She grins like the gremlin she is.
I roll my eyes, but lean in anyway. “Yeah… it does sound hot.”
That sends us both over the edge. We dissolve into full-on cackling, our laughter echoing across the courtyard like we’ve just lost our minds. A few people glance over, one guy across the way actually flinching.
We don’t care.
Lunch ends too soon, like it always does when I’m actually having fun. Sal and I split up at the doors, promising to catch up later. She shoots me one last teasing grin over her shoulder, and I already miss her.
After school,I head straight home. I was gone all weekend, which already felt like pushing it, and I don’t need to give my parents another reason to get suspicious.
When I walk through the front door, the air feels different.Tense. My dad’s in his study with a book, and, as usual, he doesn’t even look up.
I find my mom and sister in the kitchen, laughing over some shared joke I wasn’t part of. I stand there for a second, watching them like I don’t quite belong.
“Hi. Can I help?”
My mom glances up. “Sure.” That’s it. No smile. Nohey, how was school?Justsure.
“How was your day?” my sister asks, cheerful as ever.
I smile for her benefit. “It was good. How about you?”
“Not bad. I’m tired though. And I’ve got dance tonight.”
“You’ll kill it,” I say. “Drink some coffee!”
My mom whips around like I just said something outrageous. “No coffee. It’s not healthy for a young woman.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, but it’s fine for me?”
Her eyes narrow, gaze sharp as it zeros in on me. Yeah, she’s in a mood. And now I’ve made it worse.
“Excuse me? Are you talking back to me?”
My gaze drops to the floor. “No, ma’am.”
The silence hangs heavily between us, laced with tension.
Then, bless her, my sister jumps in. “So… I’m working on a new routine for our next recital!”
I look up, grateful. “That’s awesome. I’ll make sure I don’t miss this one.”
“That’s okay,” she says softly. “I know you’ve been busy.”
My heart tightens in my chest. I haven’t been the sister she deserves, and I hate that. I vow then to be better, for her. After all, she’s the only family I really have. I don’t see my relationship with my parents lasting long past graduation.
Dinner is quiet. We actually sit down together for once, but no one says much. Just the occasional comment from my dad on something he’d seen on the news. No one responds. My mother avoids political conversation with him like the plague, and I can’t say I blame her.
After we finish up, I retreat to my room, shower, throw on my softest pajamas, and climb into bed with my phone. Fingers twitching with the desire to texthim.
Sophie:Hi
Theo:Hello
I chuckle at his bare reply.
Sophie:What are you up to?
