Page 113 of Pretty Broken Wings

I’m hungover as fuck, and I know I’m not welcome here, but I couldn’t spend another minute in that house. Not in that bedroom. I begged Mom to drop me off here.

I know I’ll get hatred and disdain from Raven and Gage.

But hey, they can’t hate me more than I hate myself.

Gotta look at the bright side.

There’s a bolt of movement down the hall, and I’d bet anything it’s Raven. I grin, even though I don’t feel happy. “Did I interrupt something?”

Gage is silent.

I let the fake smile fall away, too tired to keep it up. I stink, my head is screaming, and I need to sleep for fucking… forever, probably.

“Love you too.” I blow him a kiss, then stumble down the hall. I’m tempted to crash in Raven’s room, but I just don’t have the energy for that fight right now. Instead, I find my way to the other spare room by the laundry and pass out.

When I wake up, I first realize how dry my mouth is and how bad I stink.

Fuck. What fucking day is it?

It seems light outside, and after I stumble to the bathroom to guzzle water from the faucet, I find myself unsettled.

I definitely embarrassed myself last night. Last night? Two days ago? Fuck, I remember the anger hitting me so hard I shook. Then Gage was helping me.

I want to go back to being unconscious.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t work. I smell like shit. I stalk to the laundry room to see if Gage has any clean clothes in the washer, and as I do, I bump into someone. Someone small that smells like men’s shampoo.

Involuntarily, I suck in a breath.

“Watch where you’re going,” Raven’s voice curls around me with a familiar bitterness.

I love that bitterness. Lean into it. At least it’s not apathy.

I raise my hands. “Would it be the wrong time to say I can’t ‘watch’ anything?”

I don’t have my glasses. I don’t know where they went. I toss Raven my signature smile, although I don’t feel it in my soul.

“Whatever,Garret.” Then, she tries to shove past me.

There’s a flicker of something in my chest. I snap my hand out at her, and I grab her arm. It’s small and delicate. “What did you just call me?”

“Get the fuck off me!” Raven writhes in my grip. “Don’t think I won’t hit you in the balls too.”

I let go of her writhing form but stay in the doorway. “What?”

She’s seething, and I can tell she moves away from me. “I hit Rich in the nuts with my bat, and I’ll do the same to you.”

A flash of something like… relief rolls through me, and I bark out a laugh. Raven hit Rich in the nuts? Oh god. The image is a dream. The laughter takes over and becomes somewhat of a manic thing, making me laugh until my stomach hurts.

God. Her hatred is intoxicating. It breathes a tiny bit of life into my dead soul. I kinda want to kiss her.

No. Ireallywant to kiss her.

“Get the fuck out of the way,” Raven demands.

Right. I’m still in the doorway.

I think about making a show of keeping her here. Flirting with her just to see her anger boil over. But then I just… stop.