“Then stop asking stupid questions,” she replied.
“It’s okay, Mom.” I put the plate inside the dishwasher and turned to them, leaning against the counter. “We just… I don’t know. We grew apart, I guess.”
“You guess?” Andy asked, his eyebrow inching up. “You guys were inseparable. Hell, I always thought that he was in love with you, and that one day I would have to beat him up because no matter what, no one is good enough for my baby sister.”
“Awww, you actually love me.”
“Only on every third Monday,” he snickered. “No, but really. I used to tell Mom that one day I would have to watch you get married to that little punk.”
“Andy, he’s not a punk,” Mom scolded him. “He’s actually really nice.”
“Mom, every guy is a punk if he wants to be with my sister. That’s a given. You already know this. You grew up with three older brothers.”
“Well, thank God I only have one, because three of you would send me straight to an asylum.” I laughed and pulled my phone out when I felt it vibrating against my leg. “Oh shit.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I forgot Bianca was picking me up today.”
I almost ran toward the other side of the kitchen, where my pills were neatly hidden in the cupboard.
“Slow down,” Mom chastised. “You’ll break your neck, rushing like that.”
“Sorry, Mom.” I pulled out the pills that should help with my headache, and popped two into my mouth, reaching for the bottle of water standing on the counter. “I gotta go.”
“Sophie!” Mom called out, and I stopped at the entrance of the kitchen. I looked at her, again hating what I could see in her eyes. “Think about what we spoke about, okay? It’s almost time to tell them.”
I knew, dammit. I knew it was time to tell them, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. At least not yet.
“I know.” I nodded somberly. “But not yet. Give me this month, please?”
I went back to her, hugged her, and dropped a kiss on her cheek, then Andrew’s, and ran toward the front door, taking my coat as I went.
Freezing morning air hit me in my face as soon as I stepped outside. I pulled the coat on before rushing down the stairs, all the way to Bianca’s car.
I could already see her face through the window, and she was anything but amused.
“I am so fucking sorry,” I started as I opened the door and slid inside. Warmth of the car enveloped me almost immediately, and I thanked the person that invented heating inside cars. “I was having breakfast with my mom and Andrew and I completely missed the time.”
I looked at her profile, the sharp edges of her face and the pissed-off look. Fuck, I knew how much she hated me being late. “I really am sorry.”
Her blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, accentuating her slender features.
“I’ll buy you a coffee?” I tried again, but as she pulled the car away from my driveway and started driving toward the school, she still kept quiet, keeping her eyes on the road. “Come on, B.”
I was ready to cry if that was what it took for her to finally look at me.
“Bianca?” I placed my hand on her upper arm. “Don’t make me tickle you.”
It was only then that she turned toward me and started laughing. “God, the look on your face is priceless. I’m fucking with you, dude.”
“You little—”
“I literally arrived one minute before you came out, but I wanted to fuck with you.”
“You are such an asshole.” I laughed. “Here I was, apologizing—”
“A first for you.”
