Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:

I get up and grab some clothes walking into my bathroom. I change quickly. What is she going to do? She knows he has a girlfriend.. Maybe I can make up the excuse that my top had somehow disappeared? I yank my brush through my hair and then put it up into a ponytail. I walk out of my bathroom.

Owen is leaning against the wall next to the stairs, his head in his hands.

"Um, hey." I say.

He looks up at me and puts his hand out. "Ready to face the music?"

“No, but I have to be ready.”

"I'm sure it won't be that bad..." he says, trying to sound confident but it isn't working.

“Lets go.” I say.

"What do you think she'll do?" he asks.

“I dont know…” He sighs and enters the kitchen, where my mum is leaning against the counter, coffee mug in her hand.

My dad is sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper. He gives us a nod before going back to reading, it makes me wonder what she has told him.

"Mum?"

“Sit. Both of you.” We do as she tells as and we sit at the island. Neither of us say anything, we wait for my mum to speak.

"What are you two doing?" She finally asks. I look down, not saying anything. "Look at me Lani." My mum's feet appear in my vision. "Owen, care to explain?" I look up at her like she tells me to and stay quiet. I can see she is getting annoyed with us. "Neither of you going to explain?" My shoulders slump and I look down again. "Maybe Owen should leave, Lani. If him being here isn't going to help you talk." I look over at Owen, hoping her will say something.

"It's my fault." He says, biting his lip roughly. "I'm sorry." I look down again. Well that’s not exactly what I was hoping he would say.

My dad chuckles. "It takes two to tango, son." I don't lift my head, my cheeks are burning with embarrassment. I feel eyes on me, but I dont know who's.

"I would like to speak to Lani alone, please." My head snaps up to see my father and best friend retreating from the room, fast. I dont look at my mom. She sighs and sits in the seat Owen just left. "Lani, what's going on between you two?"

I'm silent. What can I really say to her?

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" She asks, changing her tactic of getting it out of me.

I nod. “Yes.”

"Then why were you two in bed together?" I put my head in my hands. "Sweetie, I've told you already that you can tell me anything. No secrets, no judgment."

“It just...it happened.”

"Oh, darling." She tugs on my hands to look at my face. I can tell she doesn't know what to say but I am grateful she is trying. I look up at her through my eyelashes. "It's only happened the once, if he tells his girlfriend, you can move on from it," she offers me a small smile but it just makes tears run down my cheeks. I look away.

"It did happen the once, Lani?" I shake my head not looking at her.[5:32pm] "It did," she says. Her hand closes on my shoulder. "It'll be okay, Lani."

“Mom you dont get it.” I say.

"Then tell me, Lani."

“Its happened twice before today.…” Her head snaps towards mine. I cringe away from her as she tries to think of something to say to me.

I cant look at her. I'm close enough to tears as it is.

She sighs. "I wonder whether he's spilled to your father."