“No, not now. Wait. Because I need to say it too.”

I blink back the tears as I nod slowly. “Okay, but how’s your leg?”

He chuckles. “Well, because I kicked in your door, they wouldn’t let me play last night and we lost.”

“So I guess that’s my fault?”

“I mean, if you want the blame, I’ll let you have it,” he teases and I grin. “No, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have gotten so mad that I kicked your door.”

“Maybe I should have opened it?”

“Yeah, that would have been nice. My knee and my team would have thanked you for that,” he says and I laugh. “But that’s a conversation for Monday, okay?”

“Okay,” I agree. “But one thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Nothing happened with Delanie Cunt Collins, did it?”

He scoffs. “Fuck no, my heart is in New Jersey.”

My mouth turns up into a full grin and I let out a sigh. “And my heart is in Nashville.”

“Damn right, and you aren’t getting it back.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Good,” he says, and then he yawns loudly into the phone. “Shit, sorry. I’m so damn out of it. I woke up to Jayden in my bed. It was freaky.”

I laugh at that and my face hurts from grinning. “I’ll let you go.”

“Okay, go mingle with that family of yours.”

I pause. “Yeah, about that… I kind of told them to fuck off and that I don’t want them in my life.”

“Holy hell, that’s amazing,” he says and I laugh. “Or wait, am I supposed to say something else?”

“No, it’s good. Matty said something crappy, of course, and I hit him. Then he pushed me into the counter where I busted my nose.”

He pauses. “Excuse me? He did what?”

“It’s no big deal.”

“Um, yes, it is. What did your mom, dad, or hell, anyone do?”

“Nothing.”

“What? Are you serious? I’ll kill him,” he says, his voice full of venom.

“Whoa, killer. Siblings fight.”

“I’ve never put my hands on Lucy—neither have my brothers. You don’t hit girls.”

He really is perfect.

“Just stay in your room, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay, call me if you need me to come up there. Or better yet, I’ll send Jude to come get you.”

“They aren’t holding me hostage, Jace.”

“Fine, go to a hotel. I’ll get you a room.”

“Jace, be real.”

“If I’m real, I’d fly you home. Now I’m worried.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine.”

He pauses and then clears his throat. “Like really, really fine? I’ve been so worried that you would…”

He trails off and I know what he is talking about. The cutting. But he has nothing to worry about. “I haven’t hurt myself. At all.”

“Good. That’s really good.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Okay, will you text me later?”

“Yeah, text me when you wake up.”

“Cool. Okay, I love you.”

“I love you.”

I hang up, looking down at my screen as it goes to a picture of him and me. It was the day we were with Angie, having a blast. It was the day I knew I loved Jace Sinclair and that he was the last guy I’d ever love. It’s such a special picture, something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.

It’s a picture of my forever.

I don’t come out of my room the rest of the weekend. Not even for the game, which was originally why I was in town. Mom did come to check on me, begging me to come out, but I stood my ground and she didn’t fight me on it. Especially when I looked in the mirror and saw the bruises around my nose. My family did nothing, and that just blows my mind. I mean, yeah, I went at him. But why did I have to? Why didn’t they tell him to shut up? Blah, whatever, I don’t care. I’m leaving in a matter of hours, and I’m never coming back. And the supershitty thing is, I don’t think they care.

But Jace does.

He wants me home.

Jace: So nine hours left until you’re home.

Me: Counting down the seconds.

Jace: Me too. Be safe. Call me when you land.

Me: I will.

After covering my face with more makeup than usual because of the bruises, I pick up my bag and head downstairs, wanting some lunch before I head downtown for my appointment. I already said good-bye to my mom this morning since she had a luncheon to go to for the hockey club she still supports, despite not having a son playing. While it burns that she doesn’t want to drive me to my appointment or to the airport, I know I need to let it go. I’ve decided this imitation of a family isn’t good for me, and I have to stand behind that. I have to be strong, no matter how much the small, feeble girl inside me wants to grasp at my family, begging them to love me.

As I head downstairs, the house is quiet and I don’t expect to see anyone else. My dad left last night for Toronto, Seth yesterday morning for wherever his next game is, and while Laurence and Matty are still here, I assume they don’t care to say good-bye to me, which is fine by me. Kind of. Whatever.

Dropping my bag at the bottom of the stairs, I head into the kitchen to get some leftovers Julian said he’d have for me. The kitchen is empty and I wonder where he is. He said he’d see me off, but I don’t see him and that makes me sad. While I may not think we need him, I love him. He’s always been really nice to me. Shrugging, I head to the fridge, getting out the plate that has my name on it before putting it in the microwave. Leaning against the counter, I wait as I play on my phone, stalking Baylor’s and Claire’s Facebook pages. They asked me to be friends this past weekend, which was surprising since I thought Jace would tell them we broke up. I’m assuming he didn’t because we are friends now, and it’s cool. I love looking back and watching Jace grow through their pictures. He’s so hot.

When I hear a text sound, I look around confused, since my phone didn’t go off. Looking to the island in the middle of the kitchen, I see a phone, blinking with a text. When it goes off four more times in a row, my brows mush together. Whose phone is that? I don’t want to be nosy, but when it goes off four more times, I take a step toward it, leaning my forearms on the counter until it’s in my view. I know I’m wrong with this, but it could be an emergency.