Chapter 38: Life Can Be a Bitch

ADDY

I toss the duvet aside and climb out of bed. After freshening up, I head downstairs to find Mom and Dad sharing a laugh in the kitchen.

“Morning, sweetheart. You’re finally up?” Mom greets me.

“Yeah,” I mumble, sinking into a chair.

“It’s already 7:36 p.m. You never sleep all day on a Saturday.”

Dad chuckles, and I just shrug in response.

“Just felt tired.”

“Hungry?”

I shake my head, my gaze fixed on the kitchen table. I haven’t had much of an appetite these past few days.

“But, Muffin, I made your favorite,” Dad says, gesturing toward the rice and curry on the table with a grin.

I manage a smile. “Thanks, Dad, but I’m really not hungry.”

When I’m upset, I either eat too much or not at all. This time, it’s the latter.

“You should go finish checking those files in your study,” Mom suggests to Dad, raising an eyebrow.

“What files—?” Dad starts, but quickly catches on. “Right, those big files! I better get to it!” He stands up and hurries out of the kitchen.

“Come on, honey. Let’s watch ~Iron Man~ and have some cheesecake.”

She grabs two plates, spoons, and the whole cake she baked earlier for dessert, then gestures toward the living room.

“Ma, I’m really not in the mood for ~Iron Man~!” I protest.

Mom pouts, and I can’t help but laugh. “Ma, stop it. Don’t give me that face. I’m really not in the mood!”

“Nonsense. Come on, honey.” She strides out of the kitchen, and I follow her, shaking my head.

Mom has a way of getting me to do things.

We settle on the sofa, and she turns on the TV, starting the movie. Halfway through, I’m already feeling better. I sit with my legs draped over Mom’s lap, both of us engrossed in a movie we’ve seen four times already.

As the credits roll, I finish my second slice of cake.

“Thanks, ma!” I say, and she smiles back at me.

“Want to tell me what’s been bothering you, baby?”

I glance at her through my lashes.

“What? Nothing!” I laugh awkwardly, trying to brush it off, but she wraps an arm around me.

“Tell me!”

“You won’t let this go, will you?”

“No. I want to know why you’ve been moping around for days. My baby is a happy girl. I want her back!” I groan.

“So the guy I like—” I start.

“Yeah, the neighbors’ son.” My mom nods, expecting me to continue.

“Mom!” I shriek.

“What? It was obvious. I may be away on business trips, but that doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention to my daughter.” She shrugs, and I laugh.

“Mom, you’re crazy!”

“Yeah, people tell me that every now and then. Now, what’s the problem?”

I shake my head at her.

“Everything was good, and now he’s suddenly ignoring me. I don’t know why or if I did something wrong. I just don’t understand.” I rest my head on her shoulder.

“Have you tried talking to Asher?”

“Yes, but he won’t listen to me.”

“You know what I think?” she asks, flicking my nose.

“Hmm?”

“I think that he—”

“Aha, I knew it was a boy!” Dad bursts into the room. “I’m going to kill him! Who is he to make my Muffin cry? I’m going to hurt him so bad he won’t know his own name!”

“Dad, were you eavesdropping?”

“...No?”

We shake our heads at him, laughing. Mom points toward the door, and Dad whines.

“Where was I? Yeah—” Mom starts again, only to be interrupted by a loud noise from my pocket.

I pull out my phone.

Xander.

“Take the call, honey. We can talk later. You can always talk to me if you ever need anything,” she says, kissing my head.

I smile up at her before answering the call.

“Hey, Xander.”

Mom takes our plates and heads back into the kitchen where Dad disappeared to.

“Hey, princess. Listen, I know it’s late, but I’m really sorry about what happened.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I sigh and drop the bomb. “The thing is...I like someone else. I went out with you just as a friend.”

Xander is silent, and I bite my lip waiting for his response. “I get it. Friends?”

“Yes!” I say, relieved.

“Ha-ha, good.”

“Um, by the way…”

“Yeah?” he asks.

“I was wondering if you could help me with my German. My teacher is going to kill me if I don’t pass the next test. I know you’re probably busy, but you’re fluent and I—”

“Addy!” He interrupts my rambling. “I’d love to teach you German!”

I smile.

~Thank God!~

“OMG, thank you so much! I owe you a big favor!”

He laughs.

“Where and when?”

“Saturday, my place? Mom will be home, but she’ll probably be in her room. We can sit in the living room. Dad has a big-ass whiteboard there.”

“Ha-ha! Well then, Saturday at your place!”

“Cool, then.”

“Muffin?”

I look up to see Dad rushing toward me.

“You’re turning eighteen on Saturday!” he exclaims, grinning.

I chuckle.

“I’m aware, Dad.”

“Don’t go blabbing to her now!” Mom’s voice rings out from the kitchen. “Didn’t you get the ‘surprise’ part of our plan?”

Dad flashes Mom an apologetic grin, and I quickly cover my ear.

“I didn’t catch a thing.”

“She didn’t hear a thing.” Dad points at me, playing innocent. Mom just sighs and heads back into the kitchen, Dad trailing behind her.

“Your birthday’s this Saturday?” Xander sounds surprised.

I let out a nervous chuckle.

“Yeah, the big one-eight.”

“That’s awesome. We can reschedule our study session if you’ve got plans?”

“No, it’s fine... don’t worry about it. Just swing by my place on Saturday. I really appreciate your help.”

“Not a problem, Addy! See you then.”

“See ya!” I pull the phone away from my ear, ending the call, a wave of relief washing over me.

~Friends.~

~Thank goodness he gets it.~

ASHER

I glance over at her window, like I do every night.

Her room is dark.

Is she asleep?

“Asher, you there?” I draw my curtains closed and slump back onto my bed, phone still pressed to my ear.

“Yeah…”

“If you don’t spill your stupid reason for giving her the cold shoulder, I’m gonna tell her what you just told me.”

“Blake, shut up!”

“I’m serious!”

I grip the phone tighter. “Why are you siding with her after what I just told you?”

“I’m not. I just don’t get why she’d do that in the first place. I thought she was into you.”

“Well, she’s not.”

“But I still think she is. Kaylee says she’s been down in the dumps for days. She hardly leaves her room, doesn’t laugh much, and barely eats.”

“What do you mean, she barely eats?” I sit up abruptly.

“She only eats when Kaylee and her mom make her. Other than that, she’s not taking care of herself.” Blake relays what Kaylee must have told him.

I clench my jaw and stand up, pacing my room.

What the hell, Buttercup? You need to eat.

“Go talk to her. She wouldn’t be like this if she didn’t care about you. But she does.”

“I saw it, though. Jalina—”

“You’re choosing to believe Jalina over Addy? You know Jalina’s never liked Addy. That girl’s always been out to sabotage whatever you two had. Even if you’re hurt by what you saw, ask her. Find out why she did it!”

“You usually give crappy advice.”

“You usually keep everything bottled up. I’m glad you finally opened up.”

“Shut up!”

Blake groans.

“Go fix things before it’s too late.” And with that, he hangs up.

Confront Addy…

Ask her….

She doesn’t like you.

She’s in love with Xander….