Page 118 of Meant to Be

JOSIE

Four Years Ago

I can’t breathe.

I need the ground to swallow me up. I can’t exist anymore. How can I possibly face anyone again? The views and the shares made the walls close in around me.

My legs tremble with each step. Mum and Dad are in the backyard, Dad is whipper snipping the yard edges, and Mum is raking leaves that have dropped from our frangipani tree.

They don’t know. God, I hope they never see it.

Heavy footsteps descend down the stairs. My face is a mess when I turn to see Sam staring at me, his phone in his hand.

“Josie,” he says. “What the fuck …”

“How could he do that to me?” I whisper.

“Because he is Harley fucking Caldwell!” he shouts at me. “What the bloody hell were you thinking? That guy is the worst guy in town! You …” My face crumples and I collapse into the dining chair, sobs tearing from my body. “Shit, hey, shh …” Sam says awkwardly, taking the seat adjacent to me. “Look, sorry, I’m just shocked. I can’t believe it.”

My hands shield my face. I can’t bring myself to see Sam’s face.

“What about Nick?” he asks. “Nick is the best person I know. How could you …”

I cry harder.

“I’ve reported it. I assume you have. Facebook will have to take it down. It’s …” He swallows, discontinuing his sentence. “They will. Soon, I’m sure.”

Pulling from the table, I dash out the door. My eyes are full with heavy tears.

My first stop is Nick. A little manically, I drive over to his house, hardly able to suck in air the entire time. I rush up the stairs. The front door swings open before I get the chance to knock. Nick’s mother steps outside, nostrils flared, her eyes in slits.

“Josie,” Annabeth snarls. “Come to do more damage to my son?”

Everything inside me sinks.

“You were never enough for my Nick,” she spits at me, her eyes blazing. “You’ve always been bad news. I knew it all along. Howcouldyou?” She steps closer, hands curled into fists. “We welcomed you into this family. Nickadoredyou.”

“He will understand—”

“He loses all sense of rationale when it comes to you.”

“I just need to talk to him—” my voice is pleading, but she cuts me off.

“You willnotspeak to him!” Her voice is sharp and I step back as if she has slapped me. “You will leave him alone.” A vein throbs in her temple as she takes another step. I feel my heels reach the edge of the porch. “Leave. Leave this town andnevercome back. Do everyone a favour.”

Her mousy hair whips around her shoulders as she turns. She steps inside and slams the door behind her. My entire body is shaking violently. I can’t feel my legs as I stiffly walk back to the car.

Robotically, I open the door, but before I move to take a seat, my eyes travel up to Nick’s window. He is staring back at me.

My hand flings to my mouth. I try to convey everything I’m feeling in my eyes. With a dark look, he shoves the curtains across the window and disappears behind it.

I’m cold as I slide behind the wheel, tears blurring my vision. I can barely see as I drive. In a dizzying panic, I drive to Elise’s house. Elise is out the front by the time the car stops.

“Elise,” I whisper. “I just went to—”

“You can’t be here, Josie.”

“What?”