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Back Where There's A Will Save as PDF
Chapters (39)
  1. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. Interlude
  37. Acknowledgements
  38. Content Warning
  39. About the Author

She scowls, probably thinking I’m laughing at her. She’s a tiny thing, but she sure makes up for it in attitude. There’s no one else I’d rather take on the shitty world we’ve been born into than with this girl right here.

I press my sweaty palm to her face and shove her away.

“Ugh!” she screeches. “I swear to Satan, if you just fucked up my make-up, I’ll be sacrificing you on the next full moon.”

“Okay, Crazy.” I slide open the window for her, following her back inside. “But I’m pretty sure he only accepts virgins”—I cut her a wicked look over my shoulder—“and in case you missed it, that ship sailed a long time ago.”

Glaring at me with those bright cat eyes of hers, she points a finger. “I think he’d make an exception for you.”

“I’ve been told I have that effect on people.”

“God, you’re intolerable,” she groans, fighting hard not to smile. “Why do I put up with you?”

“Because I’m the light of your life. The wind beneath your wings. The—”

“—gum on my shoe. The hair in my food. The turd on my doorstep...”

We break off into laughter and gentle shoves, and now that I can breathe freely again, I can almost convince myself that Will Foster’s reappearance changes nothing. And that my dad’s impending release isn’t going to uproot everything I’ve worked so hard for all these years to achieve.

I can almost pretend everything’s okay.

5

5

Will Foster

It’s nearly dark when I wake up from my nap.

The ceiling fan above me whirs softly, blowing a light breeze over my bare skin. With each spin of the blades, the sheer white curtain over the window billows like a cape.

It’d be peaceful if it wasn’t so goddamn quiet. And hot.

Sitting up, I rake my fingers through my hair, cringing at the sensation of sweat clinging to my skin like a second layer. I need a fucking shower.

The A/C is broken, but Reggie promised he’d have it fixed by Monday. He didn’t expect anyone to move in so quickly. Not that I really consider myself “moved in.” If anything, it just feels like I’m house-sitting; floating through the small space like a ghost, trying to make myself as small and invisible as possible.

Which makes no fucking sense since I’m the only one here. And I’m paying rent.

Checking my phone, I see it’s a little after eight. Reggie’s likely closed up shop for the day. He said he stays late most days, but he apparently has a hot date tonight. His words, not mine.