All the Little Secrets

CHAPTER 36. LISTEN BEFORE I GO

Chapter 36. Listen, Before I Go

My mom chooses not to ask any questions when Cage takes me to her. She barely speaks as we drive back to the apartment, but she holds my hand, and now and then sends me a smile. I try to smile back at her, but it's hard to do when tonight I'm gonna leave her, and she doesn't even know.

Did Liam know he was gonna say goodbye to me when he took me under the bleachers and kissed me like he loves me most in the world? Did he know that moment would be our last, final kiss? Or is he like me, holding on to the hope that one day, we will end up together?

I try to block out thoughts of Liam as we pull up to the apartment building.

I can't think of him now. I need to focus on Cage.

We plan to meet outside the apartment building at midnight when everyone's asleep. Cage set up a departure on his family's private plane for 1 a.m., giving us enough time to say goodbyes and sneak away.

I spend the rest of the day with my mom, watching movies and cuddling on the couch. She braids my hair into two long braids, something she hasn't done since I was a little girl. It's healing for me to have this moment with her.

Hours pass, and it's almost time for Parker to get home from school. She decides to get dinner ready as I drift in and out of sleep on the couch. I'm startled by the slam of our apartment door. I jump off of the couch as Parker locks the door. He turns to me, his face covered in blood.

"What happened?!" I go to him, but he pushes me away.

"Don't worry about it."

He rushes past my mom, who yells, "Get over here right now!"

He ignores her, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

She goes to confront him, but I stop her.

"Let me..."

My mom considers it for a moment, then agrees, going back to the kitchen to cook. Stress and worry cross her face, and my stomach tightens as I look at my mom: one of us Joyce kids will be the death of her someday.

I knock on Parker's door. Ignoring the refusal of entrance, I open the door.

Parker sits on the floor against his bed, crying.

"Talk to me," I plead with him as I sit, criss-cross, across from him. "Who did this to you?"

"Who do you think?"

"Byron?" My first guess is correct as Parker nods. "Why?"

"Kris and I were walking together in the hallway, and I guess Laney saw Kris reach for my hand. So Byron grabbed Kris by the neck and made him declare in front of everyone that I was diseased and should kill myself."

"That little jerk!"

"The worst part is, Kris did it. He said all of that, in front of everyone." His hands ball up into fists as he cries, "So I hit Byron as hard as I could, and then he hit me back. I left school before the teachers could catch us."

"Where have you been this entire time?"

"Sitting outside."

"Alone?"

He looks at me. "I'm always alone."

My heart hurts as I pull Parker into my chest and let him cry. My mom opens the door and silently sits down next to him, pulling both of us into her. She says nothing as we let Parker fall apart. When he's done crying, she asks for some time alone with him.