Page 70 of Allure

But if she can do this much digging into me and my business, why was she so willing to turn a blind eye to everything my father did?

I clear my throat. "I didn't want to tell you that I lost my wallet. I panicked and canceled the cards, but then I found my wallet, so… I figured it wasn't that big of a deal."

“Are you certain that’s what happened?” she asks.

“Mom!”

“I hate that you’re so far away,” she grumbles. “I can’t even see your face. Unless… Can you FaceTime me?”

“Not now. I’m outside the library.”

“You really were studying?”

“I want to get good grades. You didn’t have an issue with my studying in high school.”

“No, no. You should study, but have you gone to any parties?”

“Not my scene.”

“You need to make friends.”

“I have friends.”

“And a boyfriend?”

“No.”

"No? Has any cute boy… or girl, for that matter… caught your eye?"

“No,” I lie.

She huffs a sigh. “Has a professor caught your eye?”

“Mom!”

“If you think I don’t realize who you had crushes on… who you would sneak out to see…”

“I never—”

“Oh, yes, you did.”

“I was always home before curfew!”

“You aren’t a virgin,” she says. “You’re at least practicing safe sex, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“And any sexual partners, they’re clean, yes? No STDs?”

Fuck. I never asked Declan about that. I was tested before college. Mom insisted. Kind of a gross overreach if you ask me, but I can’t deny that I was relieved when I got the all clear.

“Just because I’m practicing safe sex doesn’t mean that I have a current sexual partner,” I finally say.

“I just want you to be happy, honey.”

“Sex doesn’t equal happiness.”

A guy is heading toward the library as he says this, and he glances over at me. He slows down.

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