52

“I’m going to bed, mom. Goodnight.” I pick up my glass of milk and the copy of Romeo and Juliet I am reading and head for our lounge door. It’s late evening, and we just sat through hours of my mom’s favorite series in a binge session. She had a rare afternoon off when I came home from school, and wanted to do something together.

“Is there still no response from him?” My mom is fluffing the couch cushions before heading to bed. It was just the two of us tonight, as Brian had a work dinner, and Dane never came home.

“No. His cell is ringing out, and he isn’t replying to my texts.”

Dane is doing what Dane does. After our talk, he dodged me all afternoon at school and blanked me at leaving time. Acting like a cold, ignorant jerk when we crossed paths in class. He went off with Tyler and hasn’t been seen since. Reverting to behaviors of before, and I don’t know why I'm letting it upset me. I should never let him get to me when he starts acting like a prize asshole.

My mum checks her watc