Remind Me

Chapter Thirty-Two

As soon as the car reaches our driveway, I jump right out. Without a word to anyone, I storm directly up the stairs and into my room, slamming the door shut.

"You have no reason to act like that, Brinley," my mom says, and I can hear her footsteps on the stairs.

"Really?" I ask sarcastically. "Hm, no reason at all?"

My mom sighs. "Don't start with me. I have good reason to keep you at home."

"Good reason?" I slam my fist against the door. "Secrets? What don't I know about, mom?"

"You know everything you need to," she says in a final sort of tone.

"It's great to know what kind of mother I have," I fold my arms angrily. "The sort that hides secrets and won't let me go on a trip to meet my boyfriend's family."

"I won't let you keep dating him if he acts so recklessly," she says, yanking open my bedroom door. I back up in surprise, sitting on my bed. "Do you understand? If he's going to start threatening me with this information-"

"He's threatening you?" I scoff. "And who gets to say if he's my boyfriend or not? Certainly not you!"

"I forbid you leaving this house until his trip is over. I'll see through to that. No phone. Hand it over," she says, holding out her hand.

"No," I cross my arms.

"Give it to me," she says, frowning.

"No," I repeat stubbornly. "Try and make me."

"Have it your way," she says walking over and putting her hand in my shoe where I thought she would never know to look. She pulls my phone out and takes it before I can even stop her. "I'm sorry I have to do this, but it's necessary."

"Whatever," I stand up off my bed and storm out of my room, very frustrated. I walk down the stairs and into the kitchen and through the back door.

"Brinley," my mom shouts at me, coming through the back door as well. "Get back here."

"Don't talk to me," I say, sitting on the hammock at the furthest end of the lawn.

"I hate to see you mad at me-"

"Then let me go! This is ridiculous. What could be so bad that you would make me stay here with no contact to anyone at all? What about that trip could possibly be a bad enough thing?" I demand.

"It just isn't safe," she says feebly.

"I don't believe you," I say. "Not at all."

"I'm not hiding anything-"

"Yeah, right. All that secretive talk with Owen was about nothing? You're just scared to send me off?" I ask her furiously.

It's strange to think. My own mother is refusing to tell me a whole truth. She's refusing to let me go on a trip. She took away my only means of communication with Owen, for heavens sake! Isn't that a little much over anxiety?

"If you don't tell me, I'll figure it out on my own," I tell her.

"There's nothing to figure out," she says with a scowl.

"Oh, obviously," I roll my eyes.

"Look," my mom says with a long breath. "I need you to trust me on this one. Yes, it's frustrating. But it's for the best."

I refuse to look at her. Maybe the silent treatment is my best bet. Yes, that's what I'll do. Absolutely nothing. Until I can come up with a plan.

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