE LEAVING FOR COLLEGECURT POV9:13 amCurt- Leena, I thought you would want me to stay for as long as possible.9:24Leena- I do, but I mean, you might as well go ahead with the move. Two weeks won't make a difference. We will see each other soon.9:25Curt- If you say so.TWO WEEKS BEFORE 11/14 THANKSGIVING2:11 pmCurt- I can't wait to see you, baby.2:43 pmLeena- Curt, I have to tell you something.2:44pmCurt- What?Leena- I'm pregnant.2:57 pmCurt- What? Leena, we haven'tCurt- Whose?Leena- A guy I work with. He went to school with us. He is from Dylan's grade. Zane.Leena- Curt. I am so sorry. It just happened. We work together. I see him every day.... I just started liking him.....you know.....Leena- Curt?Curt- Lose my number, Leena. Just leave me alone. I can't b
CURT POV "Crap," I yell as I search my disaster area of a room.I need a shirt that can pass for clean after a run through the dryer. But running it through the dryer means going downstairs to the apartment complexes laundry mat, and somehow I slept through my alarm. I have ten minutes until I am late, and it takes fifteen minutes to even get to my parent's house. Finally, I find a blue polo that smells okay. I dart to the stairs and head down while hoping there is at least one machine open. Luck would have it; there isn't. I slam my body down into one of the plastic waiting chairs. My head falls into my hands, and I groan. Everything about my life is pure shit. I hate everything, and I can't even summon up the strength to fix anything. I am at the point where I don't care. I am probably the picture of disaster right now. My pants are unbuttoned, my hair is uncombed, my face has three days
SHELBY POV Watching your high school crush spiral down into a black hole is rough. I would never have thought he would be back in town.Curt seemed to always scream success. I mean, he was top ten of our class. He had a supermodel-like girlfriend that was in love with him, and he was never not smiling. These days he smells, he drinks, and he rarely smiles. But he is still extremely polite.I can't believe what Leena did to him. Zane is the scum of this town. He has had multiple girls perform abortions. And I'm not even sure if Leena knows this or not, but her child is not his only living offspring. Working in a gas station provides more than just a paycheck; I get the juiciest gossip.****** The next five hours of my shift fly by. My thoughts about people and their drama always seem to keep me busy. Since I don't have any drama of my own, I guess I enjoy theirs more than I should. I unlock m
SHELBY POV I have been working both jobs for four weeks now, and the pay is excellent. All the tips I make go into my brand new savings account, and I already have $900. Nothing else has changed.Curt still comes in every night to buy beer. He does shoot me a smile every time now, but nothing else. He seems to be getting worse. He hasn't shaved in who knows how long, and he looks tired. So very tired. It breaks my heart to see a guy like him so broken.***** I wipe my forehead and grab my notepad before approaching yet another table. I have no idea how Trudy handled the morning shift before I started.Today is Friday, and it seems like everyone who works at the factory has decided to come in before work. But I shouldn't complain, I have already made $73, and the morning isn't over. The bell dings, and I look towards the door with a smile. "Morning, sit anywhere you like," I say to th
SHELBY POV I have no idea what happened in three minutes, but it had to have been bad. Hailey is sobbing hysterically into Dylan's shoulder, and Curt is long gone. I slowly make my way over to their table. I don't know what to do, but my guess is they no longer want to dine in. "Dylan, would you two like your food to go," I ask softly as soon as I reach their table. "Yes, thank you," Dylan says as he strokes Hailey's beautiful hair. I don't even think she can hear me; she is crying so hard. My heart clenches for her. In school, Hailey was known for having a heart of gold, and I would bet my paycheck she is concerned about her best friend. Hailey is the type to try to help, and from what I have seen, Curt needs help. I change their order from dining in to take out and print their check. I leave off Curt's kid plate; I will take care of it. I take Dylan their bill, a
CURT POV "I can't believe I am doing this," I mumble as I approach my grandparent's front door. The factory finally fired me. After Shelby refused to sell to me, I went to the market. The guy at the register hadn't even glanced at my ID. I had drank so much that night that I overslept the next day. I was a no-call, no-show. .......not even Mr. Evans could save my job after that. I had enough money for my rent due in three days, but my utilities wouldn't be paid if someone didn't lend me money. Granddad is going to be furious, but for some odd reason, I need the lecture. Granddad is the only one I think that can save me at this point. I knock and tuck my hands into my pockets. I can hear someone approach, so I take a deep breath. Grammy opens the door and smiles a small smile at me. "Hello Curt," she says, opening the door wide for me to come in. "Hi Grammy," I mumble in
CURT POV After asking a couple of questions, Trudy gave me the job. I start tomorrow. Since I needed a full-time schedule, I am both the busboy and part-time cook. Tomorrow the cook will be training me. On days that the cook has off, I will fill in. All other days, I bus. I get in my car and pull out my phone. I send a text to both dad and granddad informing them that I found a job. I'm still a depressed mess, but at least I will be earning my own paycheck. I put my old beat-up car in reverse. As I look behind me to see if it is safe to pull out, I see Shelby. Her hood is up, and she is sitting next to her car with her head in her hands. I immediately act on instinct. I park and jump out. "Shelby, hey, you okay," I ask after I jog across the little parking lot. She nods but doesn't lift her head. I crouch my body down next to her and place my hand on her trembling shoulder. She