i

wered, in clean pajamas, and eating the frozen pizza I promised myself, but mentally, I

ip

s of my phone makes me jump. A dribble of grease

elle. You ma

hone," my best friend retorts. "You should b

ipe my fingers on a paper towel. "I'm not stuffin

ged parent outside of your job! I'

when you say it

ind's eye. There was nothing simple about him. He

a knight in

sheer frustration. "Move your camera. What's the

een this entire chat," I point

ht, so your situations aren't exact

best friends. Then again, Noelle is scary. If I don't do what she says no

one, giving her an ar

ithout missing a beat. "And i

sh, "that's

he sauce off with my forearm. "I'm fine, okay? The guy was drunk a

to pop. "Who cares about this week? Wha

rrect. "He didn'

came along and shoved him

sn't a

er the word 'giant'

lle says. "She said he was a

ional to the rest

et the class's attention. "Regardless, the fact remains that you nee

's whispering the words in my ear.I

ted. Maybe another attack wouldn't be so

urts out. "Buy a gun. I ca

't getting-she do

lice report going to do if that guy comes bac

I could see your face, I'd be able to tell if you're jo

and her eyebrows are as thin as they were in high school, which is to say, almost nonexistent. She rais

ering my mouth, "is t

k ring around her right eye and gives a hum

rily silent. Her n

I ask, even thoug

e drug dealer for years. Apparently, they're on again. Or they were. I

Noelle shakes her head. "I'll k

ice report?" Ashley taunts. "S

arrest, I'm sure. If the police were going to do anything about him, they would've

ize that, right? He's probably recording this conversation ri

he FBI, right?" I butt in. "He

a soft chin, a receding hairline, and a vapid smile. He isn't what t

ializes in white collar crimes. He also is not recording my conversations, so no one need

went there to end things and... well, they

ge. I doubt Ashley will ever be truly done with Jason. Mostly because I doubt she will ever be t

ed anythin

. This is about you, Piper. You had a traumatic ex

s wrong with the two of you? Press charges. Both o

ing like you have any idea wh

t of uncomfor

t mean?" Noell

C'mon, you two. Ca

Noelle is the boss lady and Ashley is the wild card. The two of them butt heads more

oelle sits in a cushy office and lives in a fancy loft apartment w

ame apartment complex, for God's sake. But while you were out getting fucked-up with Jason and Mychal and Elijah and I-can't-even

de something of myself?" Ash

an next door is probably going to knock on

s. I feel both of t

sk. "Because I already know. Ashley is going

ike you!" Noel

o accuse Ashley of thi

." Ashley shrugs

ou'll apologize and make nice and we'll end the conversation laughing like no

ir favorite toy, but I can tell they know

"We're too old fo

r lives and we'll be fine," Ashley retort

ugh she's always hated that nickn

that's settled, I still have

le your personal business. You think you're fine now, but the body keeps

ave time to process this trauma. Besides, I have a lifetime o

f

tomorrow morning about a permanent placement for an abandoned baby. Honestly, it might be a bright s

get some bottomless mimosas with me

t you wer

bit defensively. "Weed and alcohol

know moderation is not Ashley's strong suit. Doing the exact opposite of what we advise is one of he

aincheck on the brunch. I h

essing silence of my apartment settles over me like a cobweb. No matter how hard I try

had Noelle and Ashley to talk to. Now, it's front and center. The

ue-eyed beast who

ttle harder