Every lie I rehearsed sounded stupid.
Slept at Tasha’s?
Too obvious and doesn’t explain why I turned off my location.
Got drunk and crashed on someone’s couch?
Even worse.
Was abducted by aliens and returned in time for tea?
Honestly? Maybe that’s the most believable.
But nothing leaves my mouth.
So I stall.
“I just… overslept.”
Her eyebrow climbs to God.
“In another borough?”
“Yes…” I drag, walking away from more questions.
She follows me into the kitchen like a detective shadowing a suspect.
“Well. Mum is furious,” she continues. “You missed church. Again.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Great.”
“Oh, it gets better,” she says, leaning on the counter. “She’s even madder at Jabari.”
My stomach dips.
“Why?”
“Because he didn’t go either,” she says. “And apparently, he was supposed to be there to ‘give testimony about perseverance in sports’ or something. Instead—” she gestures vaguely “disappeared.”
I keep my face very, very still.
“I mean, part of me is happy he’s finally catching some heat. But the other part feels bad and is worried. We haven’t talked since you two had your screaming match, and I think he’s still upset with us.”
“Hm,” I open the freezer and grab some water. “He’s a big bloodclaat man, if he feels a way about what I said, he’ll say something.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I ignore it.
“Besides, who cares if he stops coming around?” I take a mouthful, swish it around, then spit it into the sink. “I need a break from seeing his face anyway.”
My phone buzzes again.
Then again.
Za narrows her eyes.
Buzz.
I swallow.
