Empire High Betrayal(54)
He texted back right away. “But I like being miserable with you.”
My stomach twisted into knots. Matt said he didn’t care about James’ wellbeing anymore. But he did. I knew he did. And he’d want to make sure that James was okay, even if they were fighting.
“Are you okay?” I texted.
“No. I’m miserable. And it’s loud here.”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know. Some club.”
A club? That meant he was drinking. Or worse. “What club? Where?”
“Are you coming?”
“James, tell me where you are.”
“I like when you’re bossy. Come make me feel better.”
Yeah, he was definitely drunk. Or high. Or something. I had no idea what his current elixir of choice was. “James, give me the address.”
“Call me and I’ll give it to you,” he texted back.
Damn it. “Fine. One second.”
I walked over to Mrs. Caldwell and Kennedy. They were flipping through books of different hairstyles. I hung the Sandy leggings on the back of one of the chairs.
“I need to make a call real quick,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Wait,” Kennedy said. “What do you think of something like this?” She flipped around the hairstyle book she was holding. The model in the picture had these beautiful chestnut highlights in her hair.
“That would look amazing on you,” I said.
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely,” Mrs. Caldwell said. Then she turned to me. “Don’t go too far, sweetheart. Not past security, alright?”
“Mhm.” I made my way out of the private room. The grand entrance was completely empty. I pressed on James’ number.
“Hey,” he said. But I could barely hear him over the music blaring in the background.
“James, where are you?”
“Where are you?”
I shook my head. “I’m out.”
“Are you with Matt?”
“No. I’m out with his mom. Tell me where you are.”
“I like Mrs. Caldwell,” he said. “She’s nicer than my mom. Everything Matt has is better than what I have.”
Oh, James. “Can you please tell me where you are?”
“What are you and Mrs. Caldwell out doing?” he asked, ignoring me.
“We’re getting makeovers.”
The music got a little quieter, like he’d shut himself in a bathroom or something. “You don’t need a makeover, Brooklyn. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
I bit the inside of my lip. He wasn’t supposed to be saying stuff like that to me. “James…”
“How do you know if someone loves you or your money?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes you do. Because you love Matt for Matt. You don’t care about his money. You’re not like Rachel.”
“I thought you two made up?”
“Yeah. But I don’t want to be with her anymore. She doesn’t love me. People in love don’t cheat.”
“People make mistakes.” I’d certainly made plenty of them.
“I want to be with you,” James said. “Like in the shower. It was like you needed me. I think I like being needed. Rachel doesn’t need me. She just wants the life I can give her.”
“James…”
“I won’t kiss you. I just want to sit with you. I can’t remember the last time I was as happy as I was that night. Just sitting.”
“If I remember correctly, you also got your…you know…bitten. It couldn’t have been that great of a night.”
He laughed. “That part was not the best. But my dick is fine, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“I wasn’t.”
He sighed. “I’m so fucking tired.”
Something about the way he said it made it seem like he wasn’t sleepy. More like tired of his life.
“Can you please tell me where you are?”
“I’m going to get the fuck out of this city as soon as I can. Is everyone in Delaware as nice as you? Maybe I’ll move there.”
“Not everyone. But in general…yeah, people seem friendlier.”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll go there. One day. I don’t know. I’m tired. You know?”
No, I didn’t know. That was the problem. All I knew was that I was worried about him. Ever since Matt told me he was scared James might try to hurt himself, I’d been worried. More now than before. Because it seemed like now I was the only one looking out for him. “Tell me where you are, James.”
“I’m in a bathroom.”
“That’s not helpful.”
He laughed. “I meant what I said when I proposed. I don’t think we’d be miserable together. I think you make me happy. I think you’re the only one that makes me happy.”
“Don’t say that.” My stomach twisted into more knots. It wasn’t fair for him to put his happiness on me. I couldn’t be his person.
“Why shouldn’t I say it? It’s true.” He sighed. “And you understand my misery too. I like drowning with you. Fuck. I want you even more because I can’t have you.”