Chapter 3 #2
Lark: Yeah, after I kicked them out, I went into the bathroom only to discover they left a mess in there too. Wet towels laying on the ground in piles and on top of that, there’s fucking dried cum stuck to my fucking cabinets and floor.
When a string of angry, cursing emojis appears on the screen, I can just imagine Miracle pacing in the small break room they have at the bar.
Actually, calling it a room is a bit of a stretch—it’s more of a glorified supply closet that has a couple of rickety folding chairs and a folding table in it.
Miracle: You have got to be fucking kidding me!
Lark: Oh, and there’s more
Miracle: ...
Miracle: No... ... ...
Lark.: She’s fucking pregnant
Miracle: Next time I see the bitch, she’s getting cut. She better stay the fuck away from you, and that asshole Aiden, too. They’re both getting cut.
Miracle: How long has he been screwing her behind your back?
My chest tightens, not really wanting to admit this, but I need to.
Lark: Since a month after Aiden started dating me
After hitting send, there’s a pause on her end, not even the little bubbles popping up to let me know she’s writing something. I worry that she’s been called back up to the front, but then a few moments later, a message finally comes through.
Miracle: I’m so sorry, Babe
Miracle: I don’t get why he stayed with you if he’s been fucking her for that long
Lark: While at gunpoint, they spilled the tea
Lark: Richard ordered Aiden to get his hands on my land, house, and supper club any way he could
Miracle: That fucking piece of shit! That cunt face, puss licking, asshole licking, fart munching, twat pimple!
Miracle: DO NOT let anything those fucking assholes said to you tonight get to you!
I know you, Lark. You’ve been my bestest bestie since we’ve been in diapers.
Do not give them any more headspace than you’ve already given them.
Box that shit up and smash it with a hammer.
They’re just jealous of how awesome and successful you are.
Not to mention how fucking gorgeous you are.
Miracle: And don’t you dare scoff and roll your eyes at me, Missy!
I bite my lip to keep from laughing, because I’d actually done just that. While I’ve come to love my curves over the years, it still hurts when people close to me comment on my weight or that I’m plus-sized. That said, I don’t think I’m anywhere near gorgeous. Pretty, yes. Gorgeous, no.
Miracle: Now, I want you to go to bed, try to get some shuteye, and in the morning, I want you to gather everything they’ve tainted with their crusty-assed cum and burn that shit.
Then you’re going to pick your sweet ass up and ignore anything they send your way.
You are better than that fucking Cox family of ass munching cock sucking leeches.
Miracle: And if things get too crazy, tape their pictures to your target board and unleash arrow after arrow at them, Babe
Lark: lol
Lark: Yes, Mom
Lark: And thank you for the vent session
Miracle: Anytime, Babe. That’s what the bestest of besties are for. Now, plug your phone back in and set it down on your nightstand. Try to get some sleep, Babe.
Lark: I’ll try, but I don’t think I’ll get much sleep tonight. Love you, girl, and I miss you like crazy.
Miracle: Love you and miss you to pieces, too, Babe.
With a sigh, I plug my phone back in and set it down on the nightstand before burrowing under the covers and willing my brain to just turn off and go to sleep.
Sunlight on my face has me blinking slowly as I wake up. Normally, I close my blackout curtains to prevent this. Did I forget to close them last night? Reaching up, I rub the crusties stuck to my eyes.
Blearily, I look around, confused.
My bedding is navy blue with black floral stitching on the comforter. The one I’m laying under is a similar set, but it’s mauve. Blinking a few more times to clear my vision, I look around the room and realize I’m in one of our guest rooms.
My chest tightens as memories from last night bombard me, of me crying myself to sleep. I scramble to untangle my legs from the blankets before rushing to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before emptying the contents of my stomach.
After wiping my face and blowing my nose, I flush the toilet and then slump against the tub with a groan.
Today is going to royally suck ass.
Putting my feet on the floor, I cross my arms over the top of my knees and rest my forehead on my arms. I groan again as my phone starts to ping with messages, one after the other. No doubt the rest of Junction Creek has learned about my new single status.
A tear streaks down my cheek before falling onto my sleep pants, making the material darken. Then another dark spot appears, and another as I sob.
I’m not sure how long I sit there as I cry, but it takes me a while to realize I’m not alone.
Wiping my cheeks, I reach up and grab some toilet paper and blow my nose before turning toward the door.
Another sob rips through me as I see Miracle standing in the doorway along with my other best friend, Khloe.
“What are you guys doing here?” I manage to get out as Miracle reaches out, clasping my hand and hauling me up off the floor.
Like usual, Miracle is dressed in black skinny jeans that hug her curves, a few rips decorating the legs of her jeans.
She’s paired them with a dark, navy-blue t-shirt that has a deep v-cut, allowing a few of her many, and I do mean many, tattoos to show.
Over her t-shirt, she’s wearing her signature black leather jacket, and she has on her usual black heeled boots that almost remind me of biker boots, but for women.
Her chocolate brown eyes are lined with black liner and she’s left her long red hair down today.
Like me, Miracle has curves, but unlike me, Miracle is more comfortable in her skin and shows off her curves more than I do.
Next to her stands my other best friend, Khloe Covington.
Her family moved to Junction Creek the summer before kindergarten, and when Miracle and I saw her sitting by herself at lunch the first day of school, we went over and introduced ourselves.
The rest was history. Miracle usually dresses on the darker, edgier side.
Khloe tends to go more for dresses and colorful shirts and today is no exception.
She’s wearing a bright floral shirt that’s almost like a dress and she’s paired it with black leggings and sandals.
Her long, brown hair is pulled up into one of her usual fancy ponytails that I can never remember the name of.
Like Miracle, her green eyes are lined with eyeliner and her eyes also bore into me with concern.
Unlike Miracle and me, Khloe is slim, but she’s never made either of us feel bad about us being heavier than her.
“What do you mean ‘what are we doing here’? We’re here to support you and help you burn that asshat’s shit,” Miracle says as she pulls me into a tight hug.
A second later, Khloe’s arms wrap around both of us, which has a few more tears leaking out that I hastily try to wipe away.
When they pull back, I wipe my cheeks again, drying them fully. Khloe puts her hands on her hips and gets a stern look on her face.
“I know you feel like shit right now, but we’re not going to let you wallow.
” She pauses as she cocks her head slightly.
“Not yet, at least. Grab some comfy clothes, hop in the shower, and come downstairs for brunch. After that, we’ll start tackling the nasty shit before making a good stiff drink to watch that shit burn. ”
I huff and shake my head but grab the clothes off the dresser I’d picked out last night. After giving both of them another hug, I head back into the bathroom and shut the door.
Walking over to the shower, I turn it on to let the water warm up.
As I strip out of my pajamas, a little tension bleeds out of my body at the knowledge that I have my friends here to help me deal with the fallout of Aiden’s and Kelly’s mess.
Especially Miracle. Not only am I closer to her, but since it’s going on almost eleven o’clock and I know she doesn’t get home until about three, I bet she only got a couple hours of sleep before getting in her car and driving the almost three and a half hours to get here from Madison.
I didn’t realize how much I needed them until I saw them, and fuck am I glad I still have two really good friends at my side.
Once the water is warm, I step in and stand under the hot water for a few moments, letting the heat work its way into my tense muscles.
My eyes sting and my heart clenches again at Kelly and Aiden’s betrayal.
My mind keeps playing last night on repeat, but I do my best to box those emotions up for now.
I can process things later because I don’t want to waste time on them right now.
While I see Khloe almost every day, I very rarely get to see Miracle anymore, and I’m not about to spend the little time I have with her wallowing in the shower. I’ll process things later.
One thing I do know though, my bow is definitely going to be getting a workout today.