Page 66 of Imperfections Seduced
I finally gave up and decided to take the walk of shame to the subway, where I was on the ride of shame. I felt like all eyes were on me, like somehow they knew everything I did and they knew I wasn’t wearing underwear. I was so uncomfortable. I kept trying to pull my skirt down with one hand while smoothing my hair down with the other. I stared down at the floor the entire train ride until I heard my stop. It was a relief to get off that train. My relief was short-lived, because I had to walk into my parents’ house.
I brace myself for who I would see when I walk in. To tell the truth, my mother is the only person I’m worried about running into. I know I look a hot steaming mess, and questions are going to be asked if she sees me. Questions I don’t want to answer. All I want to do is drag myself into the shower and sleep till tomorrow. Luck is finally on my side, because the first person I see is Sophie. She takes one look at me, drops what’s in her hands, and rushes over to me.
“Oh my goodness, what happened to you? Were you in some kind of an accident? Did someone attack you?”
The look on her face is comical. If I wasn’t feeling so bad, I would laugh. She takes my hand and helps me take my coat off.
“No, Sophie, I wasn’t in an accident, no one attacked me.”
“Then what happened to you?”
“A massive hangover. My first and last. It will never happen again.”
“Thank heavens; you look awful,chérie.”
“Thanks a lot. I feel worse than I look.”
“I don’t know why you would do this to yourself.” She clicks her tongue at me. “You’re too pretty of a girl for this. I hope this is not a habit you’ve picked up since you’ve been away at school.”
“No, it was a one-time thing. Ava took me out last night.”
“Now I see. I like Ava, and she’s a nice girl, but she can be a little...what you would call… a free spirit.”
“Yes, she is. A very free spirit.”
I take her hand when my coat is off and steer her toward the stairs leading to my room. I notice it’s kind of quiet for a Sunday afternoon. Most Sundays at this time of day, everyone’s here, including Jay with Vanessa and Sasha.
“Sophie, where is everyone?”
“Your parents went out to some function, the ladies auxiliary something or other. I can’t remember. Your mother has so many committees and boards she’s a member of. After a while they all start to sound the same to me. Boring, stuck up and more boring.”
I smile at her. I’m in full agreement with what she said. Most of the people on those committees are stuffy old women who are boring as hell. “Don’t let my mother hear you saying that about her precious committees, even if it is true.”
“I’m not afraid to tell your mother what I think. She spends too much time caring about those committees and what they say and think. The only opinion she should be concerned with in the way she conducts herself is her husband’s and her children.”
That’s why I love Sophie; she’s not afraid to speak hermind, and she’s not afraid to tell my mother what she thinks when she’s had enough. “Where’s Kate?”
“She had to get some things from her apartment since it looks like she’ll be staying here for an indefinite amount of time while they fix her apartment.”
Great. Kate and I under the same roof. Breakfast and dinner together every day. Every day I get to look at her, knowing what I did and pretending I don’t know she’s pregnant. My own personal hell. There is no better motivation for me to find my own place. I don’t care if I have to live in a shoe box that costs two thousand dollars a month. I never had to go on a ramen noodle diet in school, but I will now if I have to. I have to find a place where my guilt isn’t eating away at me.
“I don’t think your brothers are coming over here today since your parents are out.”
Thank God for small miracles. I lie down on my bed when we get to my room. Sophie insists on running me an Epsom salt bath she says will relax me. I don’t argue. When I’m finished with my bath I feel a little better. I drag on a tank top, a pair of shorts, crawl under my covers, and bury my face into my pillow.
When I wake up, it’s the next morning. I feel much better. It’s amazing what a day of sleep can do. Sophie brought me breakfast in bed. It was delicious, all of it. I was starving. It was a good twenty-four hours since I last ate, and needless to say, I didn’t leave a crumb of food on my plate. After I ate, I took a bath, got dressed in a pair of jeans and a fitted V-neck T-shirt. I was ready to face the day and deal with my problems. I have time, since I only go to the school twice a week until Mrs. Smith goes on maternity leave.
First order of business for the day, call Ava. Tell her about everything that happened and find out what sheknows. I look at my phone and check my messages. Ava left me a message wanting to know if I’m all right. Then she left a text for me saying she spoke to Sophie and she’ll call me later.
Funny, there’s no text from Nick. That’s not like him; usually he would’ve called to see if I got home okay. I guess he was upset that I just left without telling him. I look down at my phone and bite my lip. I guess I’m a little disappointed that he didn’t call. I call Ava and tell her to come over to my house so we can talk. Three hours later we’re in my room, and she tells meshespoke to Nick.
“So what happened between you and my cousin yesterday morning?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
She crosses her arms and sits back in the chair at my desk. “You know he’s not going to do that. If I want the goods on what happens between you two, I have to get it from you.”
“He didn’t tell you anything?”
