Josh
All he had to do was make it to the car. He could do this. His heart was telling him otherwise, making him wish he’d dumped those stupid pills into the lake. It was too late now.
Two more steps. One. Two. See? Victory. Now to open the door.
“Baloo! What are you talking about?” He knew. Could see it written all over the guy’s face.
“The oar.”
Just like the pills he shouldn’t have taken, the lies he’d told had come back to bite him in the ass. He needed to sit down. He needed air.
“You cut the oar and let Logan take the hit for it.”
He tried to open the car door, but Baloo’s hand shot out to stop him.
No. No. He needed to sit down. His chest felt tight now. Too tight.
“Move,” he said to Baloo. “I’ve got to get in there.”
Baloo didn’t budge.
His brain was starting to feel fuzzy. Air. That would fix it. He’d just breathe in some air.
“You watched me break up with him, Josh. You’re heartless!”
“It’s not what you think. I wanted to tell you.” He had. He really had. If Baloo knew the whole picture, had any idea the pressure he was under—
“Hey!” Teagan ran up. “What’s going on?”
Baloo was staring at Josh so intensely there were probably lasers coming out of his eyes. It would explain why his chest hurt so much.
“Baloo?” Teagan’s voice was gentle, calm. “Come on. Give Josh some space.”
Baloo took a couple steps back, but he wasn’t any less angry. “You know what you did, Josh. And soon, everyone else will know it was you who sabotaged our race.”
He stalked off.
Not good. Not good at all. Somehow he managed to get the car door open, his butt on the seat.
Teagan climbed into the passenger seat. “What is he talking about?”
“Teagan…” He lolled his head to the left so he was facing her. “Get out.”
“No. Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
If Teagan wouldn’t get out, she’d need to come with him. He knew he shouldn’t be driving. But he also knew he needed to put as much space between him and Baloo and the disastrous race as possible. Josh turned on the ignition and sped out of the parking lot.
“What was Baloo talking about?” Teagan asked. “Did you cut the oar?”
“Why is everyone always on my case?” he snapped. Couldn’t she see it was taking all the brain matter he had to keep the car in the right lane?
“Did you or didn’t you?” she pressed. “Answer me.”
“Everyone wants a piece of me,” he heard himself saying. No matter how fast he drove, he couldn’t get away from his real self. The one he buried on a daily basis and who had finally cracked under the strain. “Why does everyone need me to do something I can’t do?”
“Josh.” Teagan sounded worried. Scared even, but he had to drive out the Josh who could never make his dad happy, never please his grandfather, be friends with his cousin. Have fun with a girlfriend. “Nothing is ever enough!”
“Josh.” Teagan was pleading with him. Her voice sounded far away. Like they had a bad phone connection even though she was sitting right next to him. “I don’t think you’re okay.”
No. He was not okay. But Regis men never admitted to weakness.
“I’m fine,” he said, like a good little Regis. “I have to be fine. I have to be fine. I have—” He heard Teagan scream and then… nothing.