In my dreams, Vincent takes me to my parents, and I fear they hate me, but they’re happy to see me. I don’t feel like I’ve slept very long before Mom is waking me again. When my eyes finally focus, she’s staring at me with an intimidating look, arms crossed, and lips tightly pressed in a straight line.
I sit up, trying not to panic. I’ve done so many things lately, I don’t know why she’s upset. “What’s wrong?”
“Megan, I know you don’t feel well. But I called your work to tell them you would be out for a while. They informed me that you’d been out for quite a few days. How many days have you missed?”
I’m trying to sort through all the lies and the truth and I can’t remember what I’ve said and not said. I swallow and wince from the horrible grainy feeling in my throat. “Mom, I called out a couple of times because…” Think fast. “Cherry needed me.”
She frowns and rolls her eyes. “I’m sure Cherry was fine and that you didn’t need to call out of work. Where did you get the money to cover what you lost?”
I feel like crap and she wants to yell at me. “Nowhere.”
“Don’t lie to me. Where did you get it?”
I bite my lip. “Vincent.”
“You’re going to pay him back. I can’t believe you asked him for money to cover your irresponsibility! Give me your phone. You’re grounded.”
“What? No, Mom, please.”
“It shouldn’t be that bad of a punishment since you’re sick anyway and can’t go anywhere. How many times do I have to tell you to stop lying to me? Why do you feel the need to lie?”
“I don’t know. Because you never understand or care what I go through.”
She scoffs. I know she’s offended. I want to tell her about my attack, but I feel like she’d tell me I shouldn’t have gone to the party and that she told me so. Or she’ll want me to go to the police and I don’t want to because I’m afraid Adam will find me again. I’m scared.
“What is going on with you? Ever since you started dating Vincent, you’ve been missing work and you’re hardly ever here. And when you are here, you’re always in a mood. Give me your phone.”
“Mom—”
“Megan, I’m tired and you’re sick. We’re not arguing about this.”
I let out a sigh as my chin quivers. I reach over to my nightstand, grab my phone, and hand it to her. She takes it and leaves the room.
I let the tears fall. Either I tell Mom what happened, or I suffer through another grounding. What am I supposed to do?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Hours later, I make my way to the living room to talk to Mom. She and Ron are watching TV as usual. Mom cackles at something funny. She laughs like she’s in the best mood ever. I bite my lip and grip the doorway. “Mom?”
She turns, still smiling from the TV, and sees me. “Why are you up? You need to go to bed.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
I look at Ron who laughs at the show. I hate his laugh. It’s like a high-pitched giggle. Then he starts coughing like he’s hacking up a lung because of the smoking he refuses to admit he does.
“Can I talk to you alone?”
She releases an irritated sigh. “Megan, you’re not getting your phone back and you’re still grounded.”
“Mom, will you please talk to me? I have to tell you something.”
She groans, gets up, and follows me into my room. She acts like I’m the biggest nuisance ever and that’s another reason why I never tell her anything. Anything that deals with me is always such a problem for her.
“What is it?” she asks as I sit on my bed.
I clasp my hands together, trying to find the strength to tell her. The best way to get this out is to say it. No sugarcoating. “Saturday, I left work early with Cherry. We went to a party and things were fine until someone spilled beer on me. I went upstairs to get the stain out and I was…attacked.”
She crosses the room and sits next to me. “Megan, are you okay?”
“Nothing happened. My friend Casper stopped him in time. I didn’t go to work Sunday or any day this week because I needed time to deal with it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks, and I see tears in her eyes.
“I was scared you’d be upset that I lied.”
“Yeah, I’m upset about that, but Megan, you were attacked. Did he hurt you? Did you call the police? Who was it?” Her eyes water.
Seeing the tears in my mom’s eyes makes me break down and she holds me. We stay up pretty late talking and crying about what happened. I come clean. I tell her everything that happened that night. Including staying with Casper. Her reaction surprises me because I expected less. She’s not pleased that I lied, but it’s the first time Mom and I have bonded like this in a long time. I feel like I can come to her with anything now, but I wonder how long it’ll last. She wants me to go to the police, but I don’t want to. I’m too scared he’ll find me.
Mom gives me my phone back but says she will have a tighter leash on me. I don’t care. I got everything off my chest, and I can still talk to Cherry and Vincent while I’m sick.
When Mom leaves to go to bed, I check my phone, which has several missed text messages.
Cherry: Megan! Are you ok?
Cherry: omg! Why aren’t you answering your phone? Something’s wrong, I can
