“That’s just not true. I don’t do drugs.”
His lips are pinched in condescension and I wonder how much he knows about my time in rehab. I’m telling the truth, though. My vice is alcohol. What I wouldn’t give for a water bottle filled with vodka right now.
“Well, I hope you don’t prove me wrong.”
He walks away and I sag against the locker, taking deep breaths until I’m somewhat calm.
If it weren’t for Luci and Ashton, I don’t know how I’d get through this day. Jen and Melanie tripped me in gym and I have a bloody knee from it. The common thread is everyone knows about my mom and they think I must be just as slutty.
I see Ashton yelling at Jen later and she looks at me guiltily over his shoulder, but she doesn’t apologize.
Raf stays one step removed, hovering with his watchful eye but keeping his hands clean. I’m sure it’s all his doing. He warned me things would get worse if I stayed. The question is, why does he want me to leave so badly?
When I reach my car, I’m ready to sink into the seats and have a long cry on my drive home. But my back tire is flat, the nail someone used to do it lying on the ground in defiance. I don’t waste time trying to fix it. I ask my mom to call AAA and I walk to the field to watch Ashton practicing while I wait for a truck to show up.
I don’t know football at all, but Ashton seems to know what he’s doing. I decide to make more of an effort to come to his games. He’s been a good friend to me, it’s time I do the same in return.
The AAA truck arrives and they fix my tire. It would’ve taken me forever to do it and I didn’t feel like being on display any longer. By the time I get home, I see my mom and a man talking out on the sidewalk by the mailboxes. He’s tall, so familiar. It hits me as soon as I see his icy blue eyes. Raf’s dad. Has to be. I’ve never seen him before, but I’d know him anywhere. He’s the hot older version of Raf.
He laughs at something my mom says and she reaches out and holds onto his arm as she laughs. They’re awfully familiar with one another. My eyes narrow on the way he moves in closer to her. They both look at me when I inch the car closer to them, pushing the button to make the passenger side window go down.
“Oh, J-Gabriela,” my mom says, jumping when she sees me. “This is Stefen, our neighbor. You haven’t met yet.” She swallows hard and looks at me with guilty eyes.
I lift a hand and Stefen leans into the window. “Hi Gabriela. It’s nice to meet you. Raf says he’s in a couple classes with you.”
“Did he?” My words come out with more bite than I intended and my mom gives me a sharp look. Maybe she thinks it’s because I caught her flirting, and I haven’t fully worked through that yet—has she already ditched the guy she’s dating?
They have no idea how much I hate Stefen’s son right now. Especially if he’s pretending like we’re buddies to his dad.
“He can be a little asshole,” Stefen says, laughing. “Your mom just realized the two of you go to school together.” He runs his fingers through his hair and glances back at my mom. They share a look and I groan out loud. This is definitely not their first time to hang out.
“I didn’t realize when I met him that he was—” her words trail off. “Raf and Gabi are friends, right?” she asks pointedly.
“No,” I say between gritted teeth.
I guess I don’t have to worry about her trying to set me up with Raf anymore. It’s as if the thought makes her sick now.
“Ah, I’m sorry to hear it. We’ll have to work on that,” Stefen says.
Hell no, we won’t be working on that.
“I’ll let you get inside. Your mom said you had quite the day with a flat and all.”
“Looks like she had quite the day too.”
He stiffens, uncomfortable. He knows he’s in the middle of something but isn’t sure how to get out of it. He lifts a hand and smiles and I slam my car door and go inside.
My mom comes in about fifteen minutes later and finds me in my room. Her hand is on her hip before she ever gets a word out.
“Do you want to explain your attitude, Josephine?”
“Is that the man you’re seeing?”
“Why would that matter?”
“Is he or not?” I yell.
“You lower your voice. What is your problem?”
“You couldn’t pick anyone other than Raf’s father?”
“I didn’t know.” She moves her hair off of her shoulder, her face flushing. Guilty. “But would it matter? Are the two of you dating?”
“There are so many reasons it matters. And you were dying for me to date him before you knew, admit it. What if I am?”
“Are you?” she whispers. And for a moment, I wish we were just so I could see what she’d do about it. I sigh.
“No, we’re not.”
She sags with relief and I roll my eyes.
“Does Dad know?”
Her face changes from relief to terror in seconds. “No. And he can’t know.”
I take a deep breath, trying to get my panic to subside. No, Dad can’t know. Ever. “I’m assuming Stefen knows about Sookie?”
“Well, yes. I didn’t want to start a relationship with lies.”
I groan and throw my backpack on the floor, glaring at the ceiling as I fall back on my bed.
“You’re being overly dramatic, Josephine. If the guy I’m seeing can accept my past, you should be able to too.” She gulps hard and her eyes fill with tears. She still feels responsible for what happened with me, and I know I shouldn’t let her, but I partially blame her for it too. “You
