Free Spring Unleashed (The Summer Unplugged Series) by Amy Sparling

email.”
    Her eyes practically bulge out of her skull. “And?” she says with as much calmness as she can possibly muster. I know it’s taking every ounce of energy in her body not to freak out and beg for every dirty little detail. Luckily for her, she doesn’t have to beg.
    I tell her absolutely everything I found and she listens with her eyes wide and her hand over her open mouth. “Wait, that was sent nine months ago?”
    I nod. “Yeah but we were dating nine months ago.”
    She gnaws on her bottom lip and rocks back on her heels. “Girl… I don’t know. I mean, this is bad but it isn’t bad , bad. You know?”
    I blink and a stray tear trails down my cheek. I can tell she’s struggling to find the right words to say ; probably searching for a lie that will make me feel better. Well good luck because it’s not going to work. “Okay look.” She takes a deep breath and puts on her Serious Face. “He didn’t reply to the emails. You had to search for it so it’s not like had it saved as a favorite or anything. Plus, we both know he’s hella famous and girls probably throw themselves at him all the time. Hell, I bet he has tons of naked photos from other girls trying to get his attention.”
    My calm façade cracks into a million pieces again. “Thanks a lot. You didn’t have to put more worries in my mind.”
    “Ugh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Look Bayleigh, it’s going to be okay. Jace isn’t cheating on you and he never has. Some crazy bitch emailed him looking for attention. Screw her.”
    “You’re right,” I say with a renewed feeling of strength. “He hasn’t cheated on me, so it’s not the worst thing in the world. I just feel like I know something that I shouldn’t have ever known. I’ve seen something I shouldn’t have seen. I’m ruined now.”
    A million thoughts and worries swarm around my mind. How many times did Jace look at that picture? How many more pictures have girls sent him? Does he ever think about her when we’re together? But somehow, my love for him and for what we have together still hangs on, desperate to make things work. “How am I ever going to come back from this? How am I going to forget that I saw anything and go on with my life?”
    Becca’s head tilts sideways and her lips squish to the left. “Maybe you should talk to Jace about it. Get his explanation.”
    “There’s no way in hell that’s happening.” My hand shoots to my stomach as another wave of nausea hits me. “Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up again.”
    “Again? Girl go brush your teeth. Your breath smells like something died in there.”
    The front door swings open and we both jump. Jace walks inside while staring at his cell phone. When he sees us sitting on the floor, his expression goes from calm to anxious. “Babe? What’s wrong? Have you been crying?”
    I open my mouth to reply but Becca beats me to it. “The girl tripped over her own feet and crashed into the coffee table. She’s fine though so don’t get any closer. We were just on our way to get all pretty for the pool party.” She grabs my wrist and pulls me off the floor. “So no peeking!”
    “Okay but you two are weird,” Jace says as he heads into the kitchen to get a drink. Becca pulls me down the hallway toward Jace’s bedroom. “I love you Bay,” he calls out.
    “I love you too,” I yell back, hoping to god that my voice doesn’t sound as shattered as I feel.
    Becca forces me to brush my teeth and wash my face. The fresh breath and cool water splashing on my face helps pull me out of my funk. I have to put on a happy face after all. It’s my one year anniversary and I’ll be spending it with dozens of other people at a friend’s house.
    Happy thoughts.
    Must think happy thoughts.
    Must pretend to be as happy as you were before you knew the things you aren’t supposed to know.
    “There’s no point in wearing makeup.” I give Becca a judgmental sideways glance as she