Read Online The Ending Beginnings: Clara (An Ending Series Novella) (The Ending Series) by Lindsey Fairleigh, Lindsey Pogue - Free Book Online
Authors: Lindsey Fairleigh, Lindsey Pogue
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jangling around inside, she
grabbed them and was just about to unlock the door when Andrew’s hand wrapped
around her wrist.
He
pulled her around to face him. “Clara, what the hell happened?” Once again he
scanned her body. “What are you doing here?”
Clara
scowled. “I came to see you ,” she said coolly. “I thought it might be a
nice surprise.”
“It
is, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you okay?” He wasn’t acting any
differently, at least not yet, but she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t all for show.
“I’m
fine.”
Andrew
frowned.
“I
was hoping to meet your friend Jo…”
His
eyes widened. “Oh, well, it’s just me and the guys tonight.”
She
eyed him suspiciously. “Really?”
“Yeah,
I told you that.”
“You
said you were going out with your friends.” There’d been no mention of “guys
only,” and besides, Clara had seen Joanna there. He was lying.
“What’s
gotten in to you?” he asked, searching her face. Clara could tell he was
getting annoyed.
Good.
She was fuming. “Why don’t we ever come to places like this, Andrew? Are you
keeping me a secret or something?”
He
blanched. “What? No. Why the hell would you say something like that?”
“Because
why come to a club with your friends, and not your girlfriend? Especially if Jo isn’t even
with you guys?”
“Clara,
Josh is DJing, that’s why we’re here. Why are you acting so crazy?”
She
stilled. Crazy? Clara knew Joanna had said something to him…she’d poisoned his
mind against her. “What has she told you?”
“What?
Who?” His brow furrowed. “Are you drunk or something?”
She
was infuriated now. “Never mind.” She needed to take a step back, to think. “I
need to go,” she said. “I can’t do this right now.”
“Well,
we need to talk about this, Clara. I want you to tell me what’s going on. I’ve
never seen you like this before.”
Clara
bristled. “This is the real me, or didn’t she tell you that already?”
Andrew’s
face was scrunched with feigned confusion, yet again.
“Have
fun with your friends,” she hissed and climbed into her car.
Jarring herself
from sleep, Clara hung over the side of her bed and wretched until it felt like
every single morsel of food she’d eaten over the last week was expelled from
her body. Her throat was raw and burning, her stomach still churning, and her
body quivering and covered with sweat.
She vaguely
remembered someone’s cool hands on her forehead and a lukewarm rag wiping off
the chills that were making her tremble. Her head was throbbing so badly she
thought she might be dying.
After a few more futile
heaves over the side of the bed, Clara lay back down, lost in a fog of swirling
memories.
Pulling
into the parking lot outside the gym, Clara searched for Andrew’s truck. They’d
texted each other a little throughout the day, but they hadn’t really talked
about the night before, not since she’d sped away. She realized now how
outrageous she’d acted and wanted to set the record straight. If Joanna had
told him anything, it would no doubt be lies to gain his sympathy. Clara needed
to tell him the truth, and she was convinced that once she did, he would
understand why she’d been so upset.
She
had a couple minutes to find a place to park before he was done with practice. Spotting
his truck a few rows down, Clara inched her way toward it, careful not to
startle a man and woman walking with their backs to her. The woman giggled and
pushed the guy’s shoulder, causing him to step into the light of the street
lamp.
It was Andrew…with
another woman.
Clara focused
on the woman. She had long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail that swung
back and forth as she walked and laughed.
“No,” Clara
whimpered. Her stomach lurched, and a painful chill emanated from the base of
her spine and raked over her body as reality hit her. It was worse than she’d
thought. Andrew wasn’t just walking with some
grabbed them and was just about to unlock the door when Andrew’s hand wrapped
around her wrist.
He
pulled her around to face him. “Clara, what the hell happened?” Once again he
scanned her body. “What are you doing here?”
Clara
scowled. “I came to see you ,” she said coolly. “I thought it might be a
nice surprise.”
“It
is, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you okay?” He wasn’t acting any
differently, at least not yet, but she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t all for show.
“I’m
fine.”
Andrew
frowned.
“I
was hoping to meet your friend Jo…”
His
eyes widened. “Oh, well, it’s just me and the guys tonight.”
She
eyed him suspiciously. “Really?”
“Yeah,
I told you that.”
“You
said you were going out with your friends.” There’d been no mention of “guys
only,” and besides, Clara had seen Joanna there. He was lying.
“What’s
gotten in to you?” he asked, searching her face. Clara could tell he was
getting annoyed.
Good.
She was fuming. “Why don’t we ever come to places like this, Andrew? Are you
keeping me a secret or something?”
He
blanched. “What? No. Why the hell would you say something like that?”
“Because
why come to a club with your friends, and not your girlfriend? Especially if Jo isn’t even
with you guys?”
“Clara,
Josh is DJing, that’s why we’re here. Why are you acting so crazy?”
She
stilled. Crazy? Clara knew Joanna had said something to him…she’d poisoned his
mind against her. “What has she told you?”
“What?
Who?” His brow furrowed. “Are you drunk or something?”
She
was infuriated now. “Never mind.” She needed to take a step back, to think. “I
need to go,” she said. “I can’t do this right now.”
“Well,
we need to talk about this, Clara. I want you to tell me what’s going on. I’ve
never seen you like this before.”
Clara
bristled. “This is the real me, or didn’t she tell you that already?”
Andrew’s
face was scrunched with feigned confusion, yet again.
“Have
fun with your friends,” she hissed and climbed into her car.
Jarring herself
from sleep, Clara hung over the side of her bed and wretched until it felt like
every single morsel of food she’d eaten over the last week was expelled from
her body. Her throat was raw and burning, her stomach still churning, and her
body quivering and covered with sweat.
She vaguely
remembered someone’s cool hands on her forehead and a lukewarm rag wiping off
the chills that were making her tremble. Her head was throbbing so badly she
thought she might be dying.
After a few more futile
heaves over the side of the bed, Clara lay back down, lost in a fog of swirling
memories.
Pulling
into the parking lot outside the gym, Clara searched for Andrew’s truck. They’d
texted each other a little throughout the day, but they hadn’t really talked
about the night before, not since she’d sped away. She realized now how
outrageous she’d acted and wanted to set the record straight. If Joanna had
told him anything, it would no doubt be lies to gain his sympathy. Clara needed
to tell him the truth, and she was convinced that once she did, he would
understand why she’d been so upset.
She
had a couple minutes to find a place to park before he was done with practice. Spotting
his truck a few rows down, Clara inched her way toward it, careful not to
startle a man and woman walking with their backs to her. The woman giggled and
pushed the guy’s shoulder, causing him to step into the light of the street
lamp.
It was Andrew…with
another woman.
Clara focused
on the woman. She had long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail that swung
back and forth as she walked and laughed.
“No,” Clara
whimpered. Her stomach lurched, and a painful chill emanated from the base of
her spine and raked over her body as reality hit her. It was worse than she’d
thought. Andrew wasn’t just walking with some
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