AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His eyes riveted between mine like he couldn’t fathom me thinking I needed to protect him. “Thank you.”
I smiled.
He winked and walked back into the dining room leaving my heart racing in my chest.
* * *
As I sat on my bed painting my toenails, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Had my mother heard what I’d done in the dining room? I winced. “Come in.”
The door opened and my mom stood there holding hangers filled with garment bags.
I swallowed hard as I twisted the top back onto my nail polish bottle. “I can explain.”
“Explain why a delivery man just showed up with expensive clothes for my eighteen-year-old daughter? I know how much you make, and it isnotenough to afford anything from Greta’s Boutique.”
I stood up, careful of my wet toenails, and took the garment bags from her. “I got asked to the prom.” I lay the bags down on my bed.
“And?” she asked.
“That’s it. I got asked to the prom and my date offered to get my dress since it’s in three days.”
She looked afraid to ask. “Who’s your date?”
“Seren,” I said, knowing it was best to just put it out there.
The color drained from her face. “No.”
“Mom. We talked about this. You need to let me make up my own mind about people.”
“Yes, people. Nothim.”
“He’s not what you think.”
She crossed her arms. “And how would you know what I think?”
“You think he’s an angry guy who has mommy issues.”
She scoffed. “That doesn’t even come close.”
“I know he thinks his mother is responsible for his father’s death.”
She huffed as if that wasn’t news to her, but she didn’t like hearing it.
“I know no one believes him,” I continued, “which would make any person act out.”
“Acting out is one thing. His behavior has been deplorable.”
“He’s a teenager. What do you expect? We don’t all make the best decisions. He deserves a little leniency.”
“He’s had leniency his entire life. And look how he turned out.”
“How? He’s got a full ride to Alabama to play football. He’s passing all of his classes. And he understandsPride and Prejudicewhich is completely over most guys’ heads.”
“Grace.”
“Mom.”
“He’s not like you and me.”
