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A weak smile tugged at my mouth. “Night, Evan.”
* * *
“Becca?”
“Hi, Mom.”
“It’s late, baby. I thought you were just stopping by Lilly’s for an hour?”
“You know how it is, Mom. We got talking.”
Her head appeared around the door. “She’s okay?”
“Lilly? She’s fine. She says hi.” I forced a smile.
“I like her. She seems grounded.”
“She is. Is everything okay? You’re acting a little strange.”
“Can’t a mother be concerned about her only daughter?” Her voice was light, but I saw the worry glistening in her eyes. “I thought that maybe you were with a guy?”
“A guy? Whoa, slow down. How did we end up from ‘how’s Lilly,’ to me being with a guy?”
Mom’s eyes narrowed, and the guilt coiled around my heart, squeezing tighter. “You’re beautiful, and you just started a new school. Guys must notice you, baby. But I’m not sure—”
“Mom,” I said firmly, the lie sour on my tongue. “I was at Lilly’s.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I’m acting crazy. Your father is working late again.”
There it was. The real reason for her strange mood.
“Nothing changes. You know how he gets when he gets his teeth into a case.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I know. I just thought… ah, listen to me. Never mind. It’s late, and you have school tomorrow. You should head up.”
“I need to get out of this uniform and take a shower first.”
“Night, baby.”
“Night, Mom.”
As I climbed the stairs to my room, the guilt of lying to Mom weighed heavy in my chest. There had been a time we talked about everything: school, girl talk, guys. But that all changed when I methim—my illicit secret.
Until he wasn’t.
Mom and I never talked about him—it was as if he didn’t exist. I figured it made it easier for her to pretend I hadn’t made a fool of myself. That I hadn’t almost dragged the Torrence name through the mud by fraternizing with the neighbor’s pool guy.
During the move to Credence, she had suggested that I focus on school, college… my future. She hadn’t said the words, but I’d read between the lines: she thought it would be better—safer—if I didn’t get involved with anyone. If Mom knew about Evan, she would freak. If she knew about Kendall and her campaign to drive me out of Credence High, she would completely lose it. Really, telling the odd white lie here and there was the lesser of two evils.
Entering my room, I dropped my bag on the bed, replaying the night over and over in my head. I was more confused than ever. Evan had finally let me in only to push me back out. Did he want to be friends with benefits? Was that it? Was I the girl he decided could itch a scratch whenever he needed?
It hadn’t felt like that—it had felt… more.
So much more.
I’d felt the urgency in his touch, his kiss, yet he didn’t want to go public either. But then, did I?
My cell phone bleeped, and I dug around in my bag for it until my fingers found it.
