Chapter 28

Jesse rubbed her nose with a wry smile, brushing off the concern as she said, “Got into a

scuffle this afternoon.”

“With who?”

“It’s over, Estrella. Let’s not dig into it.”

“Jesse, don’t make me investigate it myself.”

Estrella’s temper was something Jesse was all too familiar with. She might seem all sunshine and rainbows on a regular day, but if you crossed a line with her, you’d be in for a rude awakening.

“I ran into Paula today. She brought backup, and I was outnumbered.”

As soon as Jesse finished her sentence, Estrella was on her feet, heading for the door. Jesse grabbed her arm urgently. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Estrella’s face was a storm cloud as she snapped, “You expect me to sit down for dinner when you’re beaten up like this?”

Jesse held on tighter, trying to calm the storm brewing within Estrella. “Estrella, it’s done, and it wasn’t all Paula’s doing. Don’t do anything rash.”

Estrella saw there was more to the story. She reined in her anger and sat back down. “Fine. I won’t. Just tell me everything.”

They settled back at the dining table, and Jesse began recounting the story. “A few days. ago, I got into it with Melinda. Guess she couldn’t let it go and teamed up with Paula.”

Melinda was Jesse’s stepsister. Jesse’s mom had passed away when she was just a toddler, and her dad had quickly remarried Damita, who was pregnant at the time. Damita never took a liking to Jesse and would often take advantage of her husband’s absence to berate and mistreat the child.

After a particularly nasty incident in middle school, Jesse had changed. Her father, under the constant influence of Damita’s whispers, had grown colder towards her. Life as a Manning wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for Jesse.

“Are you hurt anywhere else? Did you get checked.

some bruises. Took a few kicks to the gut, bleeding a

the injury, Estrella’s heart clenched with pain. She knew Paula must have ambushed Jesse on purpose, taking advantage of her less favored status in

15:24

Chapter 28

you sure

how

those two?”

soup for Jesse. “Eat up, and next time,

“Yeah, I know.”

all possible escape routes. Jesse didn’t share these details with Estrella, not wanting to stoke her fiery nature.

their cars, Estrella warned, “Jesse, call me

will, don’t worry.”

Now go home

adding, “Estrella, let’s just let tonight’s incident

got it. I’ll listen to

accelerator, speeding towards the Lamont residence.

wasn’t about to play nice.

young lady isn’t home. Perhaps you could

must ask

Estrella from barging into the Lamont’s grand

a glare, her hands deep in the

annoyed. “Estrella, what’s all this racket about? Is this the kind of manners

an antique vase from a side table and hurled it at Paula. “Did you

sending Paula into a panic as

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