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“So, I suppose you’re going to be taking off soon to go visit your family for the holiday,” Selena asks me. “Right?”
We’re sitting on my sofa together, our thighs touching, I can’t help but notice.Home Aloneis playing on TV. Selena let me pick it.
I shrug. “I’m not really sure. What do you want to do?”
She tilts her head at me. “What do you mean?”
I feel heat creeping onto my face, embarrassed at my stupid mouth. I had sounded like I was asking her what she wanted to do, as if we were going to spend Christmastogetheror something. As if I wanted to do whatevershewanted to do.
“I mean… aren’t you going to go home?”
Selena sighs like she’s been waiting for this question. “Maybe. I just think there’s a pretty good chance that Derek would assume I’m going there and show up.”
From what I’ve gathered at work or at the stadium, Derek is still acting like he knows where Selena is. He is still acting like he wants her out of the public eye. After my boss’ harrowing call yesterday, I had gone into work today hoping to get better information. Hoping to find some other way to get myself a story other than begging Selena to let me exploit her.
I even had a chance to talk to Derek today, if I wanted to. I saw him approaching me with an angry look on his face down by the locker room just before I left. The only reason I turned and walked the other way was because I was honestly afraid. I was worried that he was going to somehow get it out of me where Selena was. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to protect her.
“You have to face him at some point,” I say to her.
Last night, after I made her cry, I gave her some time to cool down, then I went and softly knocked on her door. She cracked it open and apologized for breaking down. Then she said she was just terrified and needed more time to think it over. But I didn’t have much more time to wait. So, I have to keep pressing.
She ignores my comment. “If you go, I’m more than okay to stay here,” she says. “I don’t mind looking after the house. It could be kind of nice to spend a quiet Christmas by myself.”
I look at her like she’s crazy. “You want to be alone on Christmas?”
“Maybe? At least, I’d rather be alone than with Derek.”
I get to my feet and pull my phone out of my pocket. Christmas is less than a week away, so if I’m going to make any plans, I need to do them soon.
“I’m going to go give my family a call. Figure out what the plan is. I’ll be right back.” I walk back into my bedroom and close my door, then I ring up my stepmom.
“Kenneth! So good to hear your voice,” she says when she answers.
“Hey, so I want to come visit for Christmas,” I tell her, not wasting any time. “I think we should discuss how we can make that happen.”
13
BRENNAN
Idon’t answer the door when somebody knocks on it later the next day. All kinds of people have been coming over to try and talk to our family. Specifically, me.
I’m upstairs in the loft, using my parents’ computer to do some paperwork for budgets at my job. So, I listen as Mom and Dad get up from their seats in the living room and go to answer it.
“What are you doing here?” I hear Mom ask. “You have some nerve.”
This is the first thing I’ve heard them say to someone at the door that has piqued my interest. I lean over the banister and try to see who they’re talking to, but they’re blocking my view of the person.
“You have no right being on our property,” Dad is saying to the mystery guest. I know it must be someone bad if evenDadis upset.
“Sorry, I-I just wanted to speak to… Brennan.”
My stomach drops as I recognize the voice of the person speaking. Then I practically jump down the stairs, skipping every other step. I shove in between my parents and stand in front of our visitor. It’s Leah.
“I got it, you guys,” I tell my parents.
But they’re mad at me, too. “Brennan, she shouldn’t be here. And you shouldn’t be talking to her.”
I shoot Leah an apologetic glance before looking back at my parents. “Will you knock it off? It’s not my problem that you two think Derek is a perfect little angel when he’s not.”
