Never Been Kissed

Chapter 25

"Mia come down for dinner!" My mother yelled from the kitchen.

"In a minute!" I called back. I was on my bed with my laptop looking for the easiest and cheapest way to get to Florida again. I mean I wasn't broke but I was saving money for things I would need later in my life, like a car, or money to pay for college, and trying to get my Ex's sister out of the hands of a rapist/seller/creep/possible killer wasn't in my plans and kind of put a pause in my bank account. The thing was I couldn't make it obvious that I was taking money out because my mother would notice.

For a month I had been slipping "shopping trips" and "school expenses" by my mom without her getting suspicious. But when about a thousand dollars go missing from your bank account, you have to keep up good alibis.

I had been saying things like "There's this party I want to go to. I barely get out and after Xavier left I kind of need a little fun." I told my mother one day. She told me I could spend $200 on shoes, a dress, makeup, and jewelry. Of course if I didn't show up at home with everything she had said she would ask where the money went so being the genius I was I would go to a boutique find their cheapest dress, find imperfections in it and get it even cheaper. Little by little the money would add up and soon enough I had a thousand dollars.

"No come here now. You've been in your room for too long and need to eat." My mom called from the stairs.

I closed my computer and made my way down to the kitchen. I sat down on one of the bar stools we had on the kitchen counter and my mother gave me my plate. The food looked delicious. It had chicken still sizzling from the cooking. The chicken was crisp brown and had seasoning all over it. Then there were mixed veggies next to the chicken, all steamed and colorful. Finally I looked at the mashed potatoes. They were creamy and steaming. The thing I loved about my mother's cooking was that when she made mashed potatoes she would always drown them in gravy. I took in the smell of the food in front of me and began to smile thinking about the time that I had eaten with Xavier. It had all been an accident but it turned out pretty good.

"Honey why are you always quiet now?' I still hadn't told her about our break up. All she knew was that he had gone back to Miami for a while and he didn't know when he would be back. "Is it because Xavier left?"

I knew I had to give her an answer because if I didn't she would ask until she got one. I knew that "Xavier went back because his sister was kidnapped. And it's all my fault." would not be the best answer.

"Yea." I said taking a bite of mashed potatoes. It was melting in my mouth and had been the first meal in about two months that I had eaten with my mother or anyone else in family at that. Usually I would take food upstairs and eat on my desk or in the hall because I was thinking about everything that was happening. It was good to talk with my mother.

"Don't worry honey he'll be back. It's not like he broke up with you and left you. It'll get better. Until he comes back though talk to us. Grayer I'm sure will talk to you too. By the way where is that boy?"

"He's probably out with Hailey/ You know a date or something. They've been together for like five months now right?" I said. My mother nodding. It was cute to think my brother was with my best friend and that they would probably get together for good at some point. Awkward but still cute.

As if the phone had been listening to our conversation, it rang and w weren't ready to her what the voice on the other end had to say.

I can't say it would shock me because at the way things were going it wouldn't. First Kinley being Kidnapped and then Grayer...

"He's been SHOT?!" MY mother screamed when she heard the news.

She collapsed on the floor leaving the phone hanging and I could hear the distant 'Hello' of the person on the other line calling to see if my mom was alright.