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Unfamiliar with this feeling, I shift from foot to foot as I bring my phone up, too, a decision I immediately regret.

The day my mom isn’t on my case is the day my heart stops beating, I swear. According to her, Apizza the Sea doesn’t belong in my diet.

I can’t wait to have some of my own money.

“I have to put in a hundred,” I tell Guy.

“I need to run an errand for G4 anyway.”

“Right now? It’s nine o’clock on Friday.”

“Realty never sleeps,” is all Guy says as he gets to his feet.

I follow him out, panic rising with each step.

“Well, will you come back after?”

“Maybe.” He’s not even looking at me, only jogging up the stairs.

“Maybe?”

“Depends how long it takes me.”

“I don’t care how late you get done, you can come back anytime.”

“Fine.”

This is also said without giving me a shred of his attention.

He’s really mad at me.

“Guy?” I say when he’s at the front door.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry. About downstairs. I just felt uncomfortable, you know, with someone else there.”

“Someone.” Huffing, he glances at me. It’s only for a second, then he’s opening the front door and walking outside. “I’ll let you know.”

“You’ll let me know if you’re coming back? Or when you’re coming back?”

“Yeah.”

Yeah? I gave him two choices.

“Guy?” Something in my voice, the desperation maybe, has him putting his phone down long enough to give me his undivided attention. “Please?”

He sighs. “I said I don’t know. It’ll be late.”

“And I said that’s fine.”

“Big Brother’s here to keep you company.”

The panic swells to near deafening levels. Does he know? Does he suspect?

I scratch inside the hairline at my temple until the skin gives way.

“Company?” I snicker. “We don’t even talk to each other.”