Chapter 7: Six

“Reese,” Mom said, causing a wave of shock to ricochet through me.

~Reese~.

Glowing Girl had a name, a real, legitimate name.

I didn’t want to know her name. I didn’t want to learn another single detail about her. This was so not going to help me stay away from her and never think about her again.

“This is my son, Mason,” Mom went on. “He works most evenings at the Country Club, so you may or may not see him coming and going whenever you’re here. Mason, this is Reese Randall.”

God…damn.

I got the last name too? No! Why did I have to learn her fucking name? Now it was going to repeat through my head like a skipping record.~ Reese Randall, Reese Randall, Reese~—there it went already.

When I felt Sarah nudge me in the leg, reminding me I was staring badly and hadn’t said a single word in greeting, because my brain was already whirling her name through the fourth cycle, I shook my head and cleared my throat before glancing away and mumbling, “Hey.”

“H-hi,” she croaked just as nervously, which pretty much told me she remembered me.

Shit. Had I affected her the same way she’d affected me? Or…no. What was I thinking? She probably only remembered me from whatever gossip Eva had told her, except she didn’t seem horrified to learn she was going to be babysitting for the infamous gigolo’s little sister. She just seemed rattled and dazed, which made me wonder if—huh—maybe I’d left a ~good ~impression on her, one as big as the impression she’d left on me. But that didn’t make sense either, because I’d pretty much only been a moody, silent jerk to her so far.

It must be a bad impression, then.

Except, her curious blue gaze drifted over my work uniform and her face seemed to go flushed as if embarrassed about so openly checking me out—because she liked what she saw—which made me feel all hot and needy for things I should not want. I squinted, trying to abate the rush of blood that flowed south, but it didn’t help.

“Mason just started taking classes at the community college this semester too,” Mom told Reese. “Maybe you two will see each other there.”

“Yeah,” Reese murmured vaguely, smiling tightly at Mom before turning back to me. “I…I think I might’ve seen you around campus already.”

I don’t know what made me say it. She clearly didn’t want to let on that she remembered me as much as I knew she did. Maybe I wanted to be vindictive and pay her back for making me feel shit around her when I most certainly did not want to. So I dryly reminded her, “You dumped a bag full of books on my feet before my calculus class on Monday.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she were mentally flipping me off for calling her out. Then she feigned surprise and said, “Right,” before she blurted out a nervous laugh. “That ~was~ you, wasn’t it? Yeah, sorry about that…again.”

That’s when I knew for certain. She’d heard the rumors. She knew the truth.

I hated how much that bothered me. I didn’t want to care what she thought of me. I’d never cared before, otherwise I certainly wouldn’t have started selling my body for money. All that mattered was providing for my family and making sure they had everything they needed. So what if this cute, clumsy bundle of pep thought I was trash? Wasn’t any skin off my back. Except, it really freaking bothered me to think about her knowing what I was.

“Oh, so you two have already met, then.” Mom brightened. “That’s great.”

Yeah. Great. About as lovely as a bullet to the brain.

This entire situation had trouble written all over it. I could just feel it.

“I guess that leaves one introduction left. Reese, this is Sarah.” Mom grabbed my arm and nearly yanked it out of its socket in order to drag me out from in front of Sarah so Reese could finally meet her.

My stomach swished painfully with anxiety. I knew—deep in my bones—that Mom hadn’t mentioned a single word about her CP. Reese was about to get a shock, and I should’ve felt some pity for her; she was about to get thrown into a situation she was not prepared for.

But if she did one fucking thing to upset my sister, I swear to God...

I had no idea what I’d do, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be pretty.

~Please don’t be a bitch, please don’t be a bitch, please~...

Even as I prayed, I narrowed my eyes, watching every move she made as her gaze fell on Sarah. At first, her expression froze. Then she clasped slightly trembling hands together and forced a huge, fake smile.

“Hi, Sarah,” she said in that voice you used to talk to babies. “I’m so happy to meet you.”

If it were anyone else but Sarah, I’m sure I wouldn’t have judged her so harshly; she technically wasn’t rude, but still… Her initial reaction did not pass my test.

As Sarah waved unenthusiastically and said, “Hello,” I watched a myriad of panic flash over Reese’s face.

But she didn’t run off; she just stood there, her chest heaving with fear, while Mom knelt next to Sarah.

“Sarah, this is Reese. She’s going to stay with you in the evenings now that Ashley’s gone.”

Reese nodded and smiled encouragingly, even though her eyes were bright with fear.

Dammit, if she treated Sarah badly because of her ignorance, I was going to make her life a living hell.

“Sarah has CP,” Mom was saying, addressing Reese.

“Oh.” Reese nodded and sent me a questioning glance, clearly not understanding.

~Damn you, Mom~, I wanted to mutter. The girl didn’t even know what CP ~was~.

“That’s short for cerebral palsy,” I explained harshly, displeased with the entire situation.

She nodded again as if she understood, but I could tell she had no clue.

“It’s a muscle disorder,” Mom explained. “Sarah was born premature, and it injured the motor part of her brain, affecting the muscles in her entire body, from her limbs to trunk to even her tongue and eye muscles. It takes an extreme effort for her just to talk, or chew, or even blink.”

Reese’s eyebrows lifted and she nodded as if she were finally catching on, though I’m sure she hadn’t.

I decided I couldn’t watch any more of this. I was already too close to being late to work, and if I stayed, I’d probably do something I would regret like send Reese, the glowing girl, as far away from my sister as possible.

“I need to get going.” Bending, I kissed Sarah’s cheek and said, “Take care, kiddo,” before I added a whisper. “Call if you need me.”

I waved a mute goodbye to Mom, sure I’d say something cutting if I actually spoke to her. Then I turned Reese’s way. I wanted to say something, something like, ~Don’t hurt her. Her CP isn’t scary at all, I swear. She’s really the sweetest kid~.~ Don’t treat her like she’s a freak, because she’s not.~

But she merely stepped to the side as if she thought she was in my way and I needed by her to leave. Honestly, I usually left through the back door, but since I was a chicken shit and couldn’t beg her to be good to my sister, I passed by her, gritting my teeth when that smell I remembered from Monday swirled up my nostrils.

This was going to be a long night; I could already tell.