Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel Bella Emy (best ebook reader for laptop .TXT) 📖

it would all be the same. And it’s all because we were in love so long ago, until he did the unimaginable and broke my heart. Crushing it. Shattering it.

I frown. “Probably not.”

Erin walks closer to me and places an arm around me. “It’ll be okay, girl. The past is the past, and even if it still hurts, you have to know that everything will be okay. I’ll be right here with you every step of the way, and I won’t let you face him alone. We got this. I’m your girl, and I’m always here for you.”

Erin offers me a warm smile, and finally, I ease up a bit, smiling back.

“There’s my best friend,” she says, nudging me in the arm.

“Thanks.”

“Okay, now can we get back out there before Kennedy calls the whole wedding patrol in here looking for us?”

I chuckle, but it’s true. Kennedy probably would send the rest of the bridal party in here if we’d take too long.

I nod. “Yeah, but you head out first. I’d like to have a moment to rinse my face and compose myself.”

Erin smiles and takes a step back. “You got it.”

“Thanks, I’ll be right there.”

Erin walks out of the ladies’ room, and as the door closes behind her, I turn on the faucet. I take a breath as I fill my hands with water. I splash it on my face, and once I’m looking back at my reflection, my mind goes blank, and that’s when everything comes crashing back.

Chapter Five

Back to the Past…

“Are you sure we’re not going to get caught?” I turn my head from left to right before watching my best friend, Erin Cole, head out of my bedroom window.

No, this wasn’t the first time we were sneaking out, but for some reason, this felt worse than all the other times. Like, what would my mother say were she to find out that I was sneaking out to the party I was explicitly warned not to attend?

But how could I not go to the last party of the summer? This was the one all the kids from school waited the whole summer for. I had to be there. Anyone who was anyone would be there. Okay, so maybe crazy house parties aren’t really my thing, but it was all Erin had been talking about for weeks, and there was no way I was going to let my best friend go alone.

I wait for Erin to get about halfway down and then follow her out of the window.

“Lexi, would you relax? It’s going to be fine.” She hops off and lands on the ground as if she had just stepped on a cloud.

Once I reach her, I look up at my window, but she interrupts my thoughts. “Plus, your folks are not even going to notice we’re gone. Your mom thinks we’re out cold for the night. We just have to be back before the sun comes up.”

My eyes widen. “Before the sun comes up… right,” I chuckle nervously.

Erin laughs. “Come on, girl!”

She tugs on my sleeve, and then we start running off before someone can see us. The warm end of summer air hits my cheeks. The night sky is beautiful with a blanket of stars up above our heads. Overall, it has been a steamy hot summer, and I’m looking forward to the chilly autumn days to come.

We reach the next block before I add anything else to our conversation. “I don’t know how you’re so calm. You’re acting like your father wouldn’t whoop your ass if he catches you out tonight.”

Erin bursts out in laughter. “Please. He doesn’t scare me.”

I turn my head and face her. “Well, he should. Your dad is intimidating, especially when he’s angry, and I’m sure I haven’t seen the worst of it.”

Erin shrugs. “You haven’t. But anyway, you’re just scared cause he’s an ex-SEAL army-man.”

I chuckle. “Maybe.” Standing at 6’3, Mr. Cole is pretty impressive. Even though he’s Erin’s dad, you can tell he must have been a good-looking man back in his day. Now he’s got graying hair and a few crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes. Still handsome for his age, I guess, but eww. He’s in his forties or fifties, I’m assuming. And hello? He’s my best friend’s dad.

“Come on, girl. We’re almost there. Don’t you wanna have fun? There are only five days left until it’s back to school, and then we can be all serious and responsible and stuff.” Erin pulls my arm gently as we walk across the street, but I know she’s only half-serious. Just because school starts in a few days does not mean she’s ready to give up on fun.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be juniors this year,” I say, taking in a deep breath.

“I know, it’s going to be amazeballs!”

“Next year will be better.”

Erin shakes her head. “It’s going to be great. Watch. We’re going to get boyfriends this year and lose our virginity.”

I laugh. “Really? That’s what you’re worried about? We’re going to be juniors, the most important year of our high school education. SATs and such, you know?”

She waves a dismissive hand at me. “Oh, of course about all that academic stuff, but let’s be for real here a second, Lex. We have to lose our virginity before we graduate high school, preferably before we’re seniors. I don’t wanna be known as a loser, and I refuse to let my best friend be known as one, either.”

“We’re not losers, we’re just waiting for the right guys,” I add.

We stop walking once we reach the block where the party is going to be, and Erin turns to face me. “Right guys, schmight guys… it’s going to happen. I’ll be sure of it.”

I roll my eyes playfully.

Erin chuckles. “Come on, girl. We’re here.”

She points to the last house on the block. A bunch of kids from school are littering the front lawn and the surrounding area of the house. The music from inside is now audible, filling our