Hollow Breaths|✔️ (Unspoken Words book 3)

18. Red Hoodie

HOPE

One week later, it was Monday morning and I was wrapped in my comforter, dreaming about Beyoncé's gorgeous face when I felt mom's body snuggle up against mine from behind. She wrapped her arms my waist and pressed her face against my shoulder. Her beautiful scent of flowers such as roses and daisies, which she daily gardened and watered in our backyard as therapy, engulfed me.

"You're so warm," she murmured, sighing in bliss.

"Mom," I groaned. "Beyoncé. Face. Gorgeous."

She nuzzled against me, burying her face in my curls. "Me is more gorgeous."

"Hmmm. Me doesn't disagree," I murmured.

She laughed and so did as I turned to face her. Mom's soft brown eyes stared into mine while she smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear. Just like that, she earned a lazy smile from me too.

"You got home pretty late last night," she said, meekly.

It had been one week since I first introduced Nathan to Alec's underground base in the old factory. I had been giving him skateboarding lessons every day. All those mornings, he just walked up to my locker at school or texted me to ask if I wanted to hang out again. He really was genuinely starting to like me.

"Yeah, we've been hanging out at the factory the past week. I've been teaching him to ride the skateboard he bought."

"That sounds fun, and you two seem to be growing closer. Has he opened up in any way?"

"Well, after I told him about those out of body experiences I sometimes have, he told me I literally read his mind. He hasn't said anything else after that though." I hadn't either. I didn't want to push him to open up. I wanted him to do it willingly.

"I'm still proud of him. I'm proud of you. It's so good to know that he has found someone who understands him. And that someone is my wonderful daughter," mom said, her smile widening as the sunlight streaming in from the window kissed her skin.

I smiled before I suddenly recalled something important I wanted to share with mom. "There's one more thing. He never eats."

Sitting up, Mom blinked. "What?"

As immense worry creased her features, I sat up too. "I've been noticing for a while now that he never eats. I also feel like he's lying when he tells me he has already eaten or isn't hungry."

Despite being completely shaken by my sudden statement, she seemed hesitant. "Are you sure he isn't on some strict athlete diets? His dad...you know how that man is, right? Maybe he has forced something like that on him? And let's be honest, you constantly eat very unhealthy food that might go against that."