really don’t need this drama now.”
“They want to interview her,” Cedar said. “All the bloggers are calling for her side.”
“She can’t do that. She’s a liability,” Eileen said quickly.
“She will not be the face of our family,” Lily said, adamant.
“Don’t worry, guys,” Marigold tried to reassure them. “There’s no way I am going to be the face of anything.”
“I’ll release a statement in the morning. Nothing will change over a few sentences that are true.” Max looked at Marigold, disappointment filling his face. “This wouldn’t have happened you know, if you’d done what you were supposed to.”
Somehow this was her fault and Marigold didn’t argue. She nodded ever so slightly, enough to tip the tears back in her eyes. Enough to muster the courage to walk out of the kitchen. Enough to avoid the people meant to protect and love her.
She walked away and didn’t look back, not knowing where she was going.
Abel
He didn’t call her.
When he returned from the museum he told Lacey about his day with Marigold; Lacey seemed surprised, but he was also obviously high.
“Are you on something?” Abel asked as he took a seat in the beanbag chair on the floor. Lacey was easy to get along with and Abel didn’t want to hassle him, but he also didn’t want to have his status as a Jamestown student put in jeopardy because of his roommate’s habits.
“Want some?” Lacey pulled a stick of beef jerky from his bag.
Abel took it, and read the label, soft and chewy with teriyaki flavor, an original cannabis-infused product, recommended use: 1 inch .
Shaking his head, Abel handed it back. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
“Ain’t no thang.”
“Are you like an original gangster or something?” Abel asked.
“I had no idea the Amish were so progressive. You know about OG’s?”
“Honestly, no,” he said laughing. “But I’ve heard my friend Joshua use the term when he was high.”
“Okay, back to the girl. What’s she like?”
“She’s everything. She isn’t intense, she’s soft. I know it sounds corny, but she reminds me of home.”
After taking another bite from his jerky, Lacey gave him a sidelong glance.
“You think you can handle a non-Amish girl? I mean, no offense, but you’re experience is limited.”
“What do you know about my experience?” Abel knew Lacey was right though, all day he’d felt a few steps behind Marigold, with her unexpected laugh and bright eyes, and absolute ease. Realizing he was totally out of his league with her, he found himself fumbling for the jerky and taking a bite.
“Abel, you pissed your entire family off to come here. Maybe focus on the Intensive, it would suck to lose your edge because of some girl no matter how hot she is.”
Nodding slowly, Abel took his advice. He had to trust Lacey more than anyone else here because he had exactly zero experience with English girls. If Lacey thought he should back off Marigold, maybe he should.
“But you’re all about the girls here, Lacey, why is it different for me?”
“Because you have a hell of a lot more at stake than I do.” Lacey, who had clearly consumed more than the recommended inch of dried meat and pot, was giving reasonable advice.
Advice that left Abel conflicted. He didn’t want to back off.
***
The pace of school began to pick up on Monday morning, which was good for Abel. He did best when he was overworked, when his mind was filled with projects and deadlines and ideas. All week he’d felt idle.
Except when he’d been with Marigold.
Marigold, with her angelic hair and nonjudgmental eyes. Marigold, who was an enigma, a passage straight out of a Shakespearean play.
Marigold, the girl he swore he saw when he walked into Practical Business Application.
“What do you want?” the girl asked. “You’re totally staring at me.”
Not Marigold. Marigold belonged in the clouds, where
“They want to interview her,” Cedar said. “All the bloggers are calling for her side.”
“She can’t do that. She’s a liability,” Eileen said quickly.
“She will not be the face of our family,” Lily said, adamant.
“Don’t worry, guys,” Marigold tried to reassure them. “There’s no way I am going to be the face of anything.”
“I’ll release a statement in the morning. Nothing will change over a few sentences that are true.” Max looked at Marigold, disappointment filling his face. “This wouldn’t have happened you know, if you’d done what you were supposed to.”
Somehow this was her fault and Marigold didn’t argue. She nodded ever so slightly, enough to tip the tears back in her eyes. Enough to muster the courage to walk out of the kitchen. Enough to avoid the people meant to protect and love her.
She walked away and didn’t look back, not knowing where she was going.
Abel
He didn’t call her.
When he returned from the museum he told Lacey about his day with Marigold; Lacey seemed surprised, but he was also obviously high.
“Are you on something?” Abel asked as he took a seat in the beanbag chair on the floor. Lacey was easy to get along with and Abel didn’t want to hassle him, but he also didn’t want to have his status as a Jamestown student put in jeopardy because of his roommate’s habits.
“Want some?” Lacey pulled a stick of beef jerky from his bag.
Abel took it, and read the label, soft and chewy with teriyaki flavor, an original cannabis-infused product, recommended use: 1 inch .
Shaking his head, Abel handed it back. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
“Ain’t no thang.”
“Are you like an original gangster or something?” Abel asked.
“I had no idea the Amish were so progressive. You know about OG’s?”
“Honestly, no,” he said laughing. “But I’ve heard my friend Joshua use the term when he was high.”
“Okay, back to the girl. What’s she like?”
“She’s everything. She isn’t intense, she’s soft. I know it sounds corny, but she reminds me of home.”
After taking another bite from his jerky, Lacey gave him a sidelong glance.
“You think you can handle a non-Amish girl? I mean, no offense, but you’re experience is limited.”
“What do you know about my experience?” Abel knew Lacey was right though, all day he’d felt a few steps behind Marigold, with her unexpected laugh and bright eyes, and absolute ease. Realizing he was totally out of his league with her, he found himself fumbling for the jerky and taking a bite.
“Abel, you pissed your entire family off to come here. Maybe focus on the Intensive, it would suck to lose your edge because of some girl no matter how hot she is.”
Nodding slowly, Abel took his advice. He had to trust Lacey more than anyone else here because he had exactly zero experience with English girls. If Lacey thought he should back off Marigold, maybe he should.
“But you’re all about the girls here, Lacey, why is it different for me?”
“Because you have a hell of a lot more at stake than I do.” Lacey, who had clearly consumed more than the recommended inch of dried meat and pot, was giving reasonable advice.
Advice that left Abel conflicted. He didn’t want to back off.
***
The pace of school began to pick up on Monday morning, which was good for Abel. He did best when he was overworked, when his mind was filled with projects and deadlines and ideas. All week he’d felt idle.
Except when he’d been with Marigold.
Marigold, with her angelic hair and nonjudgmental eyes. Marigold, who was an enigma, a passage straight out of a Shakespearean play.
Marigold, the girl he swore he saw when he walked into Practical Business Application.
“What do you want?” the girl asked. “You’re totally staring at me.”
Not Marigold. Marigold belonged in the clouds, where
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