The Weight of Destiny by Nyrae Dawn Read Free Book Online

rolls her eyes and punches his arm. Shane frowns, and then rubs it as she leans against the house next to me. The way she hit him makes me think about Virginia and the little slap she gave me on my arm earlier. Drea doesn’t slap, she punches. Another difference between the rich girl and us.
    She did give me her number, though. She doesn’t know me. She definitely doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who gives her phone number to just anyone. Why would she be so worried about a guy like me getting home safe? I’ve never needed anyone to worry about me before, not that I do now, but I have to admit it was pretty cool of her.
    You saved my life once so I guess I owe it to you to return the favor.
    Oh yeah, that’s what it is. She thinks she owes me. I get that. Debts can bury you, no matter what kind they are. It’s not that she gives a shit about me; she thinks she owes me.
    “Ry, you want a hit?” Drea asks, and I realize Shane pulled out his pipe again.
    “Nah, I’m cool.” Pushing my hands into my pockets, I look up at the dark sky again.
    If you need a ride, call. Please.
    What the hell had the “please” been about? If it’s because she owes me, why would it be so important that I call? That’s what I don’t get. My friends kick ass. I’m glad to have them, and I know they’d do anything for me, but they’ve never told me to call them if I’ll be drinking at a party they’re not at.
    They finish smoking and then start talking about school and Tanner’s parents. I’m half listening, half not. Then I’m trying to figure out why I’m not listening to them more instead of trying to dissect my conversation with the rich girl that I’ll never see again.
    The girl with the plan, who walked out onto a collapsing dock late at night… No matter how I look at it, nothing fits when it comes to her.
    A warm body pulls up against my side. “Wanna fool around?” Drea asks.
    I shake my head before I realize what I’m doing. There are zero reasons for me not to want to screw around with Drea. Unattached sex with a girl who wants nothing more than sex and friendship from me? I’ve always signed my name on that dotted line.
    “Oh.” Drea puts space between us.
    My eyes shoot to Shane, who’s looking at me like I just broke her heart and he’s her protective Dad with a shotgun behind his back.
    “I’m not really feelin’ so hot,” I say, lamely.
    “He’s just not man enough to handle you.” Shane winks at her. This is what we do. We always have Drea’s back.
    Drea looks a little unsure of herself for a second, but then recovers quickly. “Eh, been thinking about trading him in for another plaything anyway. Thanks, Shane.”
    He gives her a simple nod. I nudge Drea’s side, and she looks at me and smiles. A breath I didn’t realize I held pushes from my lungs. I need to know we’re okay. I wrap an arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead. “You know I love you, Dre.”
    Until Dad comes back, these guys are the only people in my life who I know will always be there. No matter what Luke says, I know the second he’s free of me, he’ll be gone.
     
     
     

CHAPTER NINE
    ~Virginia~
    There was once a girl named Control. There was nothing she needed more than her name. It was everything to her. It defined her.
    ~*~
    My dad’s a lawyer. When he and Mom were together, he rarely went out of town on business. He tried to stay home as much as possible. Now that I’m older, he leaves from time to time for a conference or something like that. It’s not like he worries that he can’t trust me.
    I remember one time, he had a conference he couldn’t get out of. He sat Mom and I down at the dining room table to talk about it. That’s what Dad does—he talks. Mom creates when she’s having a hard time—books or art, it doesn’t matter. Dad talks. I look for distractions.
    So, Dad sat us down to talk. It really wasn’t a big deal, he said. It wasn’t as if he didn’t trust Mom with me. It