Page 118 of Wicked Dreams

She’s been the only stable person in my life for seven years, and I think this is the first time she’s hugged me. Besides one-armed side squeezes anyway.

“Take care,” she says. “And no more drinking. This is your only warning. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I hold back the urge to salute her.

I lock the door after she leaves. I lean against it, letting my head fall forward. I’m anidiot. Letting Caleb get me drunk—okay, well, that’s not really fair. Theo put the cup in my hand. I was with Riley as I downed it faster than I should’ve.

The mistake was going to the party in the first place. That willnothappen again.

When Lenora and Robert get back, I’m on the couch watching some mindless reality competition. They’re armed with groceries, and once the bags are put on the kitchen island, they come in and sit with me.

“You saw your social worker?” Lenora asks.

I nod and bite my lip. Uncertainty wars inside me. Do I just blurt out an apology? Ease into it?

“Did you have any concerns? With us?” Robert’s eyebrows crinkle.

“No! I just—I’m so sorry.”Blurting out an apology, it is. “I’ve never drank. I’ve never been drunk?—”

“Margo.” Lenora frowns and reaches toward me.

“I don’t want to put you in that position.”

“It’s okay,” Lenora says. “We started fostering to be parents. It might not seem like it, but this is part of that.”

Robert shoots her a look. “Well, it’s notokaylike you can do it again. But you’re owning up to a mistake, and we appreciate that.”

I nod quickly.

“But we can’t let it go unpunished,” he adds. “So until further notice: school and home. No exceptions.”

I swallow. It’s fair. Some other foster homes would’ve locked their kid in a room for a week with limited rations. “I understand. Thank you.”

We all stand, and I retreat to my room. They could’ve slapped me with chores… cut the Wi-Fi… a lot of things. I set my coffee down and glance around, marveling—again—at the luxury of this house.

My phone vibrates.

I reach for it, half hoping it’s Riley or Caleb.

My heart sinks.

Unknown

Made a big enough fool of yourself?

[video attachment]

I click on the video and hold my breath. It’s me…

Oh God.

Someone saw Caleb and me leave the party last night. There’s a clear view of me falling backward against his car. His hand going into my pants. And…

I drop the phone, covering my mouth with both hands. It lands on the bed facedown, but the video keeps playing. Over the music from the house, and people talking, there’s breathing.

That noise will haunt me for a while.

My phone rings, cutting off the video. I jump a foot and slowly flip it over. If it’s Unknown, suddenlycalling, I may lose it.

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