Untouched (Bay Falls High, #1)(6)

I walked my way down to the beach and felt the breeze hit my face and take my hair for a ride. It was the first time in a long time I smiled and it felt good to smile. I mean, part of me felt bad that I simply just texted Ruby and Amelia that I was leaving. But it wasn’t like I moved across the country. But I definitely was far enough away that we couldn’t see each other so easily. And I definitely was in a whole new world. Funny how money changed everything. Even though people tried to say money couldn’t buy happiness. That was complete and total bullshit. Everyone could be sad but those with money were a little less sad.

I was feeling a little less sad as I stood there on the beach.

Watching the waves slowly smack their hands to the shore. Like they were clapping. Or maybe they had heard a funny joke and were slapping their hands on a table.

My phone started to ring, taking my peaceful moment.

Especially when I looked and saw it was Mom.

I would have preferred a regular call. Or a text.

But no… Mom wanted to see my face.

And I did not want to see her face. Because when I did, I thought about what I saw in that closet. What she had tried to do. What could have happened if I hadn’t come home to find her. To think, Ruby’s period basically saved my mother’s life.

I reminded myself of what Claire was doing for me and for Mom so I planted a fake smile on my face.

“Hey, Mom,” I said.

“Oh, Tinsley… baby…”

She looked like death.

Her face pale. She looked sweaty. Her hair messy. Sitting in a hospital bed.

“How do you feel?” I asked.

I had no clue what the protocol was here.

“Not good,” she said. “Not good at all.”

“Hey, want to see something cool?”

“Of course.”

I turned the video around. “The ocean, Mom. I finally made it to the ocean.”

There was silence.

I watched as Mom’s eyes filled with tears. She shut her eyes. A tear escaped.

Yeah, it still got to me. It still made my heart beat faster and made me feel pain. But this cycle… I was used to it.

“I just need to know you’re okay, Tinsley,” Mom said.

“I’m okay,” I said. “I’m perfectly okay.”

“I’m sorry.”

There it was.

The two words that meant nothing to me anymore. Yet they were two words I had to accept and had to believe in. Because if I didn’t then I was basically wishing my mother would die.

“I know you are,” I said.

Mom carefully wiped her eyes.

There were tubes and needles and all kinds of stuff attached to her arm and hand.

She looked like a science project.

And soon she would get changed and walk out of the hospital like nothing happened. Only to go right to rehab. And what would that actually do?

I swallowed hard.

“I’m going to take care of this,” she said. “I’m not going to make empty promises to you.”

Like you’ve done my entire life?

I faked another smile. “I’m okay here, Mom. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I know that.”

“You need to worry about yourself.”

“I will.”

I saw something from the corner of my eye.

It was the first sign of life on the beach.

Just off in the distance there were two people walking along the edge of the water.

Guys.

It caught my attention for sure.

Then again, two guys walking on the beach together… maybe they were together.

One guy wore white shorts and tan shoes. A baby blue polo shirt with spiked hair. He looked nervous.

Rightfully so.

Because the guy next to him was… whew.

Tall, wide shoulders, a t-shirt that did nothing to hide the tone cut muscles that carefully slid out of the sleeves of the shirt. There was a watch on his wrist that for some reason made him look hotter. I told myself this place was nothing but rich boys. And this guy walking the beach screamed it. But he wore jeans. Like regular jeans. And shoes. Regular shoes. Right there on the beach.

The shorter guy talked, using his hands.

The tall, hot guy listened, looking out to the water.

I suddenly had the urge to be an artist. So I could trace the perfect cut line of his jaw. You know, with a pencil… or my lips.

I shut my eyes.

Jeez, Ti…

“I better get going,” Mom’s voice said.

“Oh, yeah,” I said, remembering that my junkie of a mother was on the phone.

You know, the one who just overdosed and almost died? The one who didn’t pay the bills and got the electricity turned off? The one who put me in this position right now?

Yeah, that Mom.

“Love you, Tinsley,” she said.

“Love you back,” I said.

There was a moment when we stared at each other.

She wanted to apologize again but didn’t.

I wanted to tell her to please get clean - for me - but I didn’t.

We ended the video just staring at each other.

My heart hurt worse.

But I had a little way to distract it.

I bit my lip and turned my head.

I wanted another look at the hottie with the body walking the beach.