Page 57 of Under Pressure

Yeah, each other. I sigh, searching for another way to begin. “We haven’t always gotten along well.”

“The anger as a teen?”

“Right.”

The silence lengthens between us. “Was that the end of the story?” she asks after a minute, amused. “I mean, I know you’re not big on conversation, but that was a bit of a letdown.”

A chuckle escapes me, which I’m sure was her goal, tension releasing from my shoulders. “Maybe I shouldn’t say anything. Let you draw your own conclusions.”

“You’re being awfully cryptic.”

It’s hard to paint Dan in the evil light I’ve always put him in after overhearing that conversation. But I can’t be wrong about my whole life. I saw how he used to look at me.

But maybe that was just me seeing what I wanted to see. Blaming him… so I wouldn’t have to blame my mom.

“Do you get along with your family?” I ask instead.

“Yeah, I love them.”

Of course she does. Her Hufflepuff heart loves everyone. Even feels sorry for Brad.

I push that thought aside. I’m not getting started on him.

“I’m an only child,” she continues, “so me, my mom, and dad have always been super close.”

I can’t relate at all.

“My parents divorced when I was a year old. Dan found out he wasn’t my biological father.”

“Oh,” she breathes, then a louder, “Oh!” a few seconds after as she makes the connection.

“Yeah, so my two older brothers would go to visit him on the weekends, but I’d stay with my mom.”

“I’m guessing that’s part of the anger?”

I nod. “But then they got back together later, ended up having another kid. That’s Riley, my baby sister.”

“The eight-year-old.”

“Right.” I’ve never explained to a girl about my family, never talked on a personal level long enough for it to even come up. Actually, the only person who really knows is Ethan.

I rub my palms on my jeans and turn down the heater settings. The damn thing must be acting up. It’s suddenly too hot in here.

“Anyway, all that has led to, you know, various tensions over the years. I got in some trouble as a teen before I picked up boxing.” I fiddle with the heater again, turning it up when I notice Mia rubbing her arms. “But that’s all in the past. Once I moved out, didn’t have to be around them all the time, it got better. I just see them every once in a while now. And my brothers even less than that since they moved out years ago.”

She nods silently, biting at her thumbnail.

I turn on my old street, passing by the familiar houses, until we reach the end of the cul-de-sac. There are a ton of cars parked here, probably friends of my mom’s from work.

Mia smooths down her shirt after I park and turn the car off, exhaling a long breath. “You don’t have to be nervous,” I tell her.

She glances over at me, her demeanor changing. “Oh, I’m not. Parents love me.” She grins. “I’m nervous for you. Once they meet me, any other girl you bring home will pale in comparison,” she teases. The smile slips from her face after a moment, though. “Not that it matters.”

She unbuckles her seat belt and exits the car, turning to walk up the porch steps.

I jog to catch up with her and grab the sleeve of her coat, stopping her. “What doesn’t matter?”

“You don’t do girlfriends, so it’s not like you’ll bring home anyone anyway.”

---