Page 31 of Cruel Steps

I sat in silence, too stunned to react. Colter and I had gotten approved for off-campus housing. I would finally be out of the dorms and have my own space, but most importantly, away from the girl I needed to quit thinking about.

“So, it wasn’t a mistake?” Emerson asked, her voice so quiet I didn’t think anyone else heard. But being attuned to her, I looked for every little drop of interaction. I didn’t know if it was to prove she was who I believed her to be or who Hope said she was. Either way, I gobbled up every morsel she gave like catnip.

“But I thought…” She glanced at her father, her words stalling. He shook his head tersely, something passing between them, and she dropped her head.

I knew it. My suspicions hadn’t been unwarranted.

Hope pulled out all the stops, crying and pleading, but Mom didn’t budge.

“This is obviously shocking news, but Rose and I believe you’ll all come to love being here and see the benefits in time. I think it’s best we table the discussion. Thank you for dinner, honey.”

“You’re welcome, darling.” She smiled at Milton as if none of the last ten minutes had occurred. “Kids, please clean up dinner.”

Milton and Mom stood from the table, whispering as they headed further into the house. The tension in the room hadn’t dissipated, and I worried Hope was gearing up for round two now that the parentals were gone. When she didn’t get what she wanted, she could turn vicious.

The second they were gone, her eyes seared across the table at Emerson, and I watched as the girl who’d lit up an entire dance club, so brightly no one else had shone, wilted right before my eyes.

“This is all your fault!”

“Mine?” Emerson reared back, her eyes widening. “You know what, no.” She stood and gathered the plates, carrying them out of the room.

“See how mean she is?!” Hope cried, tears falling down her cheeks. How quickly she turned on the waterworks.

I sighed, rubbing my head. “Just leave it, Hope.”

“You can’t be serious. You want to live here?”

“No, but yelling at Emerson won’t fix it.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Watch it, brother; she’ll try to sink her claws into you and use you to hurt me. She’s nothing but a liar and a whore.”

Hope’s face hardened, and she stalked off, leaving all the dishes. I gathered what I could, helping Emerson in silence. Together, we cleared the table and stored the leftovers, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. The usual tension was missing between us, and I hated it. I shouldn’t, but I missed the electrical current. Emerson walked around in a daze, and I felt her absence like a lost limb.

Leaning against the counter, I tried to make sense of the bombs dropped over dinner. Once again, Mom’s choices were screwing with mine.

But do you care this time? You’ll be closer to her.

Seriously, brain. Emerson was the enemy. Get with the fucking picture.

Except that didn’t feel completely true anymore.

But I needed her to be.

Fuck! This back-and-forth was giving me whiplash.

I pulled out my phone to text Colter, giving me something else to concentrate on.

Holden: Mom just told me I have to live at home this year.

Holden: I’m sorry, man. I’ll figure out a way to pay my half.

Colt: Fuck. That sucks.

Colt: You know you can stay here whenever. It’s still your room.

Colt: Focus on football. We’ll figure it out. I’m good for a couple of months.

Holden: I might take you up on that. Things are tense here.

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