Chapter 29
It was only a momentter when someone entered my room. Braden and I came up with a n to
pretend I was asleep so whoever it was would leave quickly. Braden sat with his back against my
headboard while I was curled against him under the covers on my side. The nket covered my face
as well. I heard Braden shush whoever walked in.
"What do you want?" He asked the stranger.
"I used toe over your house all the time. What; I''m not wee anymore?" A girl''s voice asked. I
recognized the voice. It was Tara. What in the world did she want? If anything, I had to give her points
for being persistent.
"No, you''re not. I don''t want anyone to misunderstand us," he answered. It was quiet except for soft
footsteps for a while.
"I thought your room was on the other end of the hall. This looks like a girl''s room," she said.
"It''s Phoenix''s room, and she''s asleep right now, which is why I told you to keep your voice down," he
exined.
"That lump on the bed is her?" She asked. I could hear the judgement in her voice. Braden sighed
before I felt him shift slightly.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"I wantEd to see if the rumors were true. I guess you really are engaged and living with that girl. Your
mom seems fond of her too," Tara said simply.
That girl?
"Well, now that you have your answer, are you going to leave?" Braden asked bluntly. I heard Tara
scoff.
"I guess puppy love really is all a lie. You promised you''d take care of me always, but yet, here you are,
watching over another girl sleep," she said. I noticed in the short time I knew her that Tara was very
straightforward. She really didn''t sugarcoat anything.
"You knew how I felt about you, and you vanished. When you did, it changed everything between us. I
don''t trust you anymore, and I actually don''t like you at all now. I''m not sure what I saw in you back
then either," Braden argued.
"At least you can still get mad at me. If you didn''t, then I''d really know I had no chance. They say the
line between love and hate is a thin one," she replied coolly. She had a point.
"I don''t hate you. And I actually don''t care about you. The reason I''m getting mad is because you''re
messing with Phoenix anding to my home unannounced when Phoenix already doesn''t feel good.
I can deal with you messing with me, but I swear, if you mess with Phoenix in any way, intentionally or
unintentionally, you''ll see a side of me that''s better left untouched," he threatened. She shushed him
and I could just imagine what sort of smirk she would wear on her face at a time like this.
"Keep your voice down or you''ll wake the bird," Tara said before I heard the door close. Braden pulled
the covers off of my head with a sigh.
"She''s gone," he said.
"Did she just call me a bird?" I asked confused.
"Probably because of your name," he answered easily.
"She really doesn''t give up, does she?" I asked as I stared at my closed door. Braden sighed before
wrapping an arm around me and pulling me into his side.
"She''s not the type to surrender. The American Revolution war cry is her life motto," he said.
"What? Liberty or death?" I asked. He nodded.
"She''s a bit intense," he mentioned. I''d only then realized what position we were in. I sat up and got out
of my bed with a breath.
"Braden, you-"
"You don''t have to say anything," he stopped me as he stood as well.
"I''ll go. See you at dinner," he said with a small smile before he left my room. I sighed as my door
closed. It was too easy to befortable with him. I wanted to be with him romantically, but I still had to
be careful.
When we finally went to eat dinner, Braden pretended you be indifferent to me like he was before. I
think he did it for the sake of not getting his mom''s hopes up, but it felt weird after kissing him in my
room not long ago. Elizabeth seemed like she had a lot on her mind, and it didn''t take her long to speak
it.
"When did Tarae back?" Elizabeth tried to ask nonchntly, but it was obvious that she was
annoyed.
"A few weeks ago. Saw her for the first time at the beach party. She said she''s back for good," Braden
answered.
"And do you still have a crush on her?" Elizabeth asked bluntly. I stopped chewing as my wide eyes
went to Braden. One thing I noticed about the Parks, they didn''t bother to beat around the bush.
"No, actually I just lectured her about dropping by unannounced," Braden said easily. Elizabeth smiled
slightly as her attention turned back to her food.
"Good. You know, I always thought she tried to be too mature for her age," Elizabeth said happily.
"I know you don''t like her, but you don''t have anything to worry about. I have nothing to do with her. If
shees again, turn her away," Braden said before taking a bite of his own food.
"Phoenix, did you have any pain today?" George asked me. It took me by surprise hearing him speak
at the dinner table. It took me a moment before I finally realized what he asked.
Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
"Oh, I''m a little sore, but it''s not too bad," I answered.
"I''ll check on your ribs after dinner," he offered. I nodded before Elizabeth and Braden went back to
bickering.
"Oh, Phoenix, I want to take you somewhere this weekend," Elizabeth remembered.
"Where?" Braden asked automatically. Elizabeth smirked at him.
"Wouldn''t you like to know," she teased him. Braden rolled his eyes before going back to his food. After
dinner, George checked my ribs while Braden helped his mom clean up.
"They''re healing nicely. You just need to be careful of blunt force for now or they''ll break and you''ll need
surgery," he warned. I nodded before wrapping the ace bandage back around my stomach and
back.