“Thank you for sharing that with me and trusting me.” The fact that she opened up to me meant a lot. She was letting me in.
“Thank you for allowing me to trust you,” she replied, giving me a small smile.
“We should probably get some sleep now,” I said, exhausted.
“Goodnight,” she mumbled, closing her eyes.
“I WOULD yell at you for having your arms around me and your junk pressing against my back, but you’re keeping me warm so I will let it slide this time,” a sleepy voice mumbled in front of me.
I laughed and pulled the blanket tighter around our connected bodies to keep the freezing chill away from our heated wrap. “Is your dad going to come in here and arrest me since you’re in bed with me?” The bed shifted. She turned around and I lost my hold on her. Her charcoal eyes peeked up at me and she rested her head on her elbow.
"Arrest you? No. Shoot you? Maybe." Her sleepy smile morphed into a smirk.
"Well shit, you better give me something worth dying for then," I answered, wrapping my arm around her back and trying to bring her in closer to me but I was stopped by her hands hitting my shoulders.
"Nu uh, slick. Don't even try it."
"You suck," I groaned. "Are we heading home today?"
"Yeah, but is it okay if we stop by the hospital for a minute before we head out? I wanted to tell her goodbye before we leave."
"That's cool." I was in no rush to get back to Atlanta. I had a bag filled with deodorant and shit in my car I kept in case I ever stayed overnight anywhere, so I was good.
"Hey, did you ever tell your mom you were coming here?" She asked.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"She wouldn't have cared, so it doesn't really matter. I try to limit all communication I have with her."
"Why is she gone all the time?" she asked.
"My mom is Layla Hudson," I answered.
She gave me a blank look, obviously not familiar with the name.
"Do you watch porn?"
Her head tilted to the side. "Uhhh… no?"
"You sure?"
She smacked my arm. "Yes, I'm sure. Jesus, why are you even asking me that?"
"Because she's a porn star," I explained, putting her confusion at ease.
"Oh." Her lips perused together. "Good thing I don't watch porn because that would be weird. But isn't she a little too old for that?" Her mouth went up to her hand at her outburst. "Shit. That was rude."
"You would think she would realize that, too, but obviously not. She's still got a pretty popular fan base or some shit like that." The fact that guys enjoyed watching my mom have sex was just gross but I'd learned to deal with it.
"Great," she mumbled. "Now, whenever I meet her all I am going to be thinking is porn star, porn star."
I laughed. "So you plan on meeting my mom."
"I was just saying, hypothetically,” she rushed out, waving her hands.
"You like me, you really like me,” I laughed, raising the pitch of my voice.
She elbowed me in the side and I let out an "umph."
"Jesus, has anyone ever told you violence is not the answer?” I asked, rubbing my side through the blanket.
"My dad is a police officer. He told me I could use violent force towards a guy whenever I wanted."
"I don't think that's how it works, sweetheart. Just because your daddy is a cop doesn't mean you can go beat the shit out of people and get away with it."
"Wanna test your theory?" She laughed, punching her hand with her fist.
"Whoa, calm down Rocky. I believe you." And I did. I bet my ass if Daisy clocked me and I went to the cops, they would laugh at my ass.
"MY LIFE officially sucks," Gabby groaned, tossing her tray down on the table and sliding in to the chair next to me. "I can't go with you guys on New Years now because my mom is forcing me to go to my step-dad's family's lame New Year's party.”
It was the last day of the semester before Christmas break and I was going home for the holidays. My stomach was a bundle of nerves as I packed my bags the day before.
"I bet you are super excited for that one," Cora laughed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You just need to explain to your mom that you've had these plans with us for like, ever, and you honestly don't want to deal with his super uptight, asshole family that think they are better than you. You would much rather hang out with us."
I didn’t blame Gabby for not wanting to go to the party. They all treated her the same way Piper did, like shit, because her mother was her step-dad’s mistress before they got married.
"Tried it," she frowned, unscrewing the cap off her drink. "You can only get called a home wrecking whore so many times before you flip out and cut a bitch. I guess I have to be there just in case that happens.”
"Hell," Lane cut in, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "If that happens, be sure to give me a pre-warning so I can be in attendance. I love me a good girl brawl."
"You've never even witnessed a girl brawl," Cora said, calling him out.
"World's Dumbest on True TV, they have hour long episodes filled of girl brawls, sometimes ripping each other's clothes off. It's awesome."
Cora laughed. "I need to rethink my attraction to you.”