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“Oh my God, Reed! He is going to freak!” I mumble, shaking my hands again as if they are asleep.
My dad is known to be a major fit thrower if he doesn’t get his way. Also, he has certain ideas that he thinks are right. One is me. He expects perfect grades, so I don’t end up miserable like him. In other words, he does not want me getting pregnant and trapping Reed like my mom did to him.
Reed grabs my hands, stilling them. “Just step aside, Tess.” He sounds aggravated, then tosses me my black yoga pants that were draped on the edge of my chair. I look at his crumpled white dress shirt from last night, and yes, thankfully it’s covering his stain. My eyes go wide, grabbing his bicep. “Are you crazy?” I hiss. “Try to get under my bed.”
He rolls his eyes. “Fuck this, Tess. I’m not hiding under your princess bed.”
“Tess? Open this door now. Is Reed in there with you?” My dad pounds; the pictures on my wall move with the force.
“Screw this!”
I watch in slow-motion horror as Reed unlocks my door. Before I can even grasp what is happening, I’m looking at my father’s face. He looks good for a guy who has been traveling nine hours.
My dad is a handsome man. I look a lot like the girl version of him. Right now, he looks like he is going to attack Reed.
“Daddy, this isn’t what you think.” I hold up my hands.
His fists clench and unclench as he throws the door open and stalks into my room, straight for my wrinkled pink sheets.
My mind spins with excuses, but nothing comes out of my mouth. Reaching for the sheet he rips it back, tossing the pillows across the room, inspecting the bed. My face must be bright red because I feel like I’m on fire. He turns to me, his eyes wild, looking at my appearance.
“Pack a bag, we’re leaving,” he spits out.
I grab for Reed. “What?” His arm tightens on me.
“Pack. Your. Bag.” His voice is like ice.
I’m clutching Reed’s hand as if it can somehow merge me with him.
“Daddy, please…” I almost sink to my knees. Instead I face him head-on.
He’s furious and his cheek is twitching as he looks around my room.
“Mom?” I scream. Suddenly she seems like the best person in the world. I let go of Reed and run down the hall to her room.
Bursting open her door, I almost take a step back. It’s like a tomb. As my eyes try to adjust to the darkness, I cringe at her appearance. Dad’s right. She looks like shit! Worse than yesterday if that is possible. It doesn’t help that her makeup is still smeared on her face and pillow. Her Botox eye is still sporting the look of someone who’s had a stroke.
“Mom?” I jump on the mattress, shaking her. “Wake up! Dad’s home.” She sits up and grabs her head.
“Tess, please,” she snaps, lying back down. Suddenly we both jump.
“Don’t bother getting up, Claire. I’m not staying.” My dad walks into his large walk-in closet and pulls out a fresh suit.
“Robert?” My mom holds up her hands, kind of reminding me of a vampire trying to keep the morning light from burning her up.
“Christ.” His eyes move around his bedroom. Besides the walls being painted a deep rose color, she also got rid of the dark wooden bedroom furniture, replacing it with white.
“You’re a fucking disgrace!” He snarls down at her. “If I had any sense, I would divorce your drunk ass. Look at you.” He nearly spits in her face. Grabbing my arm, he shakes me slightly. “I just caught our fifteen-year-old daughter locked in her room with Reed! Who the fuck lets her daughter fuck her boyfriend in the room next to hers?” He waits as if my mom is smart enough to spar with him. She only stares at him with her one eye, looking dazed.
“I’m taking Tess with me. You can sit here and drown in vodka for all I care. I’m done.” With that he releases me and steps away, walking into the bathroom.
Scrambling over to her, I grab her cold hand. “Mom? This can’t happen! You need to get yourself together and tell him no, okay?”
This is it. My moment of truth with her. Her time to be a real mother. “Please.” My voice is raspy as I beg. “I need you! Don’t let him take me.” I’m borderline possessed, and I guess crying because everything is blurry.
Backing off the bed, I scream, “You’re going to let him take me, aren’t you?” I shake my head at the pain and betrayal. She stares at me then at the closed bathroom door.
“If you let him do this, I will never forgive you.”
“Tess.” I turn to Reed’s voice. He stands in the doorway looking at my disgusting mother.
