Chapter 10 DEBBY
Classes were done for the day, and the afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as students spilled out of the school gates. Debby was exhausted, her mind still buzzing from everything that had happened. She just wanted to go home, take a long shower, and forget about it all—at least for a few hours.
As she slid into the backseat of her car, Susan leaned through the open window with a bright smile.
“Don’t forget about the party tomorrow!” she called out, waving as she stepped back.
Debby forced a smile. “Yeah, sure.”
Susan grinned knowingly. “That doesn’t sound convincing, but I’ll take it. You better come, Debs.”
Debby chuckled softly as Susan shut the door and disappeared into her house.
Domingo glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Home now, Miss Debby?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, resting her head against the window.
She wasn’t even sure she was going to that party. She wasn’t the partying type anyway, and if it hadn’t been for Dave insisting on throwing her birthday bash, she would’ve never had one in the first place.
The thought of him made her chest tighten.
Shaking her head, she pushed it away. She wasn’t going to think about him tonight.
The car pulled up in front of her house, and she let out a small sigh. “Thanks, Domingo,” she said, stepping out.
“Goodnight, Miss Debby,” he replied as she shut the car door.
She walked up the steps to her room, already feeling exhausted, but just as she reached for the doorknob, muffled shouting made her pause.
Her heart sank.
The noise was coming from her parents’ bedroom.
Debby hesitated, then moved closer, her hands trembling as she pressed her ear to the door.
Her mother was crying.
Her father was shouting.
Then her mother screamed back at him.
Debby sucked in a sharp breath as the realization hit that they were fighting again.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
This wasn’t new. Lately, their marriage had been unraveling, the constant fights and cold silences becoming a part of their home. She never understood what was happening, but she hated it—hated every bit of the tension.
And the worst part? They knew how much it affected her. That’s why they had gone on that stupid vacation, pretending like time away would fix whatever was wrong between them.
But here they were.
Back at it.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
She turned to leave, hoping to escape the noise, but before she could take another step, the bedroom door swung open.
Her mother stood there, mascara-streaked cheeks, red-rimmed eyes.
“Mom?” Debby whispered.
Her father appeared right behind her mother, his expression unreadable.
Debby’s gaze darted between them. “What the hell is going on?”
Neither of them answered.
Debby clenched her fists. “What happened during your vacation?” Silence. “Did you even see the therapist?”
Nothing.
“Say something!” she cried.
Still, they refused to speak, their faces carved from stone.
That was it.
“Fucking answer me!” she screamed, her voice cracking.
Her mother flinched, looking away. Her father ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight, but still, no one spoke. Debby felt like she was drowning.
Her mother always told her that true love exists. But looking at them now? She wasn’t sure she believed that anymore.
A fresh wave of pain hit her, this time reminding her of Dave’s betrayal.
So it was all a lie.
She couldn’t be here anymore. Spinning on her heel, she stormed away, heading for the stairs, but before she could reach them, her mother’s voice stopped her. “Debby, wait.”
But she didn’t.
Instead of heading to her room, she walked straight for the front door, dropping her school bag to the floor.
“Where are you going?” her mother called, her voice rising in panic.
Debby yanked the door open.
“Debby!”
Ignoring the plea, she bolted out of the house, her feet pounding against the pavement.
She didn’t know where she was going.
She didn’t care.
She just needed out.
The wind whipped against her face as she ran, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her chest burned, her legs ached, but she didn’t stop.
Not until a car skidded to a halt right in front of her.
Debby gasped, stumbling back.
Thinking it was one of her father’s drivers sent to chase her down, she spun around, ready to take off in the opposite direction.
Then she heard his voice.
“Debby?”
She froze.
Slowly, she turned.
Kyle sat behind the wheel, his brows furrowed in concern.
“Are you okay?”
Debby swallowed hard, glancing back at her house.
Her father had stepped outside, scanning the street, looking for her. Her heart pounded in her chest. Without thinking, she yanked Kyle’s car door open and jumped in.
Kyle blinked. “Deb—”
“Drive,” she said, voice shaking. “Kyle, fucking drive!”
