I moved out of the Farley house. He didn't stop me. He only sneered, "Thirty days. That should be enough time for you to cool off."
My phone chimed—my rideshare was almost here.
"Whatever you say."
I kept my eyes on my phone, not wanting to argue with him.
His expression darkened, then darkened again. Finally, he spoke.
"Get in the car."
"It's our teacher's birthday banquet today. If she sees me show up without you, she'll read into it."
"No need. My ride is already here."
The car had pulled up beside us. I walked straight over, opened the door, and got in.
The moment I shut the door, Jeffrey's car shot past—so close it grazed the spot where I'd just been standing. The driver jolted in his seat and cursed out loud.
"Driving some fancy car like he owns the damn road."
"Miss, you okay?"
I shook my head calmly and said nothing. I just rolled down the window and let the breeze wash over my face.
It suddenly occurred to me—even back when he was too poor to afford an electric scooter, Jeffrey had always been like this.
Even with no parents to speak of, his blue school uniform washed so many times it had faded to near-white, and a face that seemed to resent the world itself—