Where It Ends

12 | pinky promise

"YOU'RE STILL MAD ABOUT THAT?" Miles asked with a chuckle as he popped another fry into his mouth. I never thought I would be willingly eating at McDonald's with the guy that I hated for years, but the last week has taught me that there's a first time for everything.

"Yes I'm mad! That was a cool ass lunchbox," I said. Miles texted Zeke to let him know that we stumbled into each other and that I'm safe but just need a little time. He told Zeke that we knew each other as kids, although he failed to leave out the part that I hated his guts.

Speaking of guts, my ribs were still bothering the fuck out of me. They had been sore the past few days, but I think they had gotten worse, which worried me. Usually they almost healed by now, but I was hoping it would just be a little longer until they started feeling better again.

The other pain in my life right now was the cocky, overly flirty guy sitting in front of me. He was still annoying, although slightly less than when we were kids. I couldn't deny the fact that he was attractive, but recognizing it was all I could do with that information. I could never like him. Plus. I was a petty bitch, and I sure could hold a grudge when I wanted to.

"So, you still friends with that Niko kid?" he asked.

"Best friends, he's a brother to me," I said. I guess that was one thing I had to thank Miles for (never out loud, of course). His assholish ways as a kid made me be friends with Niko, which is also how I met Ray and Claudia. Huh. I never realized that.

I reached to grab a fry again when suddenly another wave of pain flooded through my ribcage. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. They felt like they were on fire; I clutched them in the subtlest way possible but even that gained his attention.

"You okay?" he said, glancing at the way I was holding my ribs.

"Yeah, just cramps," I blurted out. I hadn't gotten my period in months, but he didn't have to know that.

"Sorry, that must suck," he said with a wince, not knowing what else to say. I just shrugged in response. We sat there in silence a little longer, and I was trying to ignore how dark it had gotten outside. I didn't want to go home, but I also didn't have the energy to fight. I just wanted to be in bed... I didn't care which one.

"You should probably go home soon, Vieve," he said, also noticing how dark it was. I sighed.

"Yeah..." I said reluctantly.

"Do you wanna talk about what happened?" he asked. "You seemed really upset."

I sighed, wondering what to say. Was I really going to tell Miles Kingston what happened? Whatever. I needed to get everything off my chest, and if he was a willing listener then what did I have to lose? "Well... my mom was an addict," I said, and Miles' eyes softened with concern.

"Shit, Vieve," he said, a shocked, sad look on his face. I gave him a sad nod to let him know it was okay.

"Apparently the drugs were still in her blood so it came up on the coroner report. The police station called Dax, and he completely freaked and took it out on me, and then everyone else heard, and I don't know," I said, holding back tears. I was so tired and overwhelmed and done with today, and I think Miles could tell that too.

"Why the fuck would he take it out on you? That's not your fucking fault," he said angrily, and there was something in his eyes that I couldn't recognize.

"I think I remind him of her," I said quietly. "I look just like her. Zeke does too."

"The two of you do look so similar. I can't believe I didn't put two and two together before now," he said, and he looked deep in thought. "Zeke and Dax don't get along either, if that wasn't obvious yet. I wonder if it's the same with him."