Chapter 33

Carissa paced the length of her room, her hands trembling and heart racing as she waited for her friends to show up. She’d messaged Tiffany, Garrett, and Cody in a panic, and based on their responses, she’d scared them. That hadn’t been her intention—she simply needed to unload and get their advice—but maybe that unintentional fear she’d caused would make them hurry the hell up.

A knock sounded on her door, and her heart lodged in her throat. She rushed forward and swung open the door. Cory and Garrett stood on the other side, their expressions masked with concern.

“Where’s Tiff?” she asked and glanced around them and down the hall.

A second later, Tiffany rushed off the elevator and toward their room. Carissa stepped farther into the room and waved for them to come in.

“What’s the emergency?” Tiff asked, panting and out of breath. “I legit just walked out of class and ran across campus.”

Carissa cringed. “Sorry. I forgot you were in class.” She closed the door, then turned to face her friends and brother. “I need your help.”

“With what?” Garrett asked, head tilted.

Taking a deep breath, Carissa licked her lips. She’d called them here to come clean about everything, and she couldn’t change her mind now. “Y’all might want to sit down.”

Tiffany eyed her suspiciously, but she didn’t hesitate to sink down onto her bed. She was still breathing heavy, but her face was no longer red with the exertion of running all the way here.

“You’re starting to scare me,” Cory said as he sat next to Tiffany.

“Yeah, me too.” Garrett sat on Tiffany’s other side.

Now or never. Carissa sat on her bed so that she was facing everyone. She twisted her hands in her lap. Where did she even start? She wasn’t quite ready to tell them about the miscarriage just yet, but she had to tell them about everything else.

“Danny and I broke up,” she said.

“Yeah, we know.” Cory shifted on the bed, closer to Tiffany.

“Right.” Carissa nodded. “Things haven’t been so great between us lately.”

“Yeah, we know that, too,” Garrett said.

Carissa frowned and exhaled heavily. “Then I’m sure you all know Danny’s cheated on me, too. I mean, he had another girl in his room during the bonfire after party.”

All three of them nodded sympathetically, guilt flashing across their faces.

“That wasn’t the first time he’s done something like that,” Carissa said softly. “At the end of last semester, just before he left to go home for the summer, he’d cheated on me with Lily.”

“The cheerleader?” Tiffany asked, eyes wide.

“Yup.” Carissa sighed. “He swears all they did was kiss and make out a little, but I’m not sure I believe him.”

Garrett grunted and shook his head. “Why the hell would he do that? You two were so great together.”

Carissa shrugged, but she did know why. Her secret burden hung over her head like an anvil suspended by dental floss. The threat of tears burned her throat and nose. She was tired of lying and shouldering all the pain and shame on her own.

“It’s my fault,” she whispered and lowered her head.

“Stop it,” Tiff snapped. “The only person responsible for Danny cheating is Danny.”

Tears pooled in Carissa’s eyes, and she lifted her head to look first at her twin brother, then her two best friends in the entire world. They deserved to know the whole truth.

“I started to pull away from him before he ever cheated. He could feel that I was becoming more and more distant.” Tears trickled down her cheeks. “I had found out I was pregnant, and I was terrified.”

Tiffany gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

“What?” Cory said. “You’re pregnant? Do Mom and Dad know?”

“I was pregnant,” she emphasized. “The night Danny was with Lily, I had a miscarriage. I was in the hospital, alone and scared and confused, and he was with another girl.”

“Oh, Carissa, honey.” Tiffany moved over to sit beside Carissa and pulled her into a hug. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

“Me too,” Garrett said, moving to sit on Carissa’s other side. He gently rubbed her back.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Cory asked, his tone compassionate and devoid of any judgment or accusation. He crouched in front of Carissa and rested his hands on her knees.

“At first, I was in shock.” Carissa sniffled. “I did tell Mom and Dad.” She looked at her brother. “They weren’t happy, and Dad threatened to cut me off.”

Cory muttered a curse and shook his head.

“When I told Danny, he was so happy, and I thought maybe things would be okay, y’know?” She once again fidgeted with her hands in her lap. “He talked so much about our future and how we were going to have the perfect life. And for a little while, I agreed with him. But then I really started to think about everything, and I realized I didn’t want to be a mom. Not yet. I was too young.” Fresh tears streamed down her face.

No one spoke, but they all offered comforting touches and wore understanding expressions. She should’ve known her friends wouldn’t judge her or turn their backs on her for a mistake she’d made.

“But Danny just kept talking about marriage and buying a house and having more kids.” She laughed bitterly. “He was just so happy, and I didn’t know how to tell him I didn’t want to have a baby right now.” She wiped her tears and swallowed around the lump in her throat. “So, I began to find excuses not to spend as much time with him. He noticed.”

Tiffany shook her head sadly. “We noticed, too. I mean, that you two weren’t as hot and heavy as you used to be, but we just figured you two were finally out of the annoying honeymoon phase.”

Carissa chuckled.

“But if we had known…” Garrett sighed. “I don’t know. We could’ve helped somehow.”

She turned to smile at Garrett. “Thanks for that, but there really wasn’t anything you could’ve done. Danny and I became more distant, and then I had the miscarriage. The next day, I found out he’d cheated on me. I was devastated, and that’s when we began to fight so much.”

Cory shifted to sit on the floor in front of Carissa. “That explains a lot.”

Carissa nodded. “I was so angry with him. I still am. And our fighting has only gotten worse. He blames me for the miscarriage. He thinks I could’ve been more careful.” She huffed.

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Cory mumbled.

Giving her brother a grateful smile, she shook her head. “That’s not going to help anything, but thanks anyway.” She sniffled again. “After he left me at the bonfire, I realized just how bad things really were, and I’m scared if something doesn’t change, he’ll get violent with me.”

“Over my dead body.” Cory curled his hands into fists. “I mean it, Carissa. I’ll kill him, and I’ll get away with it, too, because I happen to know a fantastic criminal law attorney.” He grinned.

Carissa laughed. “Knock it off.”

“Do you think he’ll do anything else now that you two broke up?” Tiffany asked.

“I don’t know.” Carissa blew out a breath. “When we broke up, he admitted he needed to deal with his grief over the miscarriage and that he was going to get help for his temper.”

“Do you really believe that bullshit?” Cory asked.

Carissa stood, carefully stepped around her brother, then snagged a couple of tissues from the box on her desk. She blew her nose. “I do. He sounded more sincere than he had in a very long time. He promised he was going to get better so he could prove that he was worthy of me.” She tossed the used tissue into the trashcan and reached for more.

“Please tell me you’re not going to go back to him,” Tiff said, genuine fearful concern in her tone.

“No, I’m not.” Carissa clutched the tissue in her hand. “But I did tell him I’d be here for him, that I’d help him get better.”

Garrett groaned. “Why would you do that?”

“Because Danny changed me. I’ve become this person I don’t recognize, and I refuse to let him keep changing me.” She wadded up the tissue and chucked it into the trash. “I don’t like who I am anymore, and part of me fixing myself is learning to get back to who I really am. And I am the type of person who would help another person in their time of need.”

“You’re way too good for him.” Cory shook his head, then rose to his feet and returned to sit on Tiffany’s bed.

“Agreed,” Tiffany said.

“That’s why I called you all here.” She crossed her arms and shifted on her feet. “Danny’s father was in a really bad accident, and he’s in the ICU. The doctors don’t know if he’s going to make it. Danny’s leaving to go home on Friday, and he’s asked me to go with him for emotional support.”

“No way.” Tiffany shook her head adamantly.

“Absolutely not,” Cory said, his expression livid.

“Please tell me you told him no,” Garrett said, his gaze pleading.

“I haven’t told him anything yet.” She leaned against her desk. “His dad is the only family Danny has, and I’m worried how Danny will handle it if his dad dies. Danny’s just finally starting to see he has a problem and needs help. Losing his father could push him over the edge.”

“That’s not your problem.” Tiffany stood and planted herself directly in front of Carissa. “No one can fix Danny but Danny. And you going across the country with him, alone, is dangerous. You even said yourself that you’re worried what this will do to him. Do you really want to be the only one he has around should his dad die?”

Carissa’s shoulders slumped. Tiffany was right, and those were all the same questions and worries Carissa had, too.

“Sorry, sis, but if you go, I’m telling Dad,” Cory said with a very non-apologetic shrug.

She ignored her brother’s threat, but secretly, she was relieved he’d made it. If any excuse would work to get her out of going with Danny, blaming her father would do the trick. Even though Danny never admitted it out loud, Carissa knew he was terrified of her father. Then again, who wasn’t?

“I’ll go with Danny,” Garrett said. “This is all my fault anyway, so it’s the least I can do.”

Carissa gave him an odd look. “What do you mean this is your fault?”

“Yeah. Explain that.” Tiffany crossed her arms, her stare unflinching and stern.

“I’m the one who introduced you to Danny in the first place. If I hadn’t…”

“You didn’t force me to get into a relationship with him,” Carissa said.

“Okay. Enough.” Tiffany sliced her hands through the air, and everyone shut up. “Everyone just needs to knock it off. No one here is at fault for anything. Let’s put the blame where it belongs. On Danny.”

Garrett dragged his hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “Fine, but if you’re really worried about how he’s going to handle whatever happens with his dad, and you truly think he’s going to need someone there, then I’ll go.” Garrett pointed at himself. “I am his friend, after all.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” Carissa said, pushing away from the desk.

“You’re not. I’m volunteering.”

Carissa scrunched up her face and chewed on the inside of her cheek. Danny did consider Garrett his best friend, and if Danny listened to anyone, he listened to Garrett. Still, Danny hadn’t invited Garrett, and if he showed up unexpectedly, Danny would lose his mind. Carissa refused to put Garrett in that situation.

She shook her head. “No. I appreciate the offer, but no.”

“Well, you’re sure as hell not going,” Cory said, and in that moment, he sounded so much like Dad.

“Agreed.” Tiffany nodded. “In fact, if I even think for one second that you’re going to that airport to meet Danny, I will tie you to that bed and keep you there.”

“Yeah… about that…” Carissa moved toward the window and glanced down at the parking lot.

Was that Bradley’s car? She leaned closer to the window and squinted to get a better look. Her heart raced, but she couldn’t be sure that was actually his car or not. Maybe he was on campus for a class or something. But then why would he be parked in a lot near the residence halls as opposed to closer to the academic buildings?

“About what?” Tiffany asked.

Carissa spun around and blinked. “I like Bradley,” she said, her voice stronger than she’d expected. “A lot.”

“Wait. My roommate, Bradley?” Garrett’s eyebrows rose.

“Yeah. We’ve been flirting quite a bit, and he’s made his feelings about me very clear.” Heat rushed to her face just thinking of what he’d said to her at the penthouse. “He wants me to go to Texas with him for some fundraiser thing his family is hosting.”

Cory whistled, and Tiffany smacked his arm. He laughed and rubbed at the spot she’d hit him.

“When?” Tiffany’s tone held entirely too much enthusiasm.

“Friday. Same day and time Danny wants me to go with him.”

Cory clutched his stomach and laughed until he was red in the face. Carissa gave her brother a dirty look. Glad he saw the humor in her situation because she surely didn’t.

“Sorry.” He gasped and held up a hand. “It’s just… Are you seriously having a dilemma about who you should go with?”

Carissa narrowed her eyes.

“You’re too smart to be this stupid, sis.” Cory tilted his head, his laughter gone. “Go with Bradley. There. Problem solved. You’re welcome.”

“It’s not that simple.” She groaned, shuffled over to her bed, and flopped down on the mattress. “He wants me to meet his entire family. And he wants me to lie to them and pretend to be his girlfriend.”

“So, don’t lie,” Tiffany said. “If you don’t want to lie to his family, then go as his actual girlfriend. Make it official.” She shrugged. “See? Another problem solved. Next?” She raised a brow, daring Carissa to come up with another weak excuse.

But she was fresh out of excuses.

Thankfully, she was saved from having to say anything else when a knock sounded on the door. She glanced at Tiffany, but she simply shrugged as if to say, “I have no idea who it is.”

Carissa got off her bed and opened the door, fully expecting to see Danny standing there. She wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up multiple times between now and Friday, demanding an answer from her.

“Bradley?” she said, equal parts shocked and thrilled.