Page 13 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

I sighed, trying to repress the urge to snap at her. It wasn’t her fault my life was a freaking mess. “Not really. I’d really like to - I think…I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to,” I finished quietly.

Mia bit her lip and glanced up at me hesitantly. It was that exact moment when I realized what a shit best friend I was being.

“Are you definitely going? Do you have someone to stay with you while the guys are playing?”

Mia inhaled deeply then rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m going. Ryan’s been assigned my babysitter.”

Now I felt even worse. “Shit, Mia, I’m sorry. I wish I could give you a definite answer.” Rubbing my face with frustration, I groaned. “This is so shit.”

She touched my arm softly and looked at me with the most understanding eyes I could imagine. God, I wished I could tell her. I hated having it all bottled up inside me. I felt like I could just explode at any given moment.

“Hey,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about. I can see something’s really bothering you at the moment. As long as you know I’m here for you and you can talk to me, okay? I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone. I can keep a secret too…”

My throat tightened up on me. Shit. I couldn’t do this. Not here. I wanted to tell her so badly.

In fear of choking up, I nodded as an answer. Giving her one last squeeze, I climbed into my car and drove towards home.

Mom had her music turned up to practically its limit when I got there. I found her in her bedroom, dancing around with a glass of wine in her hand as she held dresses against her body in front of the mirror. She smiled when she saw me in the doorway.

“Hi, baby! How was school?”

I couldn’t help but smile back. It was so unusual to see her so naturally happy. “It was as good as school can get. Are you going somewhere?” I asked.

She grinned impishly. “Ken’s been invited to a charity event. It’s a big, fancy black tie thing.”

I refrained from frowning at the mention of Ken’s name, and focused on Mom’s happiness instead. “Sounds like fun.”

She held up a soft green cocktail dress and frowned in the mirror. “I hope so. It feels like forever since I’ve been anywhere nice.”

That’s because it has been forever, I thought.

She looked up at me with that grin again. “Are you doing anything tonight? Maybe you should go to a movie with Mia or something. You don’t go out enough for an eighteen year old, Kaeli.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “There’s a party tonight – at Ryan’s place, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go or not. Maybe I will if you’re going out…”

“Yes! You should,” she said, a little too enthusiastically.

I laughed at her. “Okay. I will.”

I left her boogying in her wardrobe and went to my room feeling good for the first time in weeks. Pulling out my cell, I opened up my text conversation with Mia.

All good. I’ll c u at 8 :)

About five seconds later, my phone beeped.

YAY!!! Sooooooo happy!!!

I smiled at the message, and suddenly, I was amped. I couldn’t wait to let my hair down and party. Maybe I’d even consider this thing with Corey. I giggled at the thought.

Mom came into my room an hour later, dressed in a knee length black dress with an organza shawl and stilettos. She looked gorgeous. “Ken just got home. I’m just going to heat up some lasagna for you while he’s in the shower, okay?”

“Sure, Mom. Thanks.”

Pulling my dark grey, light knit dress off its hanger, I quickly shimmied it over my head and down over my black opaque tights. I finished styling my hair so it fell in soft natural curls down my back, applied a little mascara and lip gloss, then slipped on my black knee high boots.

Giving myself a quick once over in the mirror, I smiled, thinking how Corey might react to my appearance. It was just the right amount of sexy. I smiled again, and went downstairs to eat.

I was almost to the bottom of the stairs when Ken’s angry voice stopped me cold. Mom still had music playing in the kitchen so it could hardly be heard over the volume, but I’d just become attuned and watchful for it over the years.

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