Page 76 of Toxic Kiss

Her smile disappears.

“I didn’t⁠—”

The bedroom door slams open.

“Cyrus?”

My mother’s voice cuts through the air like a blade.

“Here,” I say as she stomps across the room. Great, she’s in a mood. She has a lot of them lately. Mom climbs halfway out the window, eyes already suspicious.

“What the hell are you doing out here? It’s dangerous.”

Haven straightens quickly. “We were just⁠—”

I jump in before she can finish. “Haven tried to get me to vape,” I say.

The lie comes out easy. Too easy. I hold out the pen to my mom. Haven stares at me like I just shoved her off the roof.

“That’s not—” Haven starts, but Mom cuts her off.

“Enough! Inside, both of you right now,” my mother snaps.

Haven’s mouth opens, then closes.

“But—”

“Now,” Mom barks.

Her voice is as cold as ice. Haven climbs through the window slowly, shoulders stiff.

“Did you have any,” Mom asks me. I shake my head. “That’s very good, Cyrus. I’m proud of you,” she says.

Mom gives me a quick approving look before she turns her glare on Haven.

Serves her right. My chest still feels strange from her hand touching mine.

“Ow,” Haven whimpers, as Mom grabs her by the arm and drags her out of the bedroom. “Anita, you’re hurting me.”

“You’re lucky this is all I’m doing. How dare you try to get my son addicted to this thing? You know he’s a singer. Vaping can destroy his lungs or voice. You think of no one but yourself,” she snarls as she marches Haven downstairs.

“I didn’t do anything!” Haven snaps back.

Oh, this is good.

“We’ll see what your father has to say about this.”

Mom pushes Haven through the door of Mr. Gaillard’s home office and slams it behind them. I sneak up close and put my ear to the wood.

“Tell your father what you did, right now,” Mom orders.

“I didn’t do anything,” Haven says.

“Were you or were you not on the roof with Cyrus?”

“Yes, I was. We were just sitting watching the sun set.”

“You were trying to get Cyrus to vape. Look at this, Auguste.” There is a dull, hollow thud, and I can only assume she’s put my vape on the desk. “Your daughter is off the rails. She needs to be punished.”