I keep my eyes on my work, but my knee starts to bounce. My mom’s not usually out of her room this early. With any luck, she’ll be gone by the time Eva gets down here. Eva’s so careful in front of my parents. Their presence suffocates the fire from her eyes. As much as I hate seeing her change for them, I get it too. She’s being smart. One ruffled feather under this roof, and she could be sent away.
I take a sip of my black coffee and let it settle with the bitterness in my stomach as my mom makes her way to her medicine cabinet.
“My head is on fire this morning,” she groans while rifling through her pill bottles. “How are you feeling?”
I frown and stare at the cupboard door concealing half of her body. “Um, fine.”
“Oh, good. At least you’re better off than me. Are you still getting ready?”
“Uh ...”
“You’re kidding. You’re there now? But it’s still early.”
It’s not until my mom closes the cupboard that I see the earpiece in her ear. I roll my eyes, feeling like a fucking idiot.
Putting my laptop in my backpack, I pull some schoolwork out and set it on the island bar, just to have something to do until Eva arrives.
“What on earth?” My mom shuts the fridge, her mouth open in shock as she approaches me. Her eyes skim my face. “Can I call you back, Cynthia? Yes, yes, I know. I’m leaving now. Just need some coffee.”
She hangs up and stares at me.
I know she’s inspecting the bruise, but I can’t remember the last time my mom looked at me like this. I shift in my seat and clear my throat. Her brown eyes are intense as they focus on me. Her hand touches my cheek, soft, gentle, and my eyes harden despite the weird burning sensation building in my throat.
“Oh, Easton ...” Her quiet voice eases something deep in my chest I didn’t realize needed relief. Her eyes soften, her thumb brushing my jaw. But then she clears her throat, the softness fades, and the next words out of her mouth whip away that unfamiliar feeling in my chest just as fast as it came. “Don’t tell me Eva had something to do with this.”
I grit my jaw.
“I swear, if that girl is getting you into some kind of trouble, or if I find out you’ve broken your promise in any way—”
“Jesus, Mom,” I mutter, jerking away from her touch.
“That’s not an answer.”
“It had nothing to do with Eva.”
“Then, what happened? Were you at a party? Were youdrinkingagain? Do we need to make an appointment with Dr. Baker?”
Fuck my life. She says it like I was an alcoholic—all while standing six feet from her precious pills and brandy.
“I don’t need to see a therapist.”
“Well, what are people going to think when they see my son with a black eye? You look like another Rutherford picture just waiting to go viral.”
Pretty sure my mom’s never going to let that one go.
“Do you think this will make me and your father look good?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a damn headache coming on.
Eva
“Ican’t believe someone would try to mug you. And in this neighborhood?”
I walk into the kitchen in time to see Easton stiffen as his mom touches his chin. She angles his head, scanning the bruise on the side of his face.
Mughim?
I’m surprised his mom even looked at him long enough to notice the bruise, let alone ask about it. He could’ve easily told her the truth, ratting me out and ensuring I wouldn’t be able to get away with sneaking to The Pitts anymore—or, worse, getting me kicked out completely. I slide my gaze back to him when I open the fridge. His face is emotionless as she tilts it this way and that.
