Crossing his arms over his chest, he gives me a pointed look. "Mom told me to come apologize. But since I did nothing wrong, I refuse to. But tell her I did."

Is he being real? "Please, I'm not covering for you ever again."

He rolls his eyes. "Such a f.u.c.king drama queen."

"And you're a d.i.c.k."

"I don't know why you can't do what you're told."

"'Cause you aren't my dad. You're nothing to me. So, bye, Felicia."

He glares, and for the first time in my whole life, I'm scared. What the h.e.l.l is wrong with him? "You've always been so jealous of me. Get over it. You can't be me."

Confused, I shake my head. "I don't want to be you, and I never wanted to be. I only wanted you to love me. I've tried to love you, even when you don't deserve my love, but you're so cruel to me."

"I don't want it," he yells at me. "I don't want anything from you but for you to disappear. You know what?" he sneers, coming into my room, stopping in front of my bed. "I wish you had died. I wish you were never born. You ruin everything. You're nothing but a waste of s.p.a.ce."

My heart just hurts as I go up on my knees, holding his gaze. "What did I do to you, Matty? Why on earth do you feel all this animosity toward me? You're supposed to love me."

"I don't, and I never will. You stole something from me that I can't ever get back, and I'll never forgive you for that!"

Confused, I search my brain for any basis for his accusation, but nothing comes to mind. "What the h.e.l.l? What?"

He shakes his head. "Just f.u.c.king disappear. Don't come back. No one loves you anyway."

Whoa. Wait.

That was one of the last texts Caleb sent to me. Word for word.

But before I can stop him, though I really don't know why I would, he stomps out of my room, slamming my door hard, and rattling the pictures on the wall. Falling back on my haunches, I just shake my head. What was he talking about? And why would he say those things? Those exact things? I just don't get it, but I have no problem doing what he said. He doesn't want me in his life, fine. There is someone out there who does.

Someone I love.

And I can't let this go on any longer.

Opening my texts, I hit Jace's name.

Me: Can you talk?

He answers within seconds.

Jace: Yeah.

After touching his number, I don't have to wait long before his voice comes over the line. "Hey." His voice holds so much promise it hurts, and my eyes fall shut.

"Hey," I say shyly, chewing on my nails as silence stretches between us. Clearing my throat, I look up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears as I whisper, "I love the video."

I can hear the smile in his voice. "Jayden is a d.i.c.k."

I smile. "Yeah, but then you gotta thank him, 'cause I want to talk."

"Yeah, I guess," he says softly. "But I don't want to do it over the phone, Avery. This isn't something that can be solved with words. I need to feel you against me. I need to look into your eyes, wipe away your tears."

Swallowing hard, I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek. I miss him so much. "Yeah, I agree."

"Did you drive to the airport?"

"No, I had a car pick me up."

"Can I pick you up?"

My heart flutters as I slowly nod. "I would love that."

"What time does your plane get in?"

"7:10 on Monday night."

"You couldn't change it to earlier?"

"No, I already tried. Everything was booked."

"Can you send me the flight info?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be there."

"Awesome," I say breathlessly, my chest feeling empty from where he has my heart. "I miss you."

"G.o.d, Avery, I miss you so f.u.c.king much," he groans. "I just want you home now."

"Me too," I whisper. "I hate it here."

"Two days. And then I'll take you to get ice cream, we'll talk, and we'll leave all this nonsense in the past. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Because I love you, Avery. I love you so f.u.c.king much."

"I love you." Swallowing hard, I bite into my lip. "I'm sorry."

"No, not now. Wait. Because I need to say it too."

I blink back the tears as I nod slowly. "Okay, but how's your leg?"

He chuckles. "Well, because I kicked in your door, they wouldn't let me play last night and we lost."

"So I guess that's my fault?"

"I mean, if you want the blame, I'll let you have it," he teases and I grin. "No, it's mine. I shouldn't have gotten so mad that I kicked your door."

"Maybe I should have opened it?"

"Yeah, that would have been nice. My knee and my team would have thanked you for that," he says and I laugh. "But that's a conversation for Monday, okay?"

"Okay," I agree. "But one thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing happened with Delanie c.u.n.t Collins, did it?"

He scoffs. "f.u.c.k no, my heart is in New Jersey."

My mouth turns up into a full grin and I let out a sigh. "And my heart is in Nashville."

"d.a.m.n right, and you aren't getting it back."

"I don't want it."

"Good," he says, and then he yawns loudly into the phone. "s.h.i.t, sorry. I'm so d.a.m.n out of it. I woke up to Jayden in my bed. It was freaky."

I laugh at that and my face hurts from grinning. "I'll let you go."

"Okay, go mingle with that family of yours."

I pause. "Yeah, about that... I kind of told them to f.u.c.k off and that I don't want them in my life."

"Holy h.e.l.l, that's amazing," he says and I laugh. "Or wait, am I supposed to say something else?"

"No, it's good. Matty said something c.r.a.ppy, of course, and I hit him. Then he pushed me into the counter where I busted my nose."

He pauses. "Excuse me? He did what?"

"It's no big deal."

"Um, yes, it is. What did your mom, dad, or h.e.l.l, anyone do?"

"Nothing."

"What? Are you serious? I'll kill him," he says, his voice full of venom.

"Whoa, killer. Siblings fight."

"I've never put my hands on Lucy-neither have my brothers. You don't hit girls."

He really is perfect.

"Just stay in your room, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay, call me if you need me to come up there. Or better yet, I'll send Jude to come get you."

"They aren't holding me hostage, Jace."

"Fine, go to a hotel. I'll get you a room."

"Jace, be real."

"If I'm real, I'd fly you home. Now I'm worried."

"Don't be. I'm fine."

He pauses and then clears his throat. "Like really, really fine? I've been so worried that you would..."

He trails off and I know what he is talking about. The cutting. But he has nothing to worry about. "I haven't hurt myself. At all."

"Good. That's really good."

"Yeah, it is."

"Okay, will you text me later?"

"Yeah, text me when you wake up."

"Cool. Okay, I love you."

"I love you."

I hang up, looking down at my screen as it goes to a picture of him and me. It was the day we were with Angie, having a blast. It was the day I knew I loved Jace Sinclair and that he was the last guy I'd ever love. It's such a special picture, something I'll treasure for the rest of my life.

It's a picture of my forever.

I don't come out of my room the rest of the weekend. Not even for the game, which was originally why I was in town. Mom did come to check on me, begging me to come out, but I stood my ground and she didn't fight me on it. Especially when I looked in the mirror and saw the bruises around my nose. My family did nothing, and that just blows my mind. I mean, yeah, I went at him. But why did I have to? Why didn't they tell him to shut up? Blah, whatever, I don't care. I'm leaving in a matter of hours, and I'm never coming back. And the supers.h.i.tty thing is, I don't think they care.

But Jace does.

He wants me home.

Jace: So nine hours left until you're home.

Me: Counting down the seconds.

Jace: Me too. Be safe. Call me when you land.

Me: I will.

After covering my face with more makeup than usual because of the bruises, I pick up my bag and head downstairs, wanting some lunch before I head downtown for my appointment. I already said good-bye to my mom this morning since she had a luncheon to go to for the hockey club she still supports, despite not having a son playing. While it burns that she doesn't want to drive me to my appointment or to the airport, I know I need to let it go. I've decided this imitation of a family isn't good for me, and I have to stand behind that. I have to be strong, no matter how much the small, feeble girl inside me wants to grasp at my family, begging them to love me.