“Mom told me to come get you for dinner.”
I sit up and reach for my phone. It’s already six-thirty. I slept for three hours. "Okay, I’m coming.”
I follow behind Brynlee's little footsteps into the kitchen. A Domino’s pizza box lays on the table. Usually, when my mom brings home food, it’s because she’s too tired to cook after work. I enjoy her home cooking, but I also like to eat out.
“What were you doing? We kept calling you.”
“She was sleeping.” Brynlee cuts me off.
I didn’t hear any of them come home or call for me. I must have been dead asleep. My stomach grumbles. I usually eat a snack after school, but I was way too tired, and now I’m overly hungry.
As I take a bite of pizza, I look at my phone.
Kai: Miss U
Kai: Sneak out again 2nite.
“What are you smiling about?”
I jerk back, startled by the question as if my mom is reading my text messages. “Nothing,” I say with pursed lips.
"Whooo, Blakely has a boyfriend.”
I narrow my eyes at my sister.
“Is it a guy?” my mom asks.
“Maybe.” I can’t help but giggle.
“Blakely and the boy sitting in the tree, K I S S I N G!” my sister sing-songs.
Both my mom and I laugh. “Do you have a boyfriend, Bryn?”
“Ew, no. Boys are gross,” she says, nibbling on her pizza.
“Do you think anyone is hot in your class?”
“Yeah, but I think they get cold sometimes, too.”
My lips press together, trying to hold in my laugh. I glance over at my mom and she’s trying to hold in her laugh, too. Brynlee looks between us both and realizes we’re stifling our laughter.
“What?” she asks.
Both my mom and I glance at each other, shaking our heads. “Nothing, honey,” my mom says. “Finish your pizza so we can get you in the bath.”
I’m waitingfor Kai outside, underneath the tree. This time, I was prepared and came out early. He drives up next to me, I get in, and we head down the street.
“How was work?”
“I was so tired.”
After dinner, I texted Kai back and said I would sneak out again. After Brynlee got out of the bath, I went in, took a shower, and came out in my pajamas so my mom would see I was getting ready for bed. I washed all my makeup off so it would seem legit that I was going to bed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I enjoy spending time with you.” Kai heads to the same park we went to last time.
“But maybe it’s better we hang out after you get off work.”
