“Are you going out?” I demanded, as I checked the time on my phone.
It was nine thirty, where did she think she was going?
“No, I mean, yeah. Melissa and I have work to do.”
The ridiculous thing was that she didn’t even try to find a better excuse. Who’d she think she was talking to?
“Can’t you do it tomorrow?”
She added more excuses, put on a light jacket, grabbed her purse, and left. So she wanted to keep lying to me? Fine, but I had to find out. I put on my gym shoes and rode my bike out. Obviously I couldn’t follow her—her car gave me the slip almost immediately—but I managed to see what block it turned onto. And it was exactly where I suspected.
I decided to follow my gut feeling my and headed to James’s house.
It was inevitable. I was horrified at the sight of my mom’s old Toyota parked outside.
“I can’t believe it.”
I’d known it, but up until that point, I’d hoped I was wrong.
I left my bike behind a dumpster, hoping nobody stole it, then pulled up the hood of my hoodie and hid by the front door.
I couldn’t see anything from downstairs. There were too many curtains.
I felt like a burglar, a stalker, but I had to do it. It was for the greater good. Most of all, it was for my mental health. I didn’t want my mom going out with that guy. Nor was I okay with her lying to me.
Stupid curtains.
I craned my neck as much as possible and saw two silhouettes through the living room window.
She and Jordan were there. I thought I saw them head to the stairs. I hoped it wasn’t what I thought it was.
On the one hand I didn’t want to know where they were going, but on the other hand, I had to know. I quickly examined the house’s outside wall. How was I going to get to the second floor?
Without thinking about it too much, I climbed onto one of the portico pillars. I’d climbed trees a lot as a kid; it wasn’t anything complicated. But when I got to the roof, I almost skinned the palms of my hands. I crouched down, too scared to stand up. I was nine, maybe twelve feet from the ground.You’re dead if you fall, June.
That liar would have me on her conscience. I minimized the danger in my head.
I realized there weren’t any curtains in the window facing me, and I could glimpse an empty room full of paintings.
So that beefcake Jordan really was an art buff. I had no idea where my mom and Jordan were now, or how I was going to get down. I edged over to the side wall and gradually stood up.
My back was to the wall. I took small side steps and avoided looking down. Now how was I going to get down from here? I tried to glance quickly down, but I almost passed out. I didn’t get vertigo, but the thought of jumping down made me predict the worst. Okay, I shouldn’t get distracted. I saw another window behind me. It was ajar. Good, I’ll go through there. There was no point in hoping it was Jasper’s room because when I approached the window, a tall, muscular figure stood there.
It was James. In his underwear.
“What the fuck.”
“It’s not what you think!” I rushed to say, my cheeks burning from embarrassment. He burst out laughing.
“Are you spying on me?”
“Shh!No! Quiet down.”
“Oh for god’s sake, White.”
I heard Tiffany’s voice, too, then her figure popped up in the window.
“Come on in!” she invited, while James turned away from me.
