A New Dawn

Chapter 21 - Idris

I didn't think it was possible to feel numb and mad all at the same time, but watching Briar drive away confirms that it's a thing. Turning to face my parents does, too. Nanay and Tatay take me in with cool expressions. And Roman... his expression is blank. Almost relaxed. I don't have the energy to read too much into it right now, but I have a feeling he's taking in every little detail of what just happened and he'll do the same with what's about to happen.

"Get in the house, Idris," Tatay snaps.

No matter how pissed and numb I am right now, Tatay's anger washes over me, drowning out both feelings with fear and anxiety. I glance in the direction Briar drove off in, but she's gone. It's probably for the best, so my family doesn't keep accusing her of being an awful person. But I can't say I'm not a little selfish and don't wish she was still here with me. To comfort me. To stand with me. To make me feel brave. To make me feel safe.

But it's better that she isn't here right now. So to compensate for her absence, I grit my teeth and keep my eyes on the ground as I walk into the house, brushing past my family. I feel all three of them trail behind me, making me grit my teeth a little harder. I head straight for the living room and slump down on the couch, setting my skateboard next to me.

Roman pauses at the threshold. The darkness in his eyes is gone. I guess now that our parents think my internship was fake, he's in a better mood and doesn't feel the need to make sure I'm in our parents' bad graces. Just thinking about him planting that idea in their heads makes something spark in my chest, a single flint setting off a wildfire.

Roman and I make eye contact, and the moment we do, the wildfire snuffs out. There are still embers burning, but I don't think they're strong enough to start another fire. Not when Roman looks concerned. Like it wasn't his fault that I'm in this situation in the first place. Like he wants to step in and talk my parents down. It's rare, but it happens.

But now isn't one of those times.

He may look sorry for me, but he can't even bother to stay in the room. He keeps walking, but I'm sure he's not too far that he can't eavesdrop. That's the least of my worries, though. Nanay and Tatay stand directly in front of me, their arms crossed over their chests. They have identical looks of anger and disappointment on their faces.

"What were you thinking?" Tatay asks first. "We told you to stay away from that girl, and you go ahead and take an internship from her? And work for her family?"

I take a deep breath and sit forward. "I've been working at A Quiet Café for a little over a year before I even met Briar and knew who she was. And when I found out who she was, she convinced her dad to let me intern for him because she knows how much I like his books. It was a good opportunity to—"

"Get away from the house?" Nanay sneers at me, her eyes blazing. "Get away from us?"

Well, yes. That's definitely part of it, but I'm not stupid enough to admit that. "No—"

"Really?" Tatay asks, glaring at me. "Because it's starting to look like you'd rather spend time with another family than spend time with your own. If you hate us that much, just say so."

My mouth goes dry, and I have to swallow a few times to get any words out. "I don't hate you guys. I just—"

"Would rather spend more time with some girl," Nanay says. She tightens her arms around her chest. "Some girl that's turning you against us. Before you met her, you never talked back to us. And you did what you were told."

I look down at my hands as the embers burn a little hotter in my chest. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not mindlessly obedient to you..."

Tatay sighs. "I am, too."