Chapter Twenty-Four

The drive home is awkward and uncomfortable after my father's outburst. I sit and fidget trying to settle my nerves before Austin can unnerve me anymore.

"Do you have any idea what your father could have meant?" he asks, breaking the silence.

"I have no idea" I respond, honestly.

Austin breathes a frustrated sigh. His eyes are pulled back to his phone and I can hear him mumbling "Three missed calls from a number I don't recognize." Noticing the direction my eyes have gone, Austin quickly puts his phone away before it becomes a visual problem.

"Who was that?" I ask, my voice sounding a little higher than usual.

Austin doesn't respond right away. His hand flexes and curls into fists as he internally battles something before turning to me and putting on a fake smile “Nothing important” He perks up suddenly “Since there is a storm tonight, what would you think of sitting in with me to make sure everything is okay?”

“Uh. Sure. I guess.” An uneasy feeling settles into my stomach now. Was