Page 28 of Cruel Devotion

“I asked him to pick me up on the way. He’s acting like I’m bitching for a chauffeur.”

Finn shook his head. “What an ass. They know you don’t have a car.”

I sat up, rubbing my face. “I’ll hop in the shower now and start walking to the bus stop.” Because of course, my parents would pick a restaurant in Marsten that wasn’t within walking distance, then act like I could fucking fly there or something. Like magic.

“Nah. I’ll take you.”

I got up and headed to the bathroom, glad that we’d lucked out in this dorm room to have a bathroom. It was tiny, but it was ours. A huge plus when we had a girl over.

“No, it’s fine. You got your date.”

“Nope. She canceled on me.” He rolled his eyes. “Said I’m not her type after all. I can drive you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Want a ride home too?” He yawned. “I’m tired after last night, but I need to stay up and read this chapter. Knowing I have to pick you up would force me to stay awake.” He chuckled weakly.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

On the drive there, he asked me about my plans for Haley. He pitied me that I had to jump through a hoop to not get in trouble and have to pay my scholarship back. “You’re not going to tell your parents, are you?”

I huffed a dry laugh. “Are you insane? Of course, I’m not telling them! They’d freak out.”

His reminder about this impossible dare peeved me, keeping the fear of failure forefront in my mind.

“I’ll text you,” I told him after I got out of the car and waited to shut the door.

“Yeah, do that. In case I fall asleep reading. Give me a heads up and I’ll be here.”

“Thanks again.”

I walked into the restaurant and found my parents seated at a table. I was actually five minutes early, but the sticklers they were about punctuality, they probably saw that as tardy.

“Finally managed to make it, huh?” Dad asked.

He was an asshole of the finest order to taunt me when he knew damn well I’d have to walk or ride the bus. Or maybe he had his head so far up his ass that he assumed bus schedules catered to his whims.

“Happy birthday, Mom.” I handed her a card, by rote. Bothering with hellos would be a waste of breath. They wouldn’t sayhito me, so I had no incentive to try with them. Deep down, I hated that I had to be here at all.

The last time they celebrated my birthday was before I hit double digits.

“Oh, jeez.” She frowned at me. “You can’t even try to dress up or look decent?”

I sat, bracing myself for a long fucking night. “I showered. I’m decent.”

“Barely,” Dad said, frowning.

“It’s not like I have a tux in my dorm,” I replied.

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t even think about talking back to me like that. Not on your mother’s birthday.”

I ground my teeth and exhaled through my nose.

Pick your battles. Pick your fucking battles. This will be over with before you know it.

Acting like a robot and not investing any emotions were the only way I could ever handle them anymore.

Mom opened the card and didn’t smile. “Is this it?”

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