Page 109 of Degradation
She’s completely silent for about five long seconds.
‘You didwhatin awho now?’
‘Shade. I wanted to talk to you about it actually.’
Lu’s mouth opens and closes, then opens and closes again. She’s full-on speechless. I haven’t seen her like thisever.
‘We aren’t really related,’ I murmur, wondering if she’s forgotten he isn’t my actual brother.
‘That’s not it,’ she murmurs. ‘I’m just surprised after...everything that happened. Are you sure it’s what you want? He’s not, like, coercing you, is he?’
I shake my head. ‘No. It’s not like that. Me and him, and Blake and Mav... We’ve put all that behind us. They’ve been...different.’
Lu stares at me. ‘You and Shade...andMav...andBlake?’
‘Sort of,’ I say very quietly, trying to glean what I can from her face as hard as I can, so I know what’s coming.
Is she going to be upset? Angry? It didn’t even cross my mind that she’d react negatively, but I suppose it’s kind of unconventional.
She sits back in the chair, her face blank, or at least with an expression I can’t interpret.
‘Well, fuck,’ she mutters. ‘Here I was thinking I was going to have to intervene, stage aliteral interventionto get you ononedick. And you’re onthree.’
I wait with bated breath, almost afraid she’s going to storm off.
But then she raises her hand for a high five and I realize the look in her eyes is pride.
‘Fuck, yeah. You go, girl! You get those frat boy dicks! Collect ’em like motherfucking baseball cards!’
I laugh loudly and don’t leave her hanging, though the hard slap of our palms makes my skin sting.
‘Am I on the schedule this week?’ I ask.
She nods. ‘I put it up if you want to check it. Need cash?’
I nod. ‘I got all my textbooks, which is a load off my mind, but they keepbuying me things.I want to buy my own things.’
She leans forward. ‘What have they bought you?’
‘Clothes. My phone was from Shade. This,’ I touch the coat reverently, ‘Blake. And Mav got me…underwear.’
I blush as she squeals.
‘Oh, my freaking GOD, they’re buying you gifts.’
I frown. ‘That’s…a good thing? I wasn’t sure. I want to buy my own things.’
‘I get it,’ she nods. ‘Of course you want to stand on your own two feet, but, yeah, I think that’s good sign when it comes to those three. They’re buying you stuff you need. It’s a sign of affection so long as they’re not love bombing you, or something. And I saw how worried about you they were on Halloween, so I don’t think they’re doing that.’
I let out a confused sigh. ‘What’s is that? How will I know if they’re doing it?’
She gives me a double thumbs up. ‘Don’t worry. I’m in your corner, Daisy-bear. I won’t steer you wrong.’ She gives me a sly grin. ‘It just means you’re gonna need to tell me every sordid detail of what happens in that house.’
I let out a chuckle. ‘You just want all the tea.’
‘Yes.’ She winks. ‘But later. Not right now,’ she straightens and her expression changes drastically in seconds from exuberant to somber. ‘We havebusinessto talk about.’
‘Business?’ I ask, quirking a brow.
