Page 107 of Running from Drac

They both look at me, then at each other.

“She’s been gone a while,” Poppy informs me. “Her mom called and told her she won’t be here for the wedding. It didn’t go very well, so I told her to go to the garden out back to clear her head.”

Something tells me I should go look for her.

“Should I go look for her?”

Poppy shrugs. “She’s your soon to be wife, Eddie. What do you think?” Sarcasm oozes out of her as she stands there tapping her foot, both of us knowing the answer.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

For some reason, my heart starts to race, and as I edge closer to the garden out back, it drops all the way to my feet when I hear someone screaming like they’re in the middle of a fight.

“I fucking hate you!” a girl screams.

“The feeling’s mutual, bitch!”

I know both of those voices very well, and when the door opens and I see both Pippa and Amber rolling around on the ground, extensions pulled from hair, dresses ripped and shredded to pieces, I know I’m fucked.

“Oh fuck!”

Both girls stop mid slap, nails are gone from their fingers, blood leaking out of scratches and onto their clothes. Pippa’s smiling like she just won the war, but it’s Amber’s eyes that have me dropping to my knees, the look of betrayal slicing my insides up like sushi.

“Oh, look who finally showed up. Glad to see you, lover,” Pippa yells, the look of amusement on her face is ridiculously alarming.

My head swivels to Amber, who’s now hovering near a bench, body trembling, her sobs tearing me to pieces.

“Amber… baby… I can explain!”

She recoils when I reach out for her, her head shooting up, a look of pure venom in her eyes. “Don’t come near me!” she screeches.

My eyes migrate to Pippa. She’s picking up her extensions off the ground, brushing them off like this isn’t the most fucked up thing to ever happen to me.

“What did she tell you?” I question, taking another cautious step towards her.

“I told her everything, Eddie. Every dirty little detail. I told her about us. She needed to know.”

Black track marks move down Amber’s face, tears blurring her eyes as she fights to wipe them away, only ruining her dress more.

“I was going to tell you—”

She cuts me off, scrambling to her feet as she points an angry finger in my direction. “When, Eddie? Before or after we got married?”

There’s a small rock near my foot, so I kick it, unable to look her in the eye.

“After, I guess. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”

“Not that big of a deal! Are you fucking kidding me? How is sleeping with one of my best friends not that big of a deal?”

My glare slices through Pippa, she’s barely paying attention, more focused on picking up her lost fingernails than she is about my imploding relationship. “You told her?”

Pippa staggers to her feet, wobbling a little as she faces me. “Someone had to, Eddie.”

“God damn it, Pippa. What the hell did you tell her?”

Amber’s jaw tenses. “I can’t believe it. She’s telling the truth.” She takes a step back, clutching her dress over her exposed chest like it’s a comfort blanket. “You actually fucked her!”

“Only once,” I exclaim, even though it doesn’t make it right.