AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. “I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for my husband to die and leave me with three growing boys. I didn’t ask to have my firstborn despise me. I didn’t ask to feel sick most days because of his hatred.”
“Oh, so now you’re blamingmefor not feeling well.”
She dropped her hands. Black mascara tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m under a lot of stress. And, now, you’re fighting in school and getting suspended. Maybe it’s better that you leave. We’ll both be happier and healthier.”
“And there it is.”
“There what is?”
“The truth. Was that so hard, Mother?”
“Oh, don’t put this on me. I’ve tried with you, Seren. I’ve tried until I didn’t know what else to do. Now, I’m bowing out. Go. Leave for Alabama as soon as you graduate. I’ll pay for a place down there until you can move into the dorm. I want you to be happy. And, if leaving here will do that, then so be it.”
Silence filled the car as her driver pulled up the driveway and stopped at the front door.
My mother opened her door and stepped out. “Your father would’ve despised the person you’ve become.” She slammed the door behind her.
I stayed in the car, digesting all she’d said. She loved me, but she was letting me go. I’d heard that saying before. If you let something go it would come back to you if it was yours to begin with. Hopefully, she didn’t wait too long for a return that was never going to happen.
Grace
I pulled through the gates of the manor after school, hoping Seren would be outside. But the driveway was empty. Did he know Kiki was somehow behind the fight?
I switched off the engine and made my way down to the apartment. If ever there was a good time for Seren to have broken in, now would have been it. But the apartment was empty. I still hadn’t heard from him when I reached the kitchen for my shift. Chef was busy cooking so I moved to the sink and pulled on my rubber gloves.
“You have the night off tomorrow, right?” Chef said.
“Oh…I…” Would I still need the night off? Had Kiki been right about Seren not being able to go to the prom? “Yeah,” I said, never one to take Kiki at her word. She was a snake. As I began scrubbing the stack of pans in the sink, I listened for voices in the dining room as Janette moved between the kitchen and dining room with trays of food. Though I strained to hear, there was nothing. The dining room was eerily quiet.
Janette stepped back into the kitchen, loading up her tray with shrimp atop lettuce leaves.
“It’s quiet in there,” I said.
She shrugged, never one to say much.
“Is Sawyer in there?” I asked, knowing better than to ask about Seren in front of Chef.
She glanced to me, her eyes narrowed curiously.
“I needed to ask him something about school,” I said offhandedly.
She nodded. “Just him and his mother.”
“Thanks,” I said, wondering where Seren was. I knew he and Maureen had a strained relationship—with him accusing her of being a murderer and all. Maybe she’d sent him away. Maybe she realized she couldn’t control him.
Chef glanced over his shoulder at me with a raised brow.
I twisted back around and continued scrubbing my pans.
It wasn’t until I was sound asleep in bed that night that my phone buzzed. I reached out from underneath my comforter, feeling around for it on the nightstand. I squinted at the screen as the light blinded me in the dark room.Meet me in the driveway tomorrow night at 8. Alone. Can’t wait to see u in your dress.
A rush of excitement moved through me. I hadn’t realized how disappointed I’d been thinking it wasn’t going to happen. I sent off a heart emoji andR u ok?
I waited, but he didn’t respond.
I studied his text. Alone? I wondered what that was about. At least, since my mom wasn’t thrilled I was going with him, it wouldn’t be a big deal for her not to get a picture of us. I fell back asleep wondering why he hadn’t mentioned seeing me in the morning or at school.
CHAPTER 33
