Page 57 of Firestorm
I swallowed uneasily, my body already aching with how tightly I was holding myself rigid. Mother shouting and insulting me was something I could handle. But when she got sickly sweet like this? I was officially in danger.
“They just want me in trouble,” I said, my tone much softer. “Landon’s been threatening me for weeks. He’s a dick, mom.”
“Watch your tone, boy.” she snapped.
I flinched. Even through the phone, she was terrifying.
“What do you mean he’s been threatening you?” she demanded.
I sighed. This was expected. Mother wanted to be the only one hurting me. “He’s been a huge…jerk. Any little thing I do that he doesn’t like, he threatens to go tattle to you about it. I’ve been good, mom. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m getting good grades. I’m going to counseling. I haven’t partied once.”
Technically that wasn’t a lie. Ihadn’tpartied…yet. I glanced at the clock, then rubbed my eyes. It was six, now, which meant I needed to start getting ready. Was it considered partying if I was only using the party as a sort of date night? I ran my fingers through my hair, deciding that depended entirely on Skye. I wanted to just hang out and get to know her, but if she wanted some pills, I’d go right down that rabbit hole with her.
“I don’t like that at all,” Mother said with a sniff. “Why didn’t you tell me about this, Aiden? You know I won’t stand for my precious boy being threatened this way. Especially not from anIykos.”
I gulped, my mind racing with how to talk myself out of this one. “In counseling, we’ve been talking about healthier ways to respond to situations. I’ve been trying to handle things myself. Mr. Craig says it’s good for my self-growth.”
Mother was silent for a few moments and my stomach started to sink before she hummed thoughtfully. “You’re right again, sweet boy. Of course, you should handle problems yourself. You’re twenty-four. You don’t need me fighting your battles for you.”
There it was. She couldn’t help herself, could she? Always finding a way to twist up my words into something negative.
“Of course I need you, mom.” I replied like a robot. “I was just trying to handle this myself. It wasn’t anything really bad. And besides, Landon’s just pissed he got beat by a girl.”
“Yes,” Mother mused. “I did hear it was agirl. Do you know her?”
“Sort of,” I answered, my throat locking up at the thought of my mother finding out about Skye. Mother loved ruining things I liked. I could never let her know about what Skye was to me.
Not thatIknew what Skye was to me…
Mother hummed to herself. “Alright then, son. I’ll let you go for the evening. I’m sure you have studying to do.”
“You’re never bothering me, mom.” I answered, resisting the urge to sigh. If I wasn’t meeting Skye at this party later, I’d roll over and sleep for the next twelve hours, I was so exhausted from this conversation.
“Well then, have a good evening. I’ll handle the Iykos’. Stay out of trouble, Aiden, or I swear–”
“Of course,” I cut her off before she could threaten me again. “Thanks for getting the details from me.”
She hummed to herself again, then said, “Please turn something around. Just once I’d like to receive a positive phone call about you. You’ve been so disappointing, Aiden.”
My stomach dropped through the floor.
She didn’t say goodbye, she simply hung up before I could respond. As usual, she’d lulled me into a false sense of security and then insulted me right at the end.
Wyatt and I had been working on ways to keep me from worryingabout her insults. I mostly knew they weren’t true, but they still hurt. She knew exactly what my insecurities were, since she’d created them.
She wasn’t wrong, though. No one cared how well controlled a single affinity was. They only cared about how many you had. And I only had one. No amount of beating had ever brought out a second.
I ignored the growing sensation of dread in my stomach, dressing for the party anyway, feeling entirely too many things at once.
Mostly, I was angry.
I was supposed to be excited for tonight. I was supposed to be bouncing off the walls, ready to see Skye at this party. She’d agreed to go, albeit begrudgingly, and I should’ve been imagining what sexy little outfit she’d put on.
But instead I was storming across the quad in a cloud of cologne with static running up and down my glowing arms.
I’d barely put any thought into my outfit, which was a little unlike me, especially before my first party of the year.Especiallysince I was meeting Skye’s sexy ass there.
I paused to take a breath, dread coiling in my gut. My head was too clouded, my thoughts turning a little erratic.I shouldn’t go.
