Effortless With You by Lizzy Charles Read Free Book Online Page B

station.”
    “But you won’t have time to eat something.” He has run to reach my side. He motions to the other guys, all sitting on the lawn eating out of their lunchboxes. I look down at my watch.
    “It’s ten. When do we eat lunch?”
    “One.”
    “I can make it. I’ll be fine.” My stomach growls in protest.
    “Lucy, you should eat. You’ll get hungry.”
    “I can last three more hours. Water is way more important.”
    Alex motions toward the house’s hose. “Use that, water’s in our contract.” I scrunch my nose. “Come on, like when you were a kid, remember?”
    The thought of the metallic taste grosses me out. Plus, a trip to the gas station helps me avoid Justin. “No thanks. I’ll just make a quick run. I’ll be back.” Alex doesn’t say anything. He stops running, shaking his head. Troy approaches him. Alex explains, “She wants to go to the gas station. I can’t stop her.”
    “Well, she better come back.”
    “She will.” Alex says confidently.
    Wow. The idea hadn’t occurred to me to just leave. Why not? I hold the answer to that question in my hand: my phone. GPS. I’ll be back because I have to be. I bet Mom is watching where I am right now and wondering where I'm going, about to jump out of her computer chair and get in the car and chase me down. I start to jog. Mom now has total control, everything she wanted.
    I arrive back as Troy shouts, “Back at it, men!” He looks at me as I pass him. “And Lucy.”
    How nice to be included.
    I drink half of one of the water bottles on the way into the backyard. I’ll definitely be using that hose in the next couple of hours. I climb up my ladder where Alex has already prepped my supplies. My stomach growls again. Ugh, this will be a long three hours.
    I brush back and forth, grey over yellow. My stomach growls just enough to distract me from hitting a rhythm. I climb up and down the ladder to grab sips of water. Alex has somehow clipped his water to his ladder, saving him from going up and down. I’ll have to ask him about that during lunch. The sun is right over us now. In only an hour or so it will move to the other side of the house. Shade. The front and back of my tank top are soaking wet. It is unusual for me to sweat so much. I’ll bring two tops tomorrow.
    The water finally settles my stomach. I fall back into my painting rhythm and my mind drifts to Zach. Should I call and apologize for my mom at the party and explain her crazy need for control? He’d agree and comfort me. Maybe he’d even stop over to sit with me outside and talk? I can already smell his cologne.
    The back of my throat burns; I’m thirsty again. I climb down the ladder. My head feels a bit fuzzy. I take a long sip, feeling sleepy and unusually relaxed. I take another sip, closing my eyes for a bit. My stomach seems to turn over. I drank too much. My hands start shaking.
    I bend over, my hands on my knees. Collect yourself, Lucy. Too late. The water comes back up. My eyes go fuzzy.
    “Lucy?”
    The ringing in my ears drowns Alex’s voice.

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SIX

     
     
    Water. Water everywhere. Wet. My eyes jolt open.
    Justin stands over me, spraying me with a hose. “She’s awake.” Justin leans down. He puts one arm around my shoulder and the other under my knees and swiftly picks me up.
    “Put me down.” I push away from him but he holds on. The world turns. “Now,” I insist.
    Justin refuses. He throws me in the front seat of the truck, reaching over and buckling me in. The truck lurches as something lands in back. Alex. My whole body trembles. A Pixy Stick is dangled in front of my face. “Eat this.”
    “No.” I move Justin’s arm away. “I’m not hungry.” My stomach stings. Who can eat when they feel like this?
    He pushes the Pixy Stick back in my face. I snatch it and throw it out the window. There. My head pounds, I bury it in my knees. My stomach heaves and yellow liquid follows.
    Justin groans.
    The stinging in my