Chapter 7 #2
I take the book and feel the weight of my heart growing heavy in my chest. I hug the diary close and eye the floor. “I’ll think about it.”
Aunt Maddy smooths my hair and kisses the side of my head. “She loved you so much.”
I purse my lips, forcing the threat of tears to disappear. I clear my throat and say, “I miss her.”
Aunt Maddy exhales and stands. “Me too. Shall I get the popcorn ready?”
“And chocolate,” I reply.
Maddy snaps her fingers at the TV. “Find us something good to watch.”
Maddy leaves the room and I switch on the TV.
I scroll through the movies, but I’m not paying attention.
The diary lies beside me and consumes my thoughts.
I have a piece of my mom back. She wrote in it when she was my age.
I can’t believe she was pregnant this young.
How did she ever have the courage to be a parent?
I can’t even look after myself. I guess she and Maddy took care of everything, so I don’t have to.
They sacrificed their childhoods so I could have mine.
I lean back on the bed with a sigh. Aunt Maddy has to go to Hawaii. I owe her that much.
I get up and move out of my bedroom and toward the kitchen. Maddy stands in front of the microwave with her back to me.
“Aunt Maddy,” her name comes out in a wounded tone.
She turns around with concern etched on her face.
Before she can ask what’s wrong, I blurt, “You should go to Hawaii.”
“What?” she gasps, stepping forward to clutch my hands. “Baby, I’m gonna think this through. It was just a silly idea of David’s. It doesn’t mean I have to go.”
“No, you don’t understand,” I say with more strength behind my words. “I think you should go. No, I want you to go.”
Aunt Maddy’s eyes fill with bewilderment as a smile creeps across her lips. “Where’s this coming from?”
I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. “You deserve to go, Aunty. You’ve looked after me since you were a kid. Someone should take care of you for a change.”
She rubs my back and her voice breaks. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Truly.”
“Oh my gosh,” she whispers. “Thank you.”
“I want you to be happy, Aunt Maddy.”
“But what will I do about the cafe? And you? I can’t leave you.”
I pull out of the hug to look her in the eyes. “I’ll stay with Kai, and I’ll still work my shifts at the cafe. Jake and Laura can run things while I’m at school. Plus, we have Kylie on the weekends.”
“But you can’t work every afternoon,” Maddy replies, sadness drooping her expression. “You need to focus on school.”
“We’ll handle it, Aunty. Maybe they can shut earlier in the afternoon. Just talk with Jake and Laura about what hours they can cover.”
Maddy blows out a long breath. She nods. “Okay. We’ll talk it out. Oh, crap.” Her eyes grow wide. “I’m going to Hawaii.”
“Eep!” I squeak, squeezing her upper arms. “This is your fairytale.”
“What on earth will I pack?”
“Is this part in the rom-com where we montage a shopping spree?”
Maddy giggles as the microwave dings. She pulls out the popcorn and gestures toward my bedroom. “No. This is the part where the two girls curl up on the bed and watch a fictional girl’s fairytale.”
We walk back to my bedroom, and I hit play on a classic romantic comedy we both know by heart. After the opening credits roll and the main character starts her inner monologue, I ask Maddy, “Is David the one?”
Maddy sucks in a breath, massaging the pieces of popcorn that lay in her palm. “I have no idea.”
“But he’s good to you?”
“He’s the best.” She nudges me. “You’ve seen him.”
“I don’t buy him. I was just wondering if I’m missing something.”
“Just because I’m into him doesn’t mean you have to be. We are different people, you know.”
“I guess. I’m just worried you’ll travel so far away and see a different side of him. You know, like a bad side.”
Maddy winces. “Nice. Thanks for casting a dark shadow over the trip.”
“Sorry.” I huff. “I just don’t want him to break your heart.”
Aunt Maddy kisses the side of my head. “Don’t you worry about that, baby. I’m the one protecting my heart. If David and I don’t work out, I’ll be okay. Even though I really, really want it to work out.”
“Do you think Kai and Tabitha will work out?”
Maddy shrugs. “I don’t know Tabitha. Do they seem into each other?”
“Kai does.”
“Then you’d better hope Tabitha reciprocates, or your best friend’s heart might get crushed.”
“He will be crushed,” I murmur. “She’s not a nice person.”
“Just support Kai while he’s with her. He’s not blind. If she’s bad news, he’ll see it.”
“But she’s always been bad news,” I counter. “Her friends were picking on me before they got together.”
Maddy stiffens. “Which friends?”
I frown, tasting something sour. “She’s friends with Camila Garcia. Ugh. You wouldn’t believe what she did today.”
“Tell me.”
I wipe my eyes, frustrated. “She found an old picture of Mom when she was posing in that club. She wanted to show everyone at school.”
“What!” Maddy screeches. “Why on earth would she do that? And why did she have it?”
I groan, shaking it off. “I don’t know. She’s just a tormentor. And, for some reason, Kai thinks it’s fine to date someone who hangs out with her.”
“Did Tabitha help spread the picture?”
I shake my head. “No. I only heard Camila and Yvette talking about it.”
“Okay, so maybe give Tabitha the benefit of the doubt.”
I give her a skeptical look.
Aunt Maddy sighs. “Just ask Kai why he’s into her. She might not be as bad as the others. There has to be a reason he’s into her. Maybe you’ll find out you also have things in common with her.”
“Ick.” I grimace. “I sure hope not.”
“Me too. No one can turn what Lily did into something heinous. She went to that club to provide for us.”
I nod, eyeing the diary. “She was amazing.”
Maddy smiles, sitting back against the pillows and chucking popcorn into her mouth.
I sigh, scooping a handful of popcorn from the bowl. There’s no way Tabitha is magically better than her friends. Why must all the people in my life pick such horrible people to date?