Chapter 12 #2
She has two new posts: one of just her, and the other of her and Bohdi sitting in the backyard of what I assume is her parents' house. Using both my thumbs, I zoom in on the picture, not of her but of Bohdi. Examining him. His smile looks forced, his eyes not crinkling all the way. Looking uninterested. But God, he’s still handsome as hell, even more so now that he’s matured.
Letting go of the screen, I go to scroll to the next picture, but tap the like button on my descent, liking the picture.
“OH MY GOD!” I scream, scaring Luna. Jumping up off the sofa, I hit the screen again, unliking the picture, but knowing it’s too damn late. She’ll see.
As fast as my stupid fingers can, I exit the app, calling Bay.
I hear the phone pick up, not giving her time to say anything.
“I just liked Molly’s picture. Bay, I accidentally hit it, but immediately unliked it.
It’s too late.” I say fast, needing to get the words out and hoping she can help, even though I know she can’t.
Her cackling hits my ears.
“This isn’t funny, Baylee Westmore. This is a nightmare.” I groan.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.” Her voice comes closer.
I know she isn’t, because I would have done the same thing if it were her.
Laughing. “You stalking Molly?”
I let my head fall back, looking at the spinning fan. “Turn around and go back home,” I tell her, playing.
The line goes quiet. “Baylee?” My eyebrows raise in confusion.
Her voice comes out softly, “Really?”
And it hits me. “No! Baylee, I’m just kidding with you.
No, don’t go home.” I feel like a fucking idiot.
“I’m sorry.” And it hits me; my friend has emotional damage from me abandoning her.
Which in turn breaks my heart. “Damn it, I’m sorry, Bay.
” And I truly hope she can feel how sorry I am through the phone.
“It’s okay,” she says softly, “I’ll be there in about fifteen.”
We both say goodbye and hang up. Me now feeling like a horrible person. Because I am. I’m a shit friend. I’ve given my best friend scars by upping and leaving her. Never reaching out.
And here I was, thinking everything was okay. Of course, it isn’t. She’s going to feel like I’m going to leave her any moment. And that isn’t fair for her. My trust is still broken with her, and that’s something I’ll have to fix. And I hope she sees me trying.
After buzzing Baylee in, I wait in my hallway for her. Her red hair is like a beacon as she exits the elevator, me not realizing how much I missed her these last two weeks.
“Was it easy to find?” I ask her as I reach out for a hug.
“Ugh, I hate the dang one-way roads; I almost went into oncoming traffic. This is why I stay in Driftwood.” She laughs as we pull apart.
“Come on in.”
I watch as Bay stops in the entryway, and I step from behind her, shutting the door. “What?” I ask, confused.
She walks the rest of the way in, turning in a circle in my living room, stopping to face me. Her eyebrows raised, “Did you already pack up?” Her face is confused.
Pursing my lips, I could lie, but I don’t want to. “No, this is my humble abode.” Walking past her, falling onto my sofa.
She walks to my bedroom door and pushes it open with her foot. Disappearing and coming back out. “You got to be kidding me.” Waiting for the Punchline.
Luna runs out from behind her, skidding behind the sofa.
“August, this is like a…” She pauses. “I don’t know, like no one lives here. I just entered an exam room.” She closes the gap between us, sitting next to me, just staring right through me. Waiting.
I pull a throw pillow in front of me. “I don’t see the point in unnecessary things.”
Her lips purse. “Lie to someone else.” Bay finds her own throw pillow, mimicking me.
“I can read you like the back of a book, even after all these years. Because August, you’re still the same person.
You think becoming attached to things will make them go away.
Why become comfortable when at any minute something catastrophic can happen and upend it all?
I see right through you and have forever.
I know you…probably better than you know yourself. ”
I take in each word she speaks, and I want to argue with her, but I honestly can’t because it is the truth. Nothing lasts forever, so why do we get complacent in a place that will eventually tear us away or destroy us? Before I can even open my mouth, the tears come.
“Oh, August.” Baylee reaches out and holds my hand.
“You’ve been here less than twenty minutes and already seen right through me. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I don’t want to be hurt again, so this is how I do it.” With my free hand, I motion to the barren living room. “Why get attached?” My shoulders rise and fall.
“You can’t live like that… Like this, August. This is life; shit happens, and sometimes it’s the worst, but it’s life.
We’re stuck here doing it until we're not. So why stay in a state of forfeit when you can do whatever you want? Free will is an amazing thing.” Bay straightens up.
“I was so scared to get pregnant again. Scared of the loss I knew that would come, but we tried for this baby, even though I was frightened. We tried.” She places her hand behind the throw pillow, and I know she’s rubbing on the nonexistent bump.
“But when I saw those two pink lines, I swallowed the fear down. I’m still doing this scared, but I’m doing it.
All we have is faith, and that’s what I’m leaning on.
” Her eyes become glassy before she breathes in heavily, “Okay, we’re not doing this.
This isn’t a trip to be sad. But just know, I see you. ”
Letting my head fall back to the cushion, “You’re right. I know you’re right.” Needing to change the subject, I force my body up. “I have something for you.” I look over my shoulder, smiling at her.
She snuggles deeper into the sofa. “What’s that?”
Opening the microwave, I remove a platter full of cookies.
Chocolate chips, snickerdoodles, and peanut butter.
Making these today, I was so in my element.
Dancing around the kitchen, mixing ingredients from memory.
Baking is where I truly feel at home. Feel like I’m back in the kitchen with my mom, gossiping and making sweets.
Smiling, I hold out the platter. “For you and Jellybean.” I started calling the baby Jellybean because it’s literally what she looked like on the ultrasound she sent me.
“Holy hell.” She bounces, throwing the throw pillow on the floor, hands held out. Taking the plate, “Kai is going to be so mad.” She giggles while taking a bite of a snickerdoodle. Before grabbing her phone, snapping a picture. Smiling at me evilly. And I know who she just sent the picture to.
We don’t eat dinner, but eat all the cookies while watching trash TV, constantly laughing and joking.
“You can sleep in the bed with me and Luna. She’s still hiding, but maybe she’ll warm up to you.”
The sunlight beams in through my bedroom window. Rolling over, I scream when I spot Baylee staring right at me, forgetting for the moment she stayed over. “Dude.” I try to calm my heart. Too early for it to get that high.
Baylee laughs, covering her mouth. “You talk in your sleep.”
Furrowing my brows, “No, I don’t.” My voice dry as the Sahara desert.
“Oh, you do. That’s what woke me up…and yourself, I might add.” Baylee laughs.
Pulling the cover over my head, “What did I say?”
“I think it’s too early for all that.”
Tugging the blanket down so I can peek at her, “What did I say?” I’ve never been told I talk in my sleep…but I also haven’t slept in the same bed with anyone for eight years.
“I need coffee. Up. Let’s get this day started.” Bay ignores me, rolling out of bed and disappearing into my bathroom, hearing the shower turn on.
I lay there for a few more minutes, waking up.
Grabbing my phone, I see I have an Instagram notification, and my stomach sinks.
With shaky fingers, I push the notification, taking me to my messages, telling me I have a message request. “Oh, God.” My heart once again quickens as I read the message and see who it’s from.
Molly Williams. My eyes close, trying to hype myself up.
It doesn’t take a notification away when you like and unlike a picture. I’m glad you’re stalking me and Bo. Just remember, he’s mine.
I delete the message and block Molly. Annoyed with myself and for letting curiosity get to me, because look at what happened. I now look like an idiot and who knows how she’s spun this to tell Bohdi.
Bohdi.
I open my Google Photos app. “What are you doing, August?” I question myself as I push on the folder labeled DON’T OPEN and see pictures I haven’t seen in years.
Pictures of Bohdi and me. At the cottage, with my parents, and just being girls with Baylee.
All my memories from Driftwood Bay are in a folder that's 17 GB.
Scrolling down, I stop on a picture of Bohdi and me, sitting in the sand on August Cove. I’m sitting between his legs, his head is on my shoulder, his bright smile the main focus. We were about twenty and so full of life and hope.
Scrolling down a little more, I get my breath taken from me. A picture of Bohdi laying in his bed, one arm behind his head and the other clutching my inner thigh, naked with a thin sheet hiding his hard cock underneath. My legs are the only parts you can see of me.
I transported back to his bedroom, snapping the picture.
“Sit on my face, August,” he growls up to me, hunger in his eyes and not needing to be told twice.
Maneuvering myself above his head, I use the headboard to help lower myself down, straddling his face.
Immediately feeling his wet tongue swipe through my folds.
Hissing, “Oh god,” I whispered, knowing this was only the beginning.
One thing Bohdi loves to do is eat my pussy.
That man would feast on it forever if I’d let him.