Love, Lilly

Sam

I come down after my shower and feel a bit better. I've washed off the stink from the museum bathroom and I walk downstairs a bit scared of what I might see. When I left Ricky I knew there was a risk he would tell my mom but if I was completely honest I wanted him to. It would be easier than having to tell her myself. I walk into the kitchen and see my mom sitting at the dining room table with her face in her hands.

She looks up when I walk closer, she looks confused and a bit lost. She seems to be trying to look into my soul, like she is trying to figure out if I am who I said I was.

"Is it true what he said?" she asks, her voice horse. "You were kissing a girl?"

I nod my head.

"Yes," I say quietly.

She puts her face back in her hands and sighs softly, she seems to deflate.

"Mom," I say, "I think you need some time." She doesn't look up as I leave the kitchen and go up to my room to pack my overnight bag. I stand in the doorway, looking back at my mother right where I left her, her head in her hands. I shut the door behind me and call Noah.

I feel bad, she had no idea. I really should have told her. Noah meets me a few minutes later in his car. He pulls over and looks worriedly at me.

"You okay?" he asks. "Your mother found out? I'm really sorry... I was supposed to be watching Ricky... but he just... slipped away..." he stammers. I tell him it's okay and get in the car. I fill him in on the rest of the story while he drives to his house.

"Now I need somewhere to stay for a bit to give my mom some time to digest everything," I explain as we pull up to his house. I always loved Noah's house because of the big tree that was great for climbing outside his house. We once tried to build a treehouse but we didn't really get very far.