Page 21

By the time I get to work, I’m exhausted. I’m happy to find that I at least work with Delilah, Frank, and Payton today. They all take their jobs seriously unlike some of the other kids our age who just seem to work whenever and however they goddamn please.

“How’s it going?” I ask Delilah when I stand next to her by the outside windows.

“It’s going.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. My AP classes are just killing me.”

“You work too hard.” I playfully elbow her in the side. “You should take a lesson from our current valedictorian.”

Delilah groans and rolls her eyes. “Don’t even start with that. Genesis Brimstone is going to be the death of me.”

“There she is!” Our conversation is cut short by the sound of my dad’s booming voice. He walks up to the window with my mom by his side and Morgan and Jocelyn right behind them. “Looking good in that hat, sweetie.” He knows I hate this hat. He’s just being a jerk. A silly jerk, but still a jerk.

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. What can I get you?”

“We are all craving milkshakes.” He holds up his fingers. “Four chocolate milkshakes, please.”

Delilah gets to work on their milkshakes while I scan his credit card. Soon, Delilah is walking back over with two milkshakes in hand. I slip past her and grab the other two. Delilah gave my parents their milkshakes so Morgan and Jocelyn are standing at the window now waiting for theirs.

Morgan grabs hers right out of my hands and I glare at her before smiling over at Jocelyn. “I’m sorry my sister is so rude. I would have given you yours first.”

Jocelyn looks toward the ground, and I’m pretty sure the slightest bit of blush comes to her cheeks. “It’s no big deal.”

“You know what is a big deal though?” I try my best to catch her eye. “That varsity game you played in at the end of the season. I’ve been meaning to say something but forgot the few times I saw you. You looked awesome.”

“Wow… you… umm… you were there?”

Why is she so surprised by that? Honestly, it’s probably because I work all the time. “Yeah. I was off that night so I went to the game. I’m surprised you didn’t hear me shouting when you went in. I was going crazy.”

A wide grin spreads onto Jocelyn’s face and she finally looks me in the eyes. Between the fact that she’s younger and I’ve known her forever, I somehow missed how pretty she had become. Looking at her now, with that curly brown hair and the matching brown eyes, I finally see it. I shake these thoughts from my head though because this is my sister’s best friend, she’s allegedly straight (that’s definitely still up for debate), and I’m never dating again after what happened with Felicity.

Dramatic? Probably. But that situation was proof enough that I need to stay single at least until high school is over. Maybe I’ll let myself find someone in college in two years.

“That’s really cool. I’m glad you were there.”

Jocelyn’s voice shuts up the voice inside my head, which I’m very thankful for. “I’m glad I was there, too.”

“You’re coming home directly from work, right, honey?” my mom asks.

I bring my attention away from Jocelyn and focus on my mom. “Yep. Lydia is sleeping over later, but those are the only plans I have.”

My mom claps her hands together as if she’s the one having a sleepover. “Do you girls need any snacks for tonight? I’ll have your father stop at the store on the way home so we can get some. We’ll also get stuff to make a big breakfast for all of you kids to eat before school. This will be great.”

Before I have a chance to answer, she turns around and starts talking to my dad at a mile a minute. I laugh as they both go back and forth excitedly before joining Morgan and Jocelyn at one of the picnic tables. “My parents are so extra sometimes,” I joke to Delilah.

Delilah stares at them for a long time, a look in her eyes I can’t identify. “It must be nice having two parents to go home to, though.”

Shit. I’m an idiot and an asshole. “I’m sorry, Delilah.”

Delilah waves her hand. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago.” She smiles at me, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes.

I can tell she doesn’t want to say anything else about it, so I drop the subject. The rest of work luckily goes by without any issues. I stick around to chat with Payton for a few minutes then head to my car. As soon as I’m inside, a call comes through from Abby. It’s weird for her to call me instead of my brother, so I immediately pick up.

I hear sniffles on the other end. “Marjorie? Could you come over? I need someone here.”

“I’m about to leave work, so I definitely can, but why don’t you call Marcus?” I have no issue being there for Abby when she’s clearly struggling with something, but I also know she would (understandably) rather have Marcus.