Page 38 of Read With Your Heart

“Midnight,” I repeat. I’m not condoning she have sex by the strike on a clock, but she knows I’m right. Whatever she wants to do can be done before midnight just as easily as it can after. I’m hoping I don’t need to state she better not drink and drive, but perhaps a reminder is necessary.

“I’m not into anybody here. My man’s waiting for me back home.” Lena licks her lips and puts up a good front. For the first time, Lys snorts and rolls back to her belly facing the television.

“Whatchu laughing at? At least boys like me,” Lena says, and I shake my head. This was an argument between my sister and me once upon a time.

“Don’t do that,” I warn. Lena looks back at me. “Don’t value yourself based on boys’ attention and don’t ever compare yourself to your sister like that.” Pam had boyfriends, and I didn’t. Her curvy body was an instant attraction, and I felt the side effects of being more boyishly built and tomboy in nature. It was difficult growing up with the comparison.

Lena stares at me, but I’m not backing down on this. “Midnight. I know each family you just mentioned. I can check in to see if you ever showed, stayed, or departed the bonfire.”

Lena’s brow lifts. Her foot stomps, but she knows I’m serious. I can check on her, but I don’t want to have to do it.

“Fine,” she mutters, taking her coat from the closet and slamming the front door after she leaves. Good Lord, these slamming doors . . .

Lys twists to face me again. “She doesn’t mean it,” she says, looking up at me as she’s perched on her elbows on the floor. “She likes a boy here, and she doesn’t have a man waiting for her back home.”

“Oh yeah, who does she like here?” I love a little high school gossip. My former students love to come to my room during breaks in the day and tell all to me.

“She likes some boy named Durke Bryant.”

Good kid. I remember him. “Does he like her?”

Lys shrugs. “He’s better than Hector.”

“Who’s Hector?”

“The man she thinks is waiting for her, but he’s not. She’s a kid. He doesn’t want her.”

My stomach drops. What does she mean “he’s a man”? Like truly an adult, outside of high school?

“How old is Hector?”

“Like Leon’s age, but don’t tell Leon. He hates Hector.”

“Why?” I question without thinking. I shouldn’t be digging. Lys shrugs.

“Just always has. Said to stay away from him if we ever see him, but Lena didn’t. She never listens. She won’t be home by midnight.”

I smile weakly, hoping Lys is wrong about a few things—like Lena being in love with an older man, that man using her, and Leon hating him. Somehow, I don’t think their quiet, younger sister is mistaken, and a midnight curfew should be the least of my worries.

Halfway through the next movie, Leon returns and takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch. It’s strange having him near. Unfortunately, if he’d stayed at the bar, he’d feel just as far away.

“Lena went out,” I tell him. “I told her to be home by midnight.”

“You gave Lena a curfew?” He chuckles after asking, finally looking over at me. Lys rolls to her tummy to speak to her brother.

“You should have heard her. She put Lena in her place.”

Leon lifts a brow to me, and I shrug.

“Although she’s going to owe me five bucks when Lena doesn’t show at midnight,” Lys teases.

“And you’ll owe me laundry duty when she does,” I tease back.

Lys smiles, and I sense Leon watching me, so I turn to him, still grinning. Only when I see the look on his face, mine falters. He looks upset, like I did something I shouldn’t have done. His eyes stay on me for a minute before dipping to my lips. Quickly, he looks away.

“I’m going up to my room.” He pushes off the couch, and using his long legs, he takes the stairs three at a time. My eyes follow his retreat, and when I turn back to the television, Lys is watching me. She smiles big, and I smile back like we share a secret, but when I glance over her head toward the front window, I scream.

Lesson 15