Hard and Fast

A Week Later

Riley

A text came in early that morning that they were hoping to swing the auditions at seven that night, which gave me about eight hours to pace the floor. I'd accepted their invite, though I was a little wary of trying to pull off my facade in front of Ethan again.

My mother wasn't staying with me and Charlotte anymore, but with some old friends of hers. To say I was uneasy was a massive understatement. My mother's friends reminded me a little too much of my brother, Darek’s, old friends.

I dropped down on the couch and let out a shaky sigh, wishing that Charlotte was home for the day so we could talk things through. I needed someone to unload my shit on, and after hiding from the world for a few years, I was alone.

I pulled out my phone and texted Jace to see if he was free for an afternoon romp in the sheets. It was tacky and not something I did too often, but between lamenting over my brother's death four years ago, my mom's shitty choices and having to make out with