Page 50 of Like You Know

She laughed. “It may seem sudden to you, but I’ve been working hard to change things for months now. It’s not an easy road, but I found something that helps to smooth it out. It’s how I met Cal, actually. I know he seems like he came out of nowhere too, but we’ve actually known each other for over a year.”

“OK.” I was starting to feel drained from the heaviness of the conversation.

We stood at the same time.

“I’m going to take a shower.” Before I could think about it too much, I leaned forward and gave my mom a quick hug. I ran up the stairs and into my room without looking at her. Without letting her see the tears on my own face.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

I leaned forwardto take a sip of my green goddess smoothie, doing my best to keep my hands steady for the nail tech.

“What shape did you say you’d like?” She glanced up at me as she finished cleaning up my cuticles.

“Coffin, please.” I gave her a smile, not even bothered that I’d had to repeat myself. I was in an unusually good mood, and nothing could ruin it.

I’d taken my last final exam the day before, prom was tomorrow night, and there had been no drama with Mom. I felt lighter than I had in ages.

Donna sat to my right, Mena on her other side, as we all got our nails done for prom. Harlow hated having any length on her nails and wasn’t going to prom, but she didn’t want to miss out, so she was hanging out in a spare chair between me and Donna.

“I can’t believe you and Jet still haven’t boned.” Harlow shook her head, rehashing a conversation from last night.

I wanted to smack her, but my hands were otherwise occupied, so I settled for glaring. “We’ve only been together for a few weeks.”

“Never stopped you before,” Donna added helpfully.

“True,” I mumbled. “Honestly, between exams and my mother being an actual parent, we’ve hardly had any time together lately.”

“I’m so happy I didn’t have to do the exams.” Harlow stretched her arms over her head with a blissful expression on her face. “Best decision I ever made, quitting school.”

“So, things are still good with your mom?” Mena asked me.

“Yeah.” I smiled to myself. “For now.”

I’d told the girls about Mom’s bombshell apology and how things had been progressing since then. They were as shocked but tentatively happy as I was. As good as things were now, it had only been a few weeks, and I couldn’t let myself trust it completely yet. Still, the hope grew with every day. My mom and I had been having dinner together almost every night, we hadn’t gotten into any fights, and she was asking me about everyday shit and listening as if she really cared. Cal was growing on me more and more too. He treated my mom well, and he had his own money, so I knew he wasn’t using her.

“Hey, what did you guys put for question eight on the statistics paper?” Donna asked, chewing her bottom lip.

Harlow, Mena, and I all groaned. Donna hadn’t been as unburdened by the end of exams as the rest of us. She couldn’t seem to stop questioning her answers.

“Shut up, Donna,” Harlow whined in that way only a sister could. “As if you won’t have the best results of the entire graduating class.”

“You shut up.” Donna jerked her head to the side to glare at her sister, earning a disapproving look from her nail tech.

“I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened within the walls of Fulton Academy over the past four years, let alone a specific question on an exam. I’ve blocked it all out,” I declared.

“I’m sure you aced it, Donna.” Mena gave her a sweet smile. “You have nothing to stress about. I’ll be happy to get average grades. It’s been a hell of a year.”

We all nodded and fell into silence. Between the kidnapping, roofie-ing, blackmail, fight clubs, and shootings, it had certainly been a doozie. Someone needed to write a book about this batshit year we’d had. It would make a great romantic suspense.

The conversation turned to lighter topics, and we went out for lunch after. It ended up being a perfect day with my #DevilbendDynasty girls, and I was walking on air when I got home later that afternoon.

There didn’t seem to be anyone around downstairs, but when I headed up, I could hear faint music coming from Mom’s side of the house. I dumped my purse and a few shopping bags in my room and wandered over.

Briefly, I second-guessed the decision—what if they were having an afternoon delight? Gross! But I glimpsed the wide-open door to Mom’s bedroom, and her voice floated down the hall singing along to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” totally off-key. Confident I wasn’t about to get an eyeful of Cal’s bare ass—or worse—I walked into my mom’s room.

I knocked softly on the doorframe and leaned on the wall.

Mom turned to face me, a dress on a hanger in each hand, and beamed.

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