I wonder if I’m prying too much, but curiosity gets the better of me, so I check her story as well.

The first photo is of her, dressed in a muddy outfit in the garden. The next one shows her entire garden, which is insanely gorgeous, and my heart flutters a little when I notice the tree I planted for her. The last one is just the new tree with a watering can. It’s an artistic photo that looks like it came straight from Pinterest.

I smile at that and Avocado barks, making me laugh.

“Let’s go, buddy.” I pet him and he makes himself comfortable in the passenger seat. “It’s time for us to find a new home.”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

INDIGO

It’s been exactly a week since I left Elias’s house. Now it’s finally time to get out of bed, dress up, and spend another night at a party I hate.

I take a shower at the slowest pace ever. Once I’m out, I wrap myself in a towel and leave my hair to air dry.

“Indigo!”

I jump, my breath hitching. Jesus Christ. This woman is going to kill me one day.

“Yes?” I yell back at Enya, trying to calm the rapid beating of my heart.

“He’s coming!”

I hear heavy footsteps and instantly freeze. I open my mouth to ask who it is, but I stay quiet when I hear the footsteps outside my bedroom door.

Luckily, I have all my clothes stuffed in my wardrobe. There are still a few things here and there, but at least there’s no more evidence of the mess I live in.

“Are you dressed?” A voice I instantly recognize says.

I look down at myself. “Kind of?” I say.

“Are you covered enough?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Elias opens the door. He looks great in jeans and a checked shirt. His broad chest is enhanced by the close-fitting fabric. Elias looks at me, analyzing my body from my toes to the tips of my wet hair. Somehow, he manages to do it respectfully.

“Why didn’t you call?” he asks as our eyes lock.

“What do you mean, why I didn’t call?”

“We talked about me going with you to your parents’ parties, remember?”

I close my eyes and wonder how Elias found out about this. When I open them, he’s staring at me with a sad look on his face.

“What happened?” he mumbles.

I shrug, turning to face the mirror so I can continue doing my makeup.

“Nothing happened.” I try to stay as steady as I can, so I won’t ruin my eyeliner. “I just know that these parties won’t make you happy, so why torture you?”

I catch him fidgeting from the corner of my eye. He lets out a loud sigh.