Falling into Fiction

13 The Subject From Hell

Before practice, I tried begging Dee to let me study with Andrew over at her house. My excuse was that Daemon needed to be around in case an Arum saw my trace. Dee then explained to me that she would lock all the doors and windows in her house if I showed up anywhere near her yard after practice.

Some friend she is.

Now, I'm upstairs putting on clothes after just getting out of the shower while Andrew waits down in the dining room. He was there after practice to ride home with me for the third time so far, taking over for Dee. When I told him I would just change clothes so he wouldn't have to wait, he told me I could shower if I wanted to and shouldn't worry about him.

I'm still not sure how to take that.

When I come downstairs in comfy sweats and a tank top, no longer smelling like death and onions, I find that Andrew is in the living room with my mom. He's seated on the couch while my mom stands in the doorway of the kitchen, makeup on and purse in hand. I'm not sure what they've been talking about until Mom speaks up.

"Mak, you didn't tell me you were having someone over tonight." She gives me a look, waiting for an explanation for why there's a boy in our house.

"Yeah, we're just studying for physics. We have a test on Friday, and I really need the help." I stand awkwardly by our recliner and make an attempt to turn the attention back to her. "Are you going somewhere tonight?"

Mom adjusts her purse on her elbow, her mouth forming an o shape. "Oh, yes! Some of the girls from work are going out tonight, just eating and getting a few drinks." She moves into the kitchen toward the hallway leading to the back door, and I take her place in the doorway to watch her.

"I don't know when I'll be back. Hopefully not too late." She reaches for the door before she remembers the guest we have over. "Oh, and it was nice meeting you Andrew!" she calls out to the living room.

Andrew calls out the same from the living room, and mom whispers, "That is one nice looking boy."

I groan and move down the hall, shooing her out the door. "Okay, Mom. Thank you. He'll be gone by ten and I'll be in bed before you get back. Is that what you want to hear?"

Mom hums thoughtfully, her body now out the door as her head pokes into the house. "I was your age once. Just be careful." With a wink, she shuts the back door. I groan once more and rest my head against the door.

When I turn around, I find that Andrew has moved from the living room and is now standing at the end of the hall. My face turns red at the thought of what he might have heard. The smirk on his face is very telling.

"Your mom sounds very... easygoing." His lips tug up even more at the corners, but his amusement only serves to redden my face to an even darker shade.

I ignore his comment and stalk past him into the kitchen, muttering, "It's a shock to me, too."

Grabbing a drink from the fridge, I move into the dining room. "So, do you want to get started, or...?"

A glance over my shoulder shows Andrew nodding, and I roll my eyes. I wouldn't have seen that if I hadn't turned around. He moves to dig through his bag by the table, and I head toward the stairs.

"I'm just going to grab my stuff and I'll be back down."

Andrew only grunts in response as I walk upstairs, though I can feel his eyes follow me until I'm out of sight. My bag is right where I left it by the bed. I bend over to pull out my books and papers, and when I stand back up and turn around, Andrew is standing directly in front of me.

I nearly jump through the roof at his sudden appearance, and a scream breaks from my mouth. My eyes stare at the ground, wide with pure terror, as I bend over and clutch my chest. I had dropped everything in my hands when I jumped, and somehow it had landed without crushing any of my toes.