“I’m not—”
“Where are you going?” Aaron demands.
“I… I…” I raise my shoulders. “I’m going to go see my mom.”
Grayson gives me a pitying look.
I can’t take it.
“You sure you want to do that?”
“You sure she wants to see you?” Finn asks, concerned.
“I can’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“She doesn’t wantto see you,” Ryan says when he opens the door to our parents’ house.
His parents’ house.
Frank has definitely disowned me, and my mom is probably furious. She’ll never forgive me.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
Ryan takes a deep breath then pats my arm.
Shit. Of course. He’s angry at me too.
“Well, uh…” I finally say. “I guess tell her goodbye for me.”
“Goodbye? What do you mean? Where are you going?” He frowns.
I don’t answer him.
“Mom!” Ryan calls. “Graham’s leaving. Forever, it sounds like.”
“It’s for the best,” I remind him. “I obviously shouldn’t be around normal people. I can’t handle it. I don’t deserve it.”
“Mom says you made a mistake.”
“I made a bad choice that a sane, good person wouldn’t have made. And I should have been punished for it, and since I’m not going to jail, I at least need to make sure I’m not a danger to those around me.”
“You can’t just leave.”
“Grayson is sending me away. It’s for the best,” I repeat.
The screen door slams, and there’s my mom.
She looks pale. She’s wrapped in an oversized cardigan. Her mouth droops down at the corners. She has bags under her eyes, and I’m reminded that the last time she looked that miserable was when we were trapped in the cellar.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
“Don’t you dare just leave, Graham.” My mom is crying.
Ryan shifts on the balls of his feet.
“Ryan, go back inside. I’m fine.” She takes a steadying breath.
“Claire is heating up that chicken soup,” my brother tells her as he heads inside.
