Page 142 of Hate You Up Close

Skylar keeps talking, but I don’t hear a word. A loud ringing fills my ears as I hang on to one specific sentence.

“She took your car.”

My heart stops beating in my chest, pulling the air from my lungs. I try to slow my breathing as my thoughts run wild, jumping to the worst-case scenario.

“She…she what?” I ask in a low, thick tone.

“She took your car so she could give Evie a ride home,” Skylar repeats. “She’ll be right back.”

Déjà vu hits me like a fucking eighteen-wheeler.

Visions of that night play like a film reel in my mind. The most terrifying fucking movie of my entire life.

My body stills as my eyes close. I see a lifeless, bloody, sixteen-year-old girl lying on the asphalt. I see red and blue lights reflecting off her pale skin. I see paramedics rushing to her body. I see the worst fucking mistake of my entire life.

I open my eyes, slowly lifting them to Skylar. Her eyes go wide as my stare turns deadly.

“Skylar,” I say through gritted teeth. “Tell me that Roxanne is not driving right now.”

She furrows her brows and tilts her head.

“Elliot, are you drunk?” she asks. “I just told you, Roxy took your car. She’s going to be right back. It’s not a big deal.”

The second the words are out of her mouth, I’m pulling my phone from my pocket and calling Roxanne. It rings and rings – Then voicemail.

She doesn't answer.

She. Doesn't. Fucking. Answer.

My nostrils flare as my drink slips from my fingers.Gasps and silence fill the living room as glass shatters and champagne splashes against the hardwood floors.

“Oh my God,” Skylar exhales. “Elliot, what is going on?” she asks through shaky breaths.

Everyone at the party is watching us now. But I don’t give a fuck.

The most important person in the world to me is in danger. Once again, this is my fault. I wasn’t fucking paying attention and I let her leave.

No.

No, no, no, no.

I can’t lose her. Not like this.

My chest heaves up and down with labored breaths as I start to panic.

I barely survived this once. I won’t survive it again. Not with her.

I can’t fucking lose her.

Why? Why did I let her get close to me? What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Elliot,” Skylar repeats my name until she finally pulls me out of my haze. “You’re overreacting…She’s just giving her friend a ride home. She’ll be back any minute now. You need to calm down.”

My jaw flexes as I narrow my eyes to little slits, glaring at Skylar.

“I need to calm down?” I seethe. “I need to calm the fuck down? Tell me how I’m supposed to calm down,” I raise my voice, “when Roxanne just walked out of that door after drinking and got behind the fucking wheel.Youlet her get behind the wheel. So don’t you dare fucking tell me to calm down, Skylar.”

She takes a step back like I wounded her as her brows lift in shock.