“Right,bio.” She flips her sunglasses down and dots the air with a kiss. “Call me tomorrow. I think we may have to stalk Jake this weekend.”
“I completely forgot it was Friday.”
“Yeah. Sorta makes this study session seem like a date, huh?” She swings out of the driveway, calling, “Ciao, bella,” on her way out.
I wave and head into the house. Rob’s mom and mine are in the kitchen at the counter, talking. It reminds me of the millions of times I’ve come home and seen the same thing. Of baking Christmas cookies together in our kitchen. Of summer dinners on the patio. Of the one time Rob’s mom and mine let us share a glass of wine with them at the counter. It makes me miss Rob so much.
“Hey,” I say, making my way into the kitchen. “Secret convention?”
Rob’s mom smiles. She’s got the same liquid chocolate eyes as Rob, and for a second I have to stifle something kind of hot in my throat. She motions me over with her hand. “Hey, cutie,” she says. “How are you?”
“Good,” I say.
“School going well?”
I nod. “Bio is killing me.” The urge to ask her about Rob is suddenly overwhelming. The impulse is so strong, I have to bite down on my tongue to keep from talking.
I don’t need to, though, because in the next breath my mom says, “Jackie was just telling me about Rob. You know he got suspended today?”
“Yeah,” I mumble. “I mean, I didn’t know he got suspended, but I figured something was up.”
Rob’s mom shakes her head. “It’s that girl. Juliet. I’m sorry,”she says, looking at my mom, “but he’s not the same person since she’s been around. All of a sudden he’s getting in fights and applying to USC. His father thinks we should forbid him from seeing her, but…”
“He didn’t apply early to Stanford?” My voice cracks, and my mom and Rob’s exchange a glance.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Rob’s mom says, but it’s quiet. “I don’t know what happened.”
We all know what happened. USC is the perfect school for Juliet. She’ll return to LA and major in drama and get to pursue acting at the same time. Rob wants to be with her, so he’s agreed to follow her there. He’s taking on her dream now. Stanford is already outdated.
“I have a friend coming over to study,” I say. “I’m going to head upstairs.”
“The girls?” Rob’s mom asks. She loves referring to Charlie and Olivia as “the girls.” When we were younger, she once took Charlie and me down to LA for the day on a “girls’ shopping trip.” Thinking about that and standing here with her, I realize how much I miss them all. Rob’s family, I mean.
“No, this guy Len,” I say.
“Len Stephens?” my mom asks. She perks her head up from her coffee cup.
“Isn’t that the guy who Rob—?” Rob’s mom taps the table.
“Yeah.” I swallow. “It was no one’s fault, really. Things just got out of hand.”
“Rob punched Len Stephens?” my mom says, her eyes wide. “He was such a sweet kid. He used to have lessons right before you at Famke’s, remember? He was so talented.”
“He still is,” I say. I don’t even know if that’s true, but I feel like I need to say something in his defense. And it’s easier to stand up for his talent than his sweetness.
Rob’s mom squints and runs her pointer finger back and forth across her forehead. “Rob admitted it was his fault, you know,” she says, her eyes closed. “He didn’t even try to argue.”
“He’s a good kid,” my mom says gently, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“I think he misses you,” she says, looking at me. “And that Juliet…” Her voice trails off, and she brushes her eyes and straightens up. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I know this isn’t easy on you. You all used to be so close.”
The doorbell rings, and I use it as an exit strategy. “It was good to see you,” I say. “Mom, we’ll just work in my room.”
“Do you guys want some apples?”
“It’s not a playdate.”
“I know,” she says, standing up and coming over to me. “Just let me take care of you while I still can.”
