Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
“You’re wrong,” I say through gritted teeth as my blood pressure skyrockets. “You’re just jealous that I found a guy who actually likes me, and you can’t even talk to the guy you like. Poor Josh,” I sneer. “Stuck in his emo band forever with a bunch of teeny-bopper fans.”
Olly maintains her composure.
“I don’t even know what you just said, but I’m going to forgive you for it because I just revealed some hard truths, and I know you’re feeling emotional.”
By now, steam is pouring from my ears.
“I’m not feeling emotional. You’re just wrong. You think you know everything, but you don’t know anything.”
She looks down, and there’s pain in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Kaylee.”
I’m dumbfounded and hurt.
“I still don’t believe you,” I protest. “Elliot is a good guy. You don’t even know him!”
Olly’s face softens.
“I know I don’t know him, and I hope to god that I’m wrong. I want you to be happy, Kaylee, and if Elliot makes you happy, then that’s great. But I don’t want you to get hurt, okay? You’re just starting out in life, and he’s … well, I’m not going to say any more about him because it’s just going to get me in trouble with you!”
I stand there, still seething. But slowly, my blood pressure decreases and the red tinge from my vision fades.
Suddenly, there’s a voice at the door.
“Are the two of you finished in here?”
I jump and turn toward the noise. The homeowner stands there, looking at us. She’s an older woman with white hair and a designer bag on her arm. Her lipstick is bleeding into the edges of her mouth, and she looks annoyed.
“Yes ma’am, we’re nearly finished. We’ll be out of here in no time,” I say quickly.
“Great,” she nods. “I already paid the maid service, and your tip is under the vase by the door. Please let yourself out when you’re done.” With that, she turns on her heel and shuffles off down the hallway.
Olly and I quickly finish the room, and then lug our cleaning supplies outside. It’s a little after eight at night, but the moon’s already out, casting us in a faint glow. I turn to my friend.
“Truce?” I say.
She shoots me a look that I can’t interpret.
“Of course, Kays. I love you, and you know that”
Suddenly, Olly leans forward and gives me a fierce hug.
“BFFs forever, girlfriend. I’ll see you tomorrow at school?”
“You got it,” I smile back.
But as we get into our respective cars, I can’t help feeling that something’s changed in our relationship. Could Olly be right about Elliot? Why would she say something like that anyways?
I turn the key in the ignition, and pull my car onto the road. Only time will tell, although my heart is considerably heavier now.
7
Kaylee
One year later.
My next-door neighbor, Miss Ellie, takes Ezra’s tiny fist and moves it up and down so I can pretend my son is waving at me. I can’t believe Ezra’s already three months old. It feels like he was born just yesterday, and it feels too early for me to go back to work. But a girl has to do what she has to do. Someone’s got to buy diapers and formula, and that person is me.
Waving back at my baby, I start the car and pull away from the trailer before I start to cry. I’ve been back with Sparkle Maids for a couple of weeks now, ever since my maternity leave ended, but it’s still hard for me to leave Ezra. My son is everything to me.
He’s all I have left, in fact.
My graduation tassel hangs from my rearview mirror. It’s a reminder of where I was a year ago. It seems like another lifetime, to be honest. I was a high school senior with a smile on my face and a big secret in the back of my mind. No one knew I was pregnant when I walked across the stage and accepted my diploma. Well, Olly did, but no one else because I kept it a hidden for as long as I could.
I was obviously trying to avoid the inevitable questions about the baby’s paternity.
Even now, the thought makes tears come to my eyes. I try not to think about what happened, and how wrong I was about everything, but the sadness is overwhelming sometimes.
Get a grip, the voice in my head scolds. You made a mistake, Kaylee, but you have to keep going for your son, if no one else.
I force myself not to think about my dire circumstances. And it’s not that bad, right? At least I have a beautiful baby boy now, even if he looks so much like his father that it breaks my heart. His eyes seem to be Elliot’s eyes with their startling blue color, and even some of Ezra’s expressions remind me of the man that I fell for.