If There's Something

Chapter 20

  I avoided everyone for a week, careful not to be caught by any of them. I wasn't sure whether they had even noticed that I wasn't around because I had avoided them so well. I'd leave the house before any of them woke up and spend my days walking around town, finding new places to eat at and interesting places to waste time at or I'd walk Pepper around in the fields. I spent most of my time at the lake where Micah found me and asked me why I was avoiding him, too. I couldn't avoid him though. He was all I had who had nothing to do with Aunt Marya.

We'd spend the day at the lake, watching the sky turn different colors as we talked about college since Micah had only applied this year, too and luckily, both of us had applied to colleges in Chicago and gotten through. We planned things such as living together since Wes already had an apartment and roommates. Other days, we'd spend our time in Micah's house, cooking, listening to music or watching Netflix. He'd drop me back home late at night and I'd pretend to sleep when Wes or Levi entered my room. Rush didn't bother coming to check on me or even try to talk to me.

But by the end of the week, Wes caught me by waking up extra early. He hid in the kitchen and waited for me to sneak downstairs but before I could exit the house through the back door, he sprung up.

"Where're you going?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest.

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned around, annoyed that I had gotten caught and cranky from my sleepless nights.

"You've been busy avoiding us this past week," he accused. "Is it because of what we told you?"

"No," I lied and turned around to find Levi coming down the stairs. "Fine, yes."

"Farren-" Levi started but I shook my head, cutting him off.

"Look, Rush has always been a jerk to me, especially since my birthday but he still deserves to know," I told them. "She was his mom, too. And it has something to do with him."

"Far, you've seen the way he's acting. He'll really lose his shit if he finds out about this," Levi pointed out.

"Firstly, he already has lost his shit," I corrected him. "Secondly, he has to get over all of this at some point and thirdly, I don't want to be the one to tell him because it's not my story to tell but if it comes down to it, I can't lie to him."

With all that said, I turned around to leave but Levi caught my hand and gave me a pleading look, one along the lines of a puppy-dog look.

"What?" I asked defensively. "I'm going to Micah's house, not running away."

"Stop avoiding us, Far," Wes warned. "Rush has barely spoken to us since your fight with him on some unknown issue, so we don't need another spiteful spirit in the house."

My body stiffened and my cheeks flushed pink. I still wasn't over what had happened with Rush the night of my birthday and I still hadn't told Wes or Levi about it. I couldn't.

"Fine," I muttered, carefully removing my hand out of Levi's grasp.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Levi stared at the floor shyly. "Can I come with you to Micah's house?"

"We can talk about it here if you want," I offered, curious to know what he wanted to talk about.

"Nah, I think it'll be better if Micah's there, too," he raised his eyebrows up hopefully and I shrugged.

"I'm curious as hell now so let's hurry up and get there," I joked and grabbed his hand. "See you later, Wes."

"Be back early tonight." Was all he said as we headed out.

We couldn't get to Micah's house fast enough. I kept pestering Levi to tell me what it was about but he refused to tell me anything until we were sitting in Micah's room.

"Spill it now," I ordered. "I think I'll pull out what's left of my hair if you take any longer to talk."

"You're going to college in Chicago?" he asked me and I nodded. I had already spoken to him about it before so why did he feel the need to ask again?

"Why?" I asked. "And what does it have to do with Micah?"

"I heard you talking to him on the phone the other night," he admitted. "I wasn't eavesdropping or anything."

"Get to the point, my child," Micah prodded jokingly.

"I heard that you're both going to Chicago and that you're going to stay together," he stared at his hands in his lap.

"Jealous, now, are you?" Micah tutted and I nudged him in the stomach. "What? Okay, fine. What's your point?"

"Can I stay with you guys, too?" he blurted out and Micah and I gaped at him. "I mean-"

"You're coming to Chicago, too?" I asked, confused. He had told me about wanting to join culinary school but never told me where he had applied.

"I mean, I got into Illinois Institute of Arts in Chicago and-" he started and hugged him quickly, making him freeze.

"Congratulations," I gushed in his ear. "And why would you need to ask something like that. Of course, we don't mind a third roommate."

"I think your brother would sleep better if Levi joins us," Micah nodded. "Not that a little boy like him could stop a tiger like me."

"We're the same age, you know?" Levi glared at him. "And I could take you down-"

"Oh shut up, both of you," I chuckled. "This is awesome. Now all we have to do is find an apartment."

"Wes can help with that, right?" Levi looked at me and I shook my head quickly.

"I don't want to run to him for help," I told him quickly. "I want to do something by myself for once. We'll figure everything out and then show him the results."