He Left Me on the Launched Drop Tower for His Bestie’s Laugh Chapter 08

He Left Me on the Launched Drop Tower for His Bestie’s Laugh Chapter 08

She stood next to Ethan, eyes still red. “Enough, what’s this drama?”

Blaire repeated, her voice half a pitch higher.

“Willa, haven’t you caused enough trouble? Do you know how worried Mrs. Hart’s been this whole month? Ethan’s been searching for you every day, he even blew off work.”

“He turned down my confession, said he loves you, and you’re here throwing a tantrum for everyone to see? You think you’re so amazing?”

“I don’t think I’m amazing.”

“Then stop the act and just-”

I said her name. “Blaire.”

She paused.

“You said I finally beat you. Beat you at what?”

Her lips parted.

“Our whole lives-Mom liked you, classmates flocked to you, even Ethan’s first love was you

Ethan frowned.

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

I ignored him and kept looking at Blaire.

“You mean I won a mother who tore me down my whole life? Or a boyfriend who acted like I was

invisible?”

“I didn’t win anything, Blaire. I lost so badly for so long, I forgot who I even was.

Ethan’s voice came out hoarse.

“I didn’t ignore you… I’m gonna-I’ll be good to you, I swear. I’ve done a lot of thinking this

past month.”

But I didn’t want to hear it.

“Can you just leave? You’ve hated having me around for years. Isn’t everything better without

me?”

“I’m good here. I swear I am.”

Ethan stepped forward desperately. “Willa, then I’m not leaving either. I’ll stay here with you!”

My mom’s voice cut through.

“The hell you will! Ethan Cole, get back here right now! Let her throw her life away if she wants to! A grown man rotting out in the middle of nowhere for her?”

She yanked his arm, but he didn’t move. “Mrs. Hart, you go on ahead. I’m staying.”

My mom glared at him, her eyes bulging.

She turned back to me, her eyes sweeping over my canvas pants, hiking boots, sun-darkened

face, and messy hair, her mouth twisting.

“Willa Hart, you’re really something. You couldn’t open your mouth when you were a kid, and now look at you-holed up in some nowhere mountain town, just like your father.”

“You Harts are all the same. Worthless. I’m your mother, and you’ve put me through hell-are you happy now?”

Her voice sent more pomegranate blossoms fluttering down.

“Mom, I’m your daughter. I was gone for a month. And the first thing you said to me? Insults. The second thing? Demanding I come back. The third? Cursing out Dad.”

“Did you ever once ask me, ‘How are you doing here?””

My mom’s lips trembled.

“You never ask. You just yell, and then tell me to obey. I don’t want to listen anymore.”

She stared at me for a long moment, then slowly lowered her hand.

I swapped shifts with the other teachers.

I didn’t want to affect the kids.

I avoided them for two days.

On the last day, my mom wasn’t hysterical.

“Fine.”

“You and your father are exactly the same. He walked out without a word, never called-twenty years, not once. And you? You disappeared without a heads-up. People like you don’t even have it in

you to care. Ungrateful to the bone.”

“When your dad left, you were eight. You cried all night and I couldn’t get you to stop. You know what went through my head?”

“I thought—what if this one runs too? The more I thought about it, the more it terrified me. Sol yelled at you. I yelled until you were too scared to leave. I figured if I yelled hard enough, you’d stay.”

She laughed, a coldness I’d never heard.

“And you still ran. Just like him. You Harts are all the same-you never let anyone in, and you

never learn to love anyone back.”

She turned and walked out.

I didn’t call after her.

But Ethan stayed.

“You always said I ignored you. Can you give me a chance? Now I want to choose you, just

once.”

“We’ve been together over ten years. I can’t let go.”