Chapter Thirty-Seven #2
I know I’m only sixteen and it’s crazy for me to be thinking about this, but when it’s real and right, it’s real and right.
Sophie is the only girl for me. She’s the only one who understands me and sees the real me.
Most people don’t look past the leather jacket and motorcycle, but she has.
Same way I see that she’s not some nerdy goody-goody top student. She’s so, so much more.
“What is going on in here?” a voice says.
I scramble off Sophie and we both sit up in my bed. Mom stands in the doorway, her face completely white and her eyes wider than Jupiter. She looks from me to Sophie with the most horrified expression on her face.
“I asked you a question,” she demands.
Sophie slides off the bed, her hands going to her hair. “We were studying—”
“Studying?” Mom nearly spits as she takes one step into the room. “That’s not what I call studying, young lady.”
Sophie looks at me with panic. I want to take her hand and tell her to ignore my mom. That I’m here and she’ll be okay.
“Damian! Haven’t I told you not to have girls in your room?”
“No. And Sophie’s not just a girl. She’s my girlfriend.”
Mom looks like she’s about to burst a blood vessel. “Girlfriend? Your girlfriend? Absolutely not. Sophie, leave this room at once and never, ever speak to my son again.”
“But—”
“Now!”
Sophie rushes to grab her things and stuffs them into her backpack. I glare at my mom, and when Sophie passes me, I grab her hand. “She’s not going anywhere,” I say.
“Damian, release her at once.”
“No.”
“I won’t ask you again.”
Sophie pleads with her eyes to let her go. She’s so scared and has so much pain in there that it breaks my heart. I drop her hand. She dashes past Mom, who gives her such a disgusted face like she’s scum, and flies out the door.
“Sophie!” I run to the door to chase after her, but Mom pushes me back.
“Don’t you dare run after her, Damian Harrington.”
“She’s my girlfriend.”
“She’s not your girlfriend.”
“You can’t tell me who to date.”
Her eyes flame. “I’m your mother and I decide who you date.
I knew something was suspicious when she showed up with you at my party.
And when you danced together. I told myself I was seeing things that weren’t there.
Inventing things. It turns out I was right.
But this ends now. You are to go to school and come straight home. Is that understood?”
My jaw clenches. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“Yes, I can. As long as you live under my roof, you follow my rules.”
“I don’t want to live under your roof.”
She points to the door. “You think you can survive out there? The world is a nasty, unsafe place. You have no job, no money, no high school diploma, no family to take you in. How far do you think you’ll get?”
Even though I’m seeing red because I’m so angry, she’s right. I don’t have money or a job or a house or anything. I can’t survive on my own.
She holds out her hand. “Give me your phone.”
“No.”
“Hand me your phone, Damian, or I’ll make sure Sophie doesn’t have a scholarship anymore.”
I gape at her. “You’re punishing her because of me?”
“Hand me your phone. I won’t ask you again.”
My chest heaves as I reach into my pocket and slam my phone into her waiting palm.
“If I learn you’re seeing that girl, things will not look good for her.” She marches out of my room and slams the door with such a bang that the walls shake.
Muttering curses under my breath, I tear at my hair. I want to punch something, but I curl my fists at my sides. Now isn’t the time to be violent.
“Sophie,” I whisper. Is she okay? Is Mom going to hurt her?
I need to know how she’s doing. I don’t care if Mom throws me into the street. I can’t just abandon Sophie. I know Mom threatened me not to go to her, but I’ll just pop in to her dorm somehow, make sure she’s okay, then I’ll return to my room.
I go to the door and turn the knob, but it’s locked. She freakin’ locked me in my room?
“Darn it,” I mutter.
My eyes go to the open window. Mom thinks she’s so smart? I’ll go to my girlfriend, or so help me.
I climb out the window and grab onto anything I can as I make my way down. It’s the second floor, so it’s not too bad.
My legs hit the ground and I’m about to turn toward the girls’ dorm, when a hand takes hold of my arm, yanking me away.
It’s a guard. Not the one stationed outside the apartment, but another one. Did Mom ask him to keep an eye on my window?
I thrash around to try to free myself. “Let go of me!”
I work out and am pretty strong, but I’m no match for this guard who has muscles twice the size of mine. He drags me to the front door of the apartment. After he rings the bell, Mom opens the door.
The guard throws me into the house. “Caught him trying to sneak out the window.”
“I’ll take care of this, thank you.” She shuts the door and turns to me, “Get up, Damian.”
I stay on the floor, glaring up at her. “Why do you care who I date or what I do? You’ve never taken an interest in me.”
“I said, get up.”
I force myself to my feet. “Do whatever you want to me, but leave Sophie out of it.”
She steps closer to me. “Behave and there will be no reason to punish her. Now, follow me to your room.”
My hands fist at my sides as we climb the stairs to my room. She unlocks the door and gestures for me to enter.
When I’m standing in the middle of my room, she closes it, but before it completely shuts she says, “Don’t try to sneak out again.” And then she closes the door and locks it.
I pace around, running my hand through my hair. Why does she care who I date? We hardly talk and she thinks she can control me?
And why would she threaten Sophie? Sophie is her favorite student. She was always so nice to her.
I always knew my mom was the biggest jerk in the world, but now I see she’s even ten times worse than I thought.
Heading to the window, I peer out. I can see the girls’ dorm from here. Is Sophie okay? I hope she’s not scared.
How do I tell her everything will be okay if I’m not even sure it will be? Would Mom really take away her scholarship just because of me?