Page 84 of Inevitable

“Nothing,” I chirped, folding a shirt and setting it in the donate pile.

She placed her hand over mine, stilling my movements. “No. What’s going on with Jonathan?”

“The summer’s over, and our fling is done.”

“Just like that?” Her tone betrayed her skepticism.

“Yep!”

“Sumner, I know I wasn’t the most supportive when you told me you guys were getting back together or whatever. But it’s only because I care about you. If something happened or you’re upset, I want to be here for you.”

After four days of being holed up in my room, I couldn’t take it anymore. I cracked. I kept replaying that day in his office in my head, as well as the ones leading up to it. And I couldn’t make sense of it.

“He acted like we were nothing, Piper.Nothing,”I could barely think the word, let alone speak it. “And I know this is going to sound so clichéd. But along the way, something changed.Wechanged.”

“Are you sure you weren’t reading more into it?” She placed her hand on my upper back, rubbing circles. “Sometimes when we want something so badly, we can make ourselves believe it’s true.” Her tone was gentle, but her words cut through me like glass.

I jolted upright. “No! Iknowit was more for him. Iknowhe loves me.”

Her expression was one of pity, and my stomach churned, dreading the words she’d say next. “Did he ever tell you he loved you? Did he ever say the words?”

“He didn’t have to!” I practically shouted.

“Sumner, listen to yourself.”

I turned away from her, annoyed with my friend, with the conversation. I knew he loved me. I knew it deep in my gut. Yet he’d pulled back. Why?

“I’ve tried giving you space. I’ve tried being nice,” she continued. “But I think it’s time for some tough love.” She crossed her legs, her appearance so at odds with the disaster that was my room. “You need to face the truth. And the truth is—Wolfe was just the latest iteration of Professor Dick. Another asshole. It’s time to move on.”

I shook my head, not wanting to believe it. Maybe to some, he was an asshole. I could see how others might misinterpret his silence for condescension. But that wasn’t the man he truly was—the man he was with me. Or at least, the man I wanted to believe he was.

“He’s not,” I spluttered, a storm of emotions rolling through me. For days, I’d been numb, but now, I felt everything. It was too much. “He’s—”

“Why are you defending him?” She stood, her gaze fiery.

“He’s…different. That may be the man he shows in public, but it’s not the true Jonathan.”

“Mm-hmm.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and I bristled at the skepticism in her tone. “And the man you know is?”

I couldn’t say more, not without betraying Jonathan’s confidence. But she didn’t understand; she didn’t know his tortured soul like I did.

“I don’t need this.” I brushed past her, intent on the bathroom.

But she wasn’t deterred; she followed behind me. “You haven’t showered in days. You’ve been ‘organizing,’ avoiding me. What are you going to do when your dad and Lea come back from Miami in a few days?”

“I don’t know.” I huffed.

“And what about grad school? Don’t classes start soon?”

I gripped the edge of the counter and let out a few deep breaths. I didn’t lift my head, not wanting to glance at my reflection. I couldn’t face myself, let alone the truth.

“Yes,” I ground out in answer to her last question. I should already be in Palo Alto, buying my books, settling in to my apartment.

“Well—” She wasn’t tapping her foot, but it felt as if she may as well be.

“Well, what?” I glanced at her, anger and defiance in my eyes.

“You’re going, right?”