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I’d never been more scared in my life.
This moment was one that I’d never really let myself imagine, the one where Mom and Dad finally found out about Stella. I mean, sure, I’d thought about it, but I could never get very far down that road. Imagining their reactions scared me way, way too much.
But here I was, staring one of my biggest fears in the face.
And that face wasfurious.
Mom was silent, clearly fighting to find an ounce of patience to give me. Dad probably glared daggers at Harry from where he sat behind the wheel, but I couldn’t look away from Mom.
At first, I wondered how she might’ve recognized me—I was still wearing the Stella wig—but she would’ve spotted my SUV.
“Get in the car,” she said, voice dangerously low and barely level.
Yeah, I would’ve agreed to be anywhere elsebutthat car.
“Destelle.” Her two syllables were enunciated in a warning. “Get in. Now.”
I could appreciate the fact that she at least tried to keep it civil in front of Harry. “I—I’ll drive the SUV home.”
“No, you’ll get inourcar.” Mom finally looked to my side, turning the evil eye onto the boy beside me. “Harry, move away from my daughter.”
There goes the civility.Harry, though, took a healthy step away from me, obeying without question. I shivered from the new distance. “Mom—”
“What is this?” she demanded, gesturing a hand at my body almost chaotically. “W-What’s all thisblack? What’s on yourhead? Destelle Marie, is that anose ring?”
I tugged off the Stella wig, wincing as the clasps caught in my real hair. “Can you calm down?” I asked her while I tore the fake nose ring off, and once the words were out, I immediately regretted them.
“Calm down,” Mom echoed, placing her hands on her hips. “Okay, Destelle. Let’s all calm down. Why don’t you tell me—calmly—exactly what you’re doing with him?” She spoke as if she knew she made a valid point, and I realized then that I was on trial. “Tell me exactly how this isbabysitting.”
I could see everything come crashing down now, like little buildings made of sticks being knocked over by the wind. Mom knew that I’d lied about babysitting tonight—it wouldn’t take her any time at all to find out all the lies in the past.
Maybe it was that realization, or that I saw my life flash before my eyes, that made me say, “I lied to you.”
“Yeah, I kind of figured that out for myself.”
“I’vebeenlying to you. I didn’t go babysitting tonight. I haven’t been to any of the volunteer opportunities you’ve set up since the middle of February.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Harry’s head tip toward me, and he probably gave me wide, panicked eyes, thinking I’d lost my mind.
Mom took a step closer to me, but when she spoke, her voice was neutral. If someone listened to the words, they’d have no idea she was angry. “Harry, I think you should head home. I’ll take care of Destelle.”
Take care of. I almost snorted.What is she going to do, murder me?
“T-This is my fault,” Harry said, and took a step forward. “I asked Destelle to come tonight—”
“Oh, I already know how much of a bad influence you are.”
Harry full-on winced, as if Mom had shoved him. “Mom, stop it!” My rage had reached its boiling point, and if I didn’t think she’d grab me and try to shove me into the car, I would’ve taken a step forward. “Don’t talk to him like that! He hasn’t done anything to you!”
Harry ducked his head, as if he couldn’t look either of us in the eye, and in that moment, I hated my mother for making him feel so low.
Before Harry took another step away, I grabbed his wrist with a free hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the gig. Nine o’clock sharp.”
I watched his eyes go from me to my mom, and when he looked back, he had returned to how he was before—panicked, sad, weary. Mom didn’t object; in fact, it was almost as if she wasn’t listening to us.
“Drive safe,” Harry said instead of acknowledging my words. And then he walked off toward the employee lot of Crushed Beanz, where he’d parked his car.
“It’s him, isn’t it?” she asked once he left, her eyes scanning my body. “He’s making you be this way, making you dress this way. You’re in a tank top, for crying out loud!”
