Ch18

NOVA

My back hurts so bad. And it's not even because I've been busy helping Mom in the kitchen all evening making Noah's favourite. It's not because I feel so stiff as I make my way to my room.

I think it's because I'd been carrying my backpack all day. With the envelope inside of it, I have trust issues. I didn't want anybody to find it first. Since I don't know what's in the envelope, it's safer there.

I still can't believe I'm about to be a sorority girl. Well, if I can complete whatever task Bethany and her friends want me to. Hearing Gia and Serenity's tasks, I'm sure mine will be much worse.

I don't think I give a fuck either. Whatever it is, I'm sure I can do it. Can't be anything worse than what the school thinks I did. Yes. I'm more optimistic now than this afternoon.

"Baby, dinner's ready. Come on downstairs!" Mom's voice rings in my ears just as I grab my backpack. I dig into it, my fingers grasping the envelope, tearing it open just so I can see what's in it before dinner.

If I know what lies ahead of me, I can think about it over a meal with my family. Well, well... My eyes are twitching as I tear the envelope open and run my fingers over the back of the letter.

Beth outdid herself just to get me this envelope. She could have just said my task the way she did the other girls. Anyway, I turn the letter and unfold it, inhaling just a little to ease the tension that's coiled tight in my chest.

At first I'm not sure what I'm reading. But it's plain. In clear letters and there's no thought about being delusional or seeing stuff.

"Nova Graham, you are to find a goody two shoes new guy, make friends with him, make him fall for you and break his heart in the cruelest way possible."

Or

Leak private stuff about Enzo and frame the person you love the most for the scandal.

Wait a minute, I backtrack, my eyes moving back to the top of the letter to reread it. It's exactly the same.

I take what I said about doing whatever I have to do to join back. Is Bethany sick in the head or something? No, are the girls all sick? This... this is bullshit. It's not even a task that I'd consider doing.

Do they actually want me in or they just want me to go and do the things that'd put me in more mess than I already am?

Fuck this.

Fuck Bethany and Kayda. Fuck the rest of the sorority girls.

I squeeze the paper into a ball and leave it on my bed before leaving my room. Mom is already setting up the table when I get to the dining room. She looks up and smiles at me.

"Come on," she says, motioning for me to come closer.

"Where is Noah?" I glance around.

"On his way back from practice." Mom tells me.

I nod, my words dry. I place my both elbows on the table and let my face sink between my hand. No matter how hard I'm trying not to think about Bethany and the offer... I'm failing.

The last thing I want is for mom to notice how gloomy I am and then ask what the problem is. So I force a fake ass smile onto my face and sit on the table, accepting her meals with a cheerful face that's just about fake.

"Noah will be here anytime soon." Mom says, setting a plate aside. Then she sets another plate aside. "I've made his favorite and I'm sure he'll want to share with Enzo." She's smiling as she fishes out the meal of mashed potatoes and fish sauce.

Enzo? She just mentioned Enzo. What Enzo?

"Mom..." I call her.

"It's been a while since they came home for dinner." Mom ignores me entirely.

Is she okay? "Mom... what are you doing?" I tap her arm while she looks at me. "You're setting out... two plates." I gesture to the plates in front of her.

"Yes." Mom nods.

"Why?" I tilt my head. "Enzo isn't coming home. He hasn't come home for a while now. And... so has Noah." I say in a very gentle voice.

Mom just stares at me without blinking. It's like she's not here in the present. I stand on my feet and walk around the table until I'm standing near her.

"Don't you remember? When you said you'd make Noah's favourite... I was surprised. He hasn't come home in days. You said he'd come and I believed you. But... you just talked about Enzo coming too and that's when I knew... something was wrong."

Mom blinks, and then she staggers back a bit. "Fuck." She says loudly, holding a hand to her head. She looks at me, then she starts laughing. "I must be..." She laughs some more then stops. "I don't know what's wrong with me." She inhales.

I do. She misses her boys so much that she just... I don't know what Mom would do without those two. She's clearly losing her shit without them. I lead her to the sofa in the living room and help her sit.

"I forgot." She says more to herself than to me. "I forgot that... they..."

I nod. "I know mom. I know. Just lean back and close your eyes." I watch her fall asleep on the sofa and then I go back to the dining room.

I've fucking lost my appetite. With the tasks in that stupid fucking envelope and then Mom slowly getting bad... how can I sit here and eat?

Noah and Enzo are mad at me. They shouldn't take it out on mom. It's brutal... what they're doing to her. She has loved those boys since they were kids, cooked meals for them and watched them grow their bond.

Why punish the woman this way? I know it hurts mom not to see them home talking trash and drinking her expensive wine in the cabinet.

That's right, I caught her staring at the drinks in there this morning. If it were any other normal morning, she'd be talking about going for a restock but...

I know what the hell I have to do. And I'm going to do that even though they both hate me. Hopefully they don't hate mom the same way they do me.

I'm going to talk to Noah and Enzo and I don't care what happens.

We're having this conversation.