I crack up over the 'queens' thing and Mom rolls her eyes.
"You better get up; you'll be late for school."
I hop out of bed. "Oh yeah, Manny's picking me up." I start for the shower but Mom stops me, frowning slightly.
"So, you're dating your boss now? The pool guy? I thought you hated him!"
I laugh and impulsively hug Mom, kissing her cheek. "Oh, Mom! Life is a funny thing, huh?" I leave her staring after me and run to take my shower.
◆◆◆
My adorable, handsome, super sexy boyfriend picks me up right on time and greets me with a kiss.
"You look happy." He pulls out of my driveway and lays his hand on my thigh.
"Oh, I know, I wonder why?" I giggle and we drive to school and then park at the back of the lot and have a quick kiss fest before we get out.
Holding hands, we walk into school and I hate to have to leave him for first hour, but we part with a kiss and he heads into English Lit. Michael is not there and it looks like there's a sub today. I smile as I continue down the hallway to novels. Any day without Michael is a good day.
On my way to class, I pass a woman with a back pack in her hands. I hesitate and look up into a familiar pair of dark eyes, just for a fraction of a second, before she pushes past me and hurries away. It's Pam's mom and the back pack is Pam's. I shrug, figuring Pam must be sick and her mom had come to fetch her books or something. And obviously because Pam isn't my friend anymore, her mom wants nothing to do with me either. That was why she gave me that weird look and ran away.
I sigh and shake my head. I'm not going to let that crap get to me anymore. None of those girls were ever truly my friends so whatever. Who cares what any of them or their parents think about me?
In Novels, I settle back in my seat and open To Kill A Mockingbird, our assigned book. I've already read it, ages ago, but it's one of my favorites, so I don't mind reading it again. Mr. Niles takes roll and I'm just getting to the part where Scout rubs Walters nose in the dirt when the class phone rings.
I pay no attention and read on, twirling a lock of hair around my finger, lost in the story.
"Taryn Bishop?"
I look up and everyone else pauses in their reading and turns my way.
My hand in my book, holding my place, I look up at Mr. Niles. "Yes, Sir?"
"You're to go to the office and take your belongings with you, please."
Shit. Going to the office with your belongings was not a good sign of anything. That meant I wouldn't be back. Oh my God. I immediately think of my Dad and Steve. What if something happened to them in London??
I jump up and grab my books and my bag and hurry out of the classroom, my mind whirling. Maybe one of them had a heart attack. They both have a few extra pounds on and they also both occasionally smoke cigars. It'll be okay, I tell myself, my feet pounding the floor as I half walk, half run towards the office. Mom will have to let me fly to London to take care of whoever it is, especially if it's Dad. Or we can fly them back here and I'll move in with them at their condo in San Francisco. I'll be their nurse. Everything will be fine because it has to be. Because if something happens to my dad my entire world will end.
I push open the office door and Mrs. Carlton, the secretary looks up at me and does this kind of deep sigh thing. Oh, God, it is bad news! I bite my lip, wanting to cry and approach the desk.
"I'm Taryn Bishop and I-"
"Yes, they're waiting for you in Mr. Hill's office, Taryn." The secretary gives me a sorrowful look and then looks away quickly.
Huh? They? Who is "they"?
I turn and see the Vice Principal, Mr. Teagan giving me the same sad look that Mrs. Carlton did as he comes out of the Principal's office.
"Taryn," he says quietly. "We need to have a word with you, I'm afraid."
I glance behind him and the first thing I see is Mom, she's sitting in a chair in front of Principal Hill's desk and she's crying. She looks up at me and her face...I've never seen her face look like that before. She looks anguished and she whispers my name, "Taryn..."
And Ethan is behind her and he looks mad as hell. His face is really red and he's standing behind Mom's chair, with his hands on his hips and his mouth in a tight thin line.
I shake my head slightly, looking back at Mr. Teagan. "I don't...understand...is it my dad? Did he have a heart attack or something?"
Mr. Teagan shakes his head and gestures me forward. "Please come inside, Taryn."
My feet feel like lead as I let myself be led into the office. When I step in, I see Mr. Hill and he's looking very serious, standing beside his desk, his face grim.
Mr. Teagan offers me a chair next to my mom and I sit down slowly and Mom takes my hand in hers, squeezing hard. I don't have a clue what's going on but it doesn't feel like someone has died. It feels like someone is in deep shit.
And I think that someone might be me.
Chapter Seventeen
Mr. Hill looks at me and then holds up a cell phone. One that I recognize because I've seen it many times. On Michael's desk. In his car. In his back pocket.
"Taryn." Mr.