Saving Laurel

16. It's Me

Laurel Gilroy

My butt doesn't even hit the bar stool before my parent's start.

"So.." my mom says, dragging out the o. "How was last night?"

I stuff some egg into my mouth, poking my food with my fork as I chew.

"Fine."

"Mhmm." My dad hums. "So you have a thing for this kid whose house you went to?"

He nudges me slightly and I laugh. Can't they be normal parents?

"No." I say.

They share a look, a look I know. It's been the same one they've been sharing ever since Mason and I became a thing.

It's not that they hated Mason.

At least they've never said they did.

But I could see it in their eyes, in their tight smiles, the way they greeted him when he'd pull up on his bike and wait for me in the driveway.

They watched Mason grow up. Our families becoming friends because of Molly and I and the neighborhood we lived in. But their forced indifference to Mason when we started dating was a palpable thing. And I didn't miss the grin my dad tried to hide behind his hand when I came home crying when Mason broke up with me.

But none of that matters now. Mason and I are nothing. Just like whatever this thing is my parents are trying to wish into existence with a boy they don't even know. Maybe they'd hate him too. We just don't know, do we.

"I don't have a thing for him." I press even though I know the more I deny it the more they'll just think I do. But I can't help it.

I'm not going to have a thing for anyone. For a long time. Even if they have cute dimples and a charming smile and brilliant hazel eyes and messy hazelnut hair. Even if their jeans hang off their hips in that effortless hot way, the elastic of their boxers peaking out slightly, teasingly, and even if their shirt rides up a little when they stretch showing off the angles and plains that make a particularly good looking boy, even if he looks way too good in his worn out denim jacket.

He's hot. I'll admit that. I am not blind.

Intriguing definitely.

But I can't stomach another relationship.

"Okay, okay." My dad concedes for the time being.

"At least tell us how it went." My mom asks.

"It was fine." I poke my food around, nibbling on pieces as I think about last night. Or more specifically sitting on Wes's porch with him.

"Well what did you do?" She presses.

"Watched a movie."

"Anything else?" My dad asks but I know whats actually going on in his head.

He's wondering if I've found myself a group of friends equivalent to my friends back home. Mason's friends.

"Nope." I pop the p shoving the last bite in my mouth. "It was pretty boring actually. Thanks for breakfast."

And then I escape to my bedroom where I plan to spend the majority of the rest of my weekend. Alone. In solitude.

Except I promised I'd call Molly and honestly I'm curious if Mason's okay and I'm hoping to catch Molly without Chase so I can get her to tell me what the heck is going on there.

So I pull my phone out and stare at my reflection in my screen as I wait for her to answer my FaceTime.

Her brown eyes and dark hair fill my screen moments later, her hair messy and unkempt like she just woke up.