No Place Like Homecoming, Dallen, Maggie [beach read book .TXT] 📗

funny business because our girl’s already taken.”

She handed me a bottle of water but she might as well have tossed it over my head. “She’s...taken?”

“Yeah, she’s been pining over some guy back home,” Callie continued. Almost like she didn’t know she was reaching into my guts and squeezing my insides.

“Really,” I muttered.

Savannah came into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips. “Did she hit you up for a ride yet?”

I blinked. “A ride?”

Willow followed Savannah and now all three of my princess friends could witness my humiliation.

Sweet.

Embarrassment filled my veins and had my racing heart slowing to a dull thud of anger. “So she’s looking for a ride, huh?”

Callie frowned. “She didn’t ask? I figured that was why she wanted to talk to you alone.”

I nodded. Right. Of course. That was why. Not because she actually wanted to talk to me. Not because she wanted to get to know me.

Nope. That girl was just hoping to get something from me. “I’ll be right back,” I said, already turning away.

“Uh oh, maybe we shouldn’t have said anything,” I heard Callie whisper behind me.

My heart was pounding when I got back outside.

Isla’s smile was so beautiful it hurt.

So phony it made my skin crawl.

I’d known something was up. It wasn’t like I hadn’t suspected she was up to something but…

But yeah, I guess I was an idiot because for a little while there I’d thought maybe there was something real behind the flirting. Something genuine beneath all the bravado.

And there was something real there. She’d had an agenda. She’d wanted something from me and rather than just ask, she’d tried to trick me into liking her.

Man, I was such an idiot.

Her smile faltered a bit in the face of my silence, and I thrust a hand through my hair as I let out a long exhale. “You know, Isla, if you wanted to hitch a ride back home, you could have just asked.”

Her smile faded and I muttered a curse at the hurt that flickered in her eyes. Oh no. No way. She wasn’t allowed to be the victim here. Not today.

“I got the spoiled brat vibe from you that very first day we met,” I said. “I knew you were trouble the moment you opened your mouth—”

“Wait, Flynn, I—”

“But for some reason, I thought…” I trailed off with a loud exhale.

“What did you think?” Her voice was so raw and shaky it made my heart hurt.

Which was ridiculous. It was all a lie with her. She was nothing but smoke and mirrors. “I thought there was more to you than that.” I shrugged. “I thought there was something real beneath all your snark and your bravado, but I was wrong. Clearly.”

She started to protest again, but I tuned her out. I skipped the scene I knew would be waiting for me inside the house and walked around the side of the house to get to my car instead.

What an idiot. But at least now there was no danger of wanting to stay, right?

Even as I thought it, my mind went back to Callie, Willow, and Savannah. I’d gone so long telling myself I had no friends here, and it was like everyone was out to prove me wrong. Even Roman had invited me to his band’s next gig, like we were actually friends or something.

It was like the world was testing me. I told my mom I’d happily leave. That nothing was holding me here, and now that was the way it had to be.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, telling myself over and over that this was for the best. I was glad it turned out Isla was using me. I was grateful none of that was real.

Because if it had been…

Well, then I’d have a problem, wouldn’t I?

My phone rang, and I put it on speaker.

“Oh, Flynn, I’m so glad you picked up,” my mom said. “We weren’t sure if you’d be off work yet.”

I heard my little brother Ethan in the background, shouting something unintelligible, and the youngest, Marco, screamed over him.

“They miss you,” my mother translated.

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure he just said something about Fortnite.”

My mom snickered. “That’s his way of saying he misses you.”

I laughed. “Yeah, okay.”

“How’s the packing going?”

“Not bad.” She’d brought all the essentials with them when they’d left, and I’d sold off most of the furniture. “The rest should all fit in my car.”

“About that…” Her voice got all hesitant. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“If I don’t, who else will?” I hated the edge to my voice, and I tried to soften it as I added, “Besides, where would I live if our house is gone?”

She didn’t answer, but I could practically hear her sadness. All she’d ever wanted was to watch me cross a stage in a cap and gown. It had been tough to explain to her that while a fancy graduation was all fine and good, a diploma was a diploma, and I’d get that one way or the other.

“Are you sure about this, Flynn?”

I took a deep breath and just barely held back a sigh. This was how conversations always ended between my mom and me. Even before Dad left, I’d felt like the parent in our household. Ultimately, I ended up making the tough calls, and this one I’d already made.

No amount of well-intentioned friends were going to make me change my mind.

And a self-absorbed new girl who was only nice to me when she wanted something?

There was no way she was going to steer me off the path I’d chosen.

“Yeah, Mom. I’m sure.”

Ten

Isla

I looked down at the garish red slippers on my feet with a frown.

“You ready, kid?” my aunt called through the door of the guest bedroom.

Now my bedroom, I supposed.

Dread filled my belly as I caught sight of the ridiculous braids in the mirror. I was stuck here. I’d never make enough money to pay for a flight back to New York in time for homecoming, and even if