Crossroads

Chapter 17

Mia

"That is, in fact, quite the mess you got yourself into, sweet pea..."

PAST

I felt uneasy when I left the house this morning.

Leaving Lincoln alone the whole day is not something I usually do. Ever since that one night, I can't help but fear that he might break down again, that he might do something to himself...

But maybe it's exactly what I need to do. I know this, whatever it is we have, is not a good idea, at all. It's just not the right time for the two of us. But I'm so tired of fighting something I want so badly, of doing what I'm told. I've done that my whole life, and I'm so goddamn sick of it, although it could jeopardize everything we have right now...

"You're awfully quiet today, sweet pea," my grandpa's voice brings me out of my thoughts. He shoots me a kind smile, his pale skin showing off his grandfather dimples when he looks at me like he knows something I don't.

"She's met a boy," mom chimes in, and I immediately spin around to find her grinning at me from the lounge chair in the room.

"Mom!"

"What? It's obvious!" she giggles.

I look at her for a moment, wondering how on earth she could come up with that explanation. I haven't brought up the topic at all, showed up for every family dinner right on time so they wouldn't question me, and I tried to stay under the radar for the time being.

"Sweetheart, you've been distracted for weeks, and you start blushing randomly when you're deep in thought, lately. I mean sorry, but you can be glad your dad hasn't figured it out yet."

"I definitely don't want to be there when he does find out..." grandpa mumbles, and I can't help but roll my eyes at him. "Sweet pea, tell me about the man."

He pats the spot next to him on the bed and I sigh as I make my way over to him. "There is no man, pops..."

But he just raises an eyebrow at me as he tucks me closer to him, his arm around my waist as he speaks, "I know for a fact that your mother raised you to never lie, didn't she?"

"I did!" mom exclaims, still having that wide ass grin on her face when she crosses her legs.

"You guys are insufferable..." I whisper, though I know the words aren't true.

"And you are a really bad liar!" My grandma's voice makes me turn my head, and I watch how she steps inside with a tray of food in her hands. "It's a good thing, believe me. Lying will only get you in trouble."

She kisses my cheek before placing the tray on the table next to grandpa's bed, who just shoots her a thankful smile.

"I'm not lying..."

Well, technically, I'm not. We haven't put a label on anything so I don't really have anyone.

"Fine, don't tell us. But be sure to know that we will find out, sooner or later," grandma speaks again, the silver-brown strands of hair loosely framing her kind face.

I do not doubt her words, at all. My family is nosy as hell and eventually knows about every little thing that's going on in everyone's lives. My dad pays a lot of money to make sure he's kept in the loop when it regards his kids.

"Can we focus on something else now, please? I didn't come here so you could burn holes into my brain with all these questions..."

"Mia..." mom warns me, the tone in my voice was anything but loving.