8. Marley
MARLEY
FLASHBACK
“Keys, check. Shoes, check. Dress, on,” I mutter and take a big breath. “Cooper, we’re leaving!” I call out, moving to grab my cap and gown hanging over the chair in the kitchen.
I ignore the slender figure leaning against the counter sipping coffee.
“Look what Colt let me borrow,” my brother says excitedly, holding up a large camera. A choked noise comes from behind me.
I resist the urge to glance at the source of constant burden before saying, “That’s cool. Keep it with you until you return it. You don’t want to lose it.”
The sigh from the corner is loud and makes my back straighten while Cooper’s smile drops.
“You coming too? Marley still has extra tickets.” I find his naive optimism that our mom will eventually be a better person daunting, but I can’t fault him entirely. Maybe I’m a little proud that life hasn’t jaded him as much as it has me.
She clears her throat. “You do?”
I look up at her, trying not to stare intently at the dark circles under her eyes or the marks along her arm. “Sure. They give us four each. I gave one to Jax’s grandma so she can attend with his parents.”
My mom nods, trying to force a smile, but fails. “I have a headache.”
It shouldn’t hurt. I’m used to never being able to rely on her, but it does anyway. The deep disappointment squeezes at my heart, and I shrug. “Hope you feel better.”
“It’s her graduation,” Cooper says.
I walk over to him, squeezing his arm. “It’s okay, Coop. Let’s get going.”
He tears out of my hold, his eyebrows dipping. “It’s her graduation, and you’re going to miss it.”
“I’m s-sorry,” our mother says, and I can hear the tremble in her words, knowing the cup in her hold is probably shaking just as much.
“Don’t be sorry, just go.” There’s a small growl in his voice.
I turn around, grabbing his shoulder. “Cooper! Let it go,” I snap and give him a push toward the door. He huffs and storms out. At fourteen, it’s getting harder to shield him from her fuckups. She’s going to keep letting him down, and I don’t want his heart to harden like mine.
I squeeze my eyes briefly before gathering up my graduation gown and then glance at her one more time. “One day, we’re both going to leave this house and never come back. You know that, right?”
Her throat bobs and a tear falls down her cheek. “I know.”
When that’s all she says, I pinch my lips together and nod to myself before following my brother out the door.
Jax is leaning against his car, parked in my driveway, and most of the tension drains out of my body as I walk right up to him. I toss everything into the open seat and slam the door shut before going to my boyfriend of nearly two years.
His hands hold on to my waist, a smile on his lips as his eyes drag down the length of me.
“Damn, you look hot. You sure we have to wait until after the party?”
My cheeks flush and I swat at his chest. “Yes, I don’t want to be sore all day,” I whisper, ensuring Cooper can’t overhear us where he’s settled in the backseat of Jax’s car.
We’ve done nearly everything but have sex these past two years, a part of me deathly afraid of getting knocked up.
But today everything has lined up perfectly: I’ve been on birth control for months, my period just ended, and we’re celebrating us graduating high school so we can move on with our lives.
He’s been more than understanding and patient with me, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to take this next step as well.
Jax leans down, kissing me gently. “Maybe we can skip the party.”
I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around his neck before whispering against his lips. “Maybe.”
“Ew, stop,” Cooper bellows, knocking on the window.
We both laugh, but Jax doesn’t allow me to pull away before glancing at the house behind us. “Just you two?”
I nod. He sighs, giving me one more kiss before patting my butt. “Alright, let’s get going. Promised my mom and grandma that they could take photos of us beforehand.”