“Didn’t hear it.” I shrug and slide along the wall. “Do you need the bathroom?”
My phone rings, and I motion that I’m going to take it. “Sarah, what’s up?”
She screeches into the phone, and I hold it away from my ear.
“Calm down. I can’t understand you.” I walk to the front door, making my escape. “Okay, hang on a minute, but don’t go anywhere.” I put the phone on mute. “I’m sorry, gotta go. Please tell your mom thanks for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Later.” Jamal gives me an up-nod as his dad waves.
After exiting the house, I jog around the corner and lean on my car.
“What took you so long?” I grumble at Sarah.
“Sorry, I didn’t drop my life. You good now? I’m on break and can’t talk.”
“Break from what?” I ask, but the phone clicks and she’s gone.
I crack my neck and climb into my car, thinking I’ve made a clean exit. But then my phone buzzes with a text.
Jamal: Sarah was your 911 call?! *angry face emoji*
He knows.
If I ignore him, it’s unclear if I’ll be punishing him or myself.
I drive away without answering.
Chapter 21
Jamal King
Theo don’t say shit, eyeing me from across the banquet room. Dinner with my folks was a mess, and we’re not coming back from that. I fucked up by telling him he stole my life. The more I get to know him, the more I’m certain I don’t want his life.
I said it out of desperation to change the subject away from my scar.
The dishes from the catered dinner at the home game hotel are being cleared away. Theo’s eyes bore into me, and I angle my chair to see him out of the corner of my eye. He won’t approach me in front of the team, and he didn’t respond to my text calling him out. I wasn’t sure he had pre-planned the call from Sarah, but I followed him to his car and overheard his conversation.
We’re in an unofficial standoff. I brought him to my parents’ house, and he bailed. The next move is his.
My therapist asked me a lot of questions to get to the root of my issues with Theo. Key things of note are how I allow my anger to surface when he’s around and I don’t have any social anxiety with him. I haven’t panicked about what we’ll talk about, and I fell asleep on the plane next to him. Something I never do. She pointed out that my nervous system deems him safe. I couldn’t answer why that’s true.
I’m obsessing over him not speaking to me because of the insensitive thing I said. My mistakes plague me until the issue is resolved.
I skip the after-dinner socializing and head up to my room. This year I have a room to myself, which helps my anxiety. It’s early, and my mind replays every conversation Theo and I have had in the last week.
A knock at the door saves me from myself. Until I open it and Theo pushes into my room.
“I gave you plenty of time to come up with an answer.” He grabs my chin and tilts my head back. “Who burned you?”
“What?” I’m so surprised he knows the truth that my brain explodes.
“Who burned you?” he repeats, and his eyes are dangerous.
“It was a long time ago.” I swallow hard.
“That’s not what I asked.” He backs me up until my legs hit the bed, and he pushes me to sit.
“Was it one of them?” he snarls.
