Page 54 of You Had Me At Thirteen

‘I’m fine. You’ve seen me, you can go now,’ he says, as he attempts to shut the door in my face.

Movement behind him has him distracted, though, stopping him from being a total dick. I step to the side for a better view at the same time his mother steps up behind him. Wren’s face softens when he looks at her.

‘Who is it, Wren?’ she says as she comes closer. She has her hair tied into a tight bun, and she’s wearing a long pink nightgown.

‘No one.’

Ouch.

She cocks her head around her son as he dominates the entire doorway. ‘Matilda.’ Her hands go to her cheeks. ‘My god, darling. Look at you.’

‘She was just leaving.’ Wren crosses his arms over his chest, his golden eyes eating at me, waiting for me to leave.

Wren’s mum pins him with a death glare. ‘Don’t be so rude, Wren. Matilda come in, sweetheart.’ She holds out a hand to me, wiggling her fingers.

‘Thanks, Mrs Stevenson,’ I say as I smile at Wren.

He looks as though he’s about to throw up, so I keep my biggest shit-eating grin on my face as I take his mum’s hand. She’s so tiny, which has me trying to recall if she has always been this small, because to be honest I can’t remember the last time I saw her.

‘Please, call me Deb.’ She glances over at me, a smile on her face. ‘God, you are so gorgeous. How long has it been?’ She turns to Wren. ‘Isn’t she stunning?’

Wren runs his fingers over his lips as he contemplates her words. ‘Very,’ he says.

I swallow the lump in my throat as I tuck a hair behind my ear, a wave of nervousness washing over me, sending my stomach into knots. I hold down the urge to fan my face. Does he mean that, or is he just amusing his mum? He’s called me beautiful before, and we’ve kissed, which tells me he’s attracted to me, but saying it out loud to someone else is a different level of admitting your feelings.

Deb squeezes my hand and nods towards the kitchen. ‘We were going to make some tea. Would you like some? Wren and I just finished making scones.’

So that’s what that delicious smell is. ‘I would love some, thank you.’ I’d skipped out on the cup Mum had made me, so my acceptance isn’t just to be polite. I’m dying for my afternoon fix.

Deb leads me to the kitchen, tugging me along behind her. Wren blows out a breath, then falls in behind me, while Deb ushers me to take a seat at the dining table. Wren attempts to help her with the tea, but she smacks him away. ‘Sit down, I’ve got this.’

Wren groans, but doesn’t argue as he makes his way to the table and sits beside me with his legs spread wide, his head down while he continues to ignore me.

I wonder why he never told me his mum is sick? It must be hard doing it on your own, especially when his dad is always away. I wish I could help him, but I doubt he would ever ask for my help.

Once we have scones on our plates and hot tea in our cups, we sit in a somewhat awkward silence. Wren doesn’t touch the scone on his plate, his focus down most of the time as he clenches his fists on his thighs. I try to ignore my need to comfort him.

‘Matilda, how’s school?’ Deb says, picking up the soft baked goodness from her plate.

I nod, a mouthful of scone, jam and cream. ‘It’s good. Wren and I are working on an assignment together right now.’

She snaps her head to her son. ‘You never told me you were working with Matilda.’

He groans, rubbing his hands down his face. ‘Didn’t think it mattered.’

Wow, thanks for that. Dick.

‘Don’t worry about him,’ Deb says with a wink. ‘He’s had his grumpy pants on all week.’

I press my lips together to stop the laugh building in my chest. Deb giggles, giving me a glimpse of her beauty.

‘Jesus,’ Wren says. ‘Are you two done insulting me?’

Deb places a hand on one of Wren’s. ‘Sorry, baby.’ She turns to me. ‘He’s a good boy, and he’s very lucky to have such wonderful friends like you.’

‘Mum,’ he says, warning in his voice.

‘Hush.’ She dismisses him with a hand. ‘You don’t let anyone see how good you are to me.’

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