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“She’s shutting everyone out. Me included.”
“You most of all,” she corrected.
Damn her. It wasn’t like I didn’t already know. I didn’t need the reminder.
“But she helped you out with Eli?”
“I don’t think she did that for me.”
“What do you mean?”
We hung back waiting for the hallways to empty.
“She did it for Eli.”
“Well, duh, the kid’s a total cutie.”
Yeah, and he had Becca wrapped around his little finger. I ran a brisk hand over my head. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I grumbled.
“What? It isn’t like you don’t know you screwed up. We should have come clean sooner.”
It was too late now.
“Just keep an eye out for her, okay? Some of the rumors making the rounds are…”
“Yeah, I’ve heard them. I almost kneed Calvin Trovers in the balls on Friday. Even if Kendall hadn’t pulled her little photo stunt, you know this would have come out eventually.”
She was right. From the first day she’d arrived, Becca had stood out like a sore thumb. Sure, she’d worked hard to blend in—changing her image and hanging around with Scarlett and her crowd—but a nose piercing and black skinny jeans could only hide so much. First impressions stuck and Becca hadn’t exactly made the best one.
“She has to come around eventually,” I said, but from the look in Scarlett’s eyes, she believed my words as much as I did.
* * *
“Hi, baby, you’re home.”
My eyes landed on the pot on the stove. It might have been a normal sight except it was attached to my mom’s hand. “You’re cooking?”
“Try not to sound so surprised, Evan.” She tsked. “I’m quite capable of cooking a meal for my boys.”
Just because she could didn’t mean she did. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d done something more than turn the dial on the microwave or push down the lever on the toaster.
“Where’s Eli?” I scanned the room, half expecting to find him curled on the couch since he hadn’t met me at the door.
“Over at Mellie’s. I thought we could talk.” She stirred the contents of the pan and placed the spoon down on the counter, motioning to the stool.
“I’ll stand.” I leaned against the counter and folded my arms across my chest.
“I guess I deserve that.” She frowned, the bruised skin around her eyes crinkling. It had only been a couple of days, but her face already looked better. The swelling around her lip had gone down, and the split skin was knitting together.
“Can we not do this?”
“Evan, please, I am trying here…”
“What happened Saturday?” I said, earning me a hard glare. That was more the Mom I recognized, not this fake one standing in front of me attempting to play Susie Homemaker.
“I already told you. I fell.”
“Fell, right.” If she insisted on lying, she could have least picked something a little more believable.
