Chapter 29
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
NASH
The second Ms. Mason's door slams in my face, I know it doesn’t matter that I want her. It doesn’t matter if I can’t learn how to show her. I contemplate waiting and forcing her to speak to me, but that hasn't exactly worked in my favor yet.
So I leave.
I don’t care that my dad will be pissed at me for ditching school, either.
"Where are you going?" Carson asks, jogging toward me.
"Home," I quickly retort.
"Where's Cori? What happened."
I throw my hands up dramatically, "Nothing."
"You are a shit liar," he laughs. "And this back and forth between you two is exhausting."
I slam the palm of my hand into the red lockers lining the hallway, "Well, lucky for you, there is no 'you two,' so I'm sure she'll be thrilled to talk to you. Why don't you go find her?"
I leave him standing there, arms crossed in the hallway, staring me down. It’s one of the only times I've yelled at him like that, and I feel the guilt lurking in before I even get to the door. I’ve yelled at him a lot lately. I turn around to apologize, but he's gone.
I push through the doors, not bothering to sign out. Ill have someone in the office take care of that later. A sophomore office worker will do just about whatever I want. So I'll have her make sure she marks me present in all classes.
I’m not actually planning to go home because that is the last place I've wanted to be here lately but knowing that Drayton is at school and Dad is probably at work meant that I'd have the place to myself.
And that was normal.
I figure that I won’t notice my mother's absence much but not having her to look after means that I focus on myself. More time to think, and it doesn't ever end well when I start thinking.
It's too dangerous.
God, I just want to see her, even if she is coming home high, only to pass out twenty minutes later. At least she didn't pretend everything was okay like my dad. She knew she had made a mistake, and she was living with it. That had to count for something. Accountability that is.
My dad didn't even care to come around until he met Daria.
Almost like he is putting on a show for her, of what a great dad he is.
When in reality, he was never here, and I don't even blame my mom for cheating.
She needed attention from somewhere, but I wish it wouldn't have been from Ethan Blackwood.
I walk into the house, instantly overwhelmed with the smell of fresh cookies and laughter from the kitchen, causing my stomach to turn.
Shit.
I turn to leave, but my dad's voice stops me, "Nash? What are you doing home?"
I turn to him, gripping my keys tight, "What are you doing here? Don't you have some tits to enlarge or something?"
His eyes pierce into me, "I'm the adult. Let me ask the questions. Why aren't you in school?"
"Because I feel like shit."
I notice Daria round the corner, her hair in two braids, looking as innocent as ever. "Oh, that's no good, sweetie. Want me to make you some soup?"
I can't help but scowl. I can take care of myself, "No, I don't need your help."
"Nash," my dad warns. "You look fine."
"Well, I don't feel fine."
"Is it your wrist?" she asks, motioning to the black cast wrapped around it.
I ignore her, trying to walk past my father when his hand lands on my shoulder, "Wait right there. Since you're here, we can talk."
Great, that's exactly what I want.
"Can it not wait?"
"Actually, no," he sighs. "I talked with Carter about the damage you caused, and I've told him not to file it on insurance because you are going to pay to fix it."
I burst out laughing, pushing past him, "Yeah, right."
He grabs my arm right above my cast, yanking me back, "I'm serious, Nash. Your actions, they have consequences, and it's about time you learned that."
I feel the turmoil bubbling behind my words, "Oh yeah, and what would you know about consequences, huh? You weren't ever here. You weren't here for us, and then you still get this perfect family you think you deserve."
His face turns pale, and Daria places her arm on his shoulder, "Honey, maybe you should give him a little time."
Finally, she says something useful.
"No," he growls, grabbing a handful of my shirt. "That's the problem. He doesn't need any more time away from me."
He drags me by my shirt into the kitchen, shoving me onto the stool to sit. His eyes are wild and upset, almost remorseful.
"I'm sorry," he quips. "You're right. I should've been here, and I shouldn't have let the problems between your mother and I come between you and me."
"The problems that were caused by you, you mean?"
"We just grew apart, Nash. She didn't love me anymore."
"So you let her go without even trying?"
He sighs, "No, I tried everything, Nash. We couldn't even stand to be around each other. That's why it was better if we were both gone, and I didn't realize how damaging that was for you."
"Well, I'm fine," I snort. "I didn't need you then, and I don't need you suddenly being a dad now."
I start to stand up, and he pushes me back into the chair, "You're wrong. You need discipline, son. You can't keep playing with fire and expect not to get burned."
I look at Daria with the fire reference, and she just nods, agreeing with him.
"Well, it's a good thing you can do a skin graft, huh, Dad?"
I feel bad for even saying that, knowing that’s how they met. He slams his fist into the counter, causing the bowls and canisters to shake, "You start tomorrow."
"Start what?"
"Your new job. What did you think I meant when I said you were going to pay for it?"
"A job?" I laugh. "I don't have time for a job."
"Sure you do. Weekends, evenings after baseball."
"I have a life. You can't seriously expect me to get a job."
"Yeah, until you pay Carter what you owe him. You'll work."
I look at Daria, getting cookies off of a baking sheet and placing them in Tupperware. This must be her idea.
"This is because of her, isn't it? This was her idea!"
"Leave her out of it," Dad warns.
"How the hell am I supposed to leave her out of it when she's here in my house?" I turn to her. "Was this your idea?"
"No," she states. "But I agree with your dad, Nash. I would make Drayton do the same thing."
I scoff, "Like perfect Drayton would ever get in trouble."
"Everyone makes mistakes," she comes closer to me. "But you have to admit that you messed up."
"Okay, fine," I agree. "I messed up. Can we please think of another punishment?"
Dad places a name badge on the counter and pushes it toward me, along with a set of keys.
"Colby was friendly enough to give you a job at the marina.
You will do whatever they say, and if I hear of you giving them any problems, we will load up and move back to Oak Valley Prep. All. Of. Us. Do you understand?"
I don't respond. Instead, I swipe the name tag off the counter and storm off to my room in a complete two-year-old temper tantrum fashion.
This is ridiculous.
I slam the door, pacing around my room like someone gone mad. I can't even look at my bed without seeing Corinne in it, cuddled into my chest like she was the night she and Carson brought me home.
I growl, flipping the mattress off the bed, watching the contents of it spill around the room. A soft knock at the door causes my heart to stop momentarily, and I pull myself together, staring at the handle.
"Who is it?" I bark.
Daria pushes the door open, her eyes falling to the mess I've made. I know she's been coming in here to clean, and I bet it drives her crazy that I'm a slob.
"What do you want?"
She steps inside, closing the door behind her. I admit that she's pretty, and I can see why my dad fell for her.
"You know," she smiles, picking up a picture of Dad and me at a Cubs game a few years ago off my dresser. It was one of the only times he actually did something for me. "He does love you, and he's really struggling to figure out how to show you."
"He could start by not coming in here like a tyrant after never coming around. I'm not used to rules."
She laughs, "I can understand that. I didn't like to follow the rules, either, and that's how I ended up with Drayton."
"What do you mean?"
"When I was just a couple years older than you, I met Drayton's father.
He was in his sophomore year at the same college as me.
He wasn't allowed to date. The baseball coach basically prohibited the team from having girlfriends.
We did everything we could to break those rules.
He was terrified when he found out that I was pregnant.
So was I. We were so young. I mean, I'm glad I have Dray, but sometimes the consequences of your actions are life-altering, Nash. "
I scoff, "Well, I'm doing a pretty good job wrapping it up, if that's what you are worried about."
I'm actually not sleeping around much anymore. Not since the girl of my dreams came back to town.
"No, that's not what I mean. I just mean I used to be a lot like you."
"Well, I'm sorry. It's a good thing you don't have to worry about it with Drayton."
"Drayton is a good kid, but he still messes up like the rest of us. No one is perfect. Why don't you cut your father some slack? Maybe if you guys talked, you could understand his side."
She starts walking toward the door to leave, waiting for a response, but I don't indulge.
"Just think about it, okay?"
She closes my door back, and I can't help but smile. She's persistent. I give her that.
I sit on my bed and think about what she said.
Drayton walked straight into Legacy like he belonged.
I watched him practice with my team as I ran from foul post to foul post and slide right into my role on the team.
He walked the hallways and laughed with people.
Hell, he even looked like me. If I didn't do something and fast, he'd be calling the shots.
We can't have that.
I open the bedroom door, peeking into the hallway for Daria, and when I'm positive the coast is clear, I sneak into Drayton's room and close the door.
The bed is perfectly made, which makes me want to vomit, and everything is perfectly in place.
Shoes lined up in the closet, clothes color-coordinated on hangers.
The only thing I can't help but notice is the boxes. Boxes he hasn't unpacked.
He doesn't want to unpack because he doesn't want to stay here.
Don't worry, I think to myself. The feeling is fucking mutual.
I don't even know what I am hoping to find. Something I could hold over his head? Something I could threaten him with?
I spot a laptop on his desk and push it open, surprised when there is no password protecting it, nothing at all to keep me out. I shake my head at the thought, what could perfect Drayton have to hide anyway?
I laugh at the wallpaper, Lainey Blackwood smiling like she loves him. I wouldn't be surprised if she dated him to piss me off. She succeeded in bringing him around more, which is annoying, but he's in my fucking house now, whether they are dating or not.
I notice how all the folders are labeled on the desktop.
Most are school-related, but I hover the cursor over an untitled folder and click.
My mind is racing as I scroll through some pictures.
I instantly recognize the man in the pictures as Drayton's dad.
He died a few years back, and Drayton has pictures everywhere with him, so I know what he looks like, but the woman in the photos…
is not Drayton's mom. In fact, she looks nothing like Daria.
Taller, slender, dark hair, big tits. She even looks familiar, but I can't place it.
I feel my heart begin to race. Drayton's perfect dad had an affair?
How long has Drayton known about this? Does Daria know?
I send the pictures to myself, erasing any lingering evidence that I was ever on this computer, and close the screen.
At least now, I had leverage. He'll play my game, whether he wants to or not. Unless he wants everyone to know that his dad, who everyone once loved and adored, was a cheater.