Older || 18+

24. Emma 🌶️

After class, I head back to the house. My stomach is full of butterflies at the thought of what's to come. An hour. That's all we have, but it will have to be enough.

As soon as I enter the house, I stop dead in my tracks. My mother is sitting at the counter, sipping a cup of tea.

"Hi, honey. How was your day?" she asks. She may have a smile on her face, but I know my mother. She's up to something.

"It was good. What are you doing home? I thought you had work today," I reply, trying to sound casual.

"I did, but they gave me the afternoon off," she says, taking another sip of her tea.

"Oh, that's nice," I comment, walking into the kitchen. I grab an apple from the fruit bowl and take a bite. It's more as a nervous habit than me actually being hungry. I can feel her eyes on me, watching my every move.

"So, I checked on you when we came in last night and you weren't in your bed. Where were you?"

My heart starts to race. I should have known this was coming. "I uh, stayed the night with Skylar," I lie, trying to keep my voice steady.

She takes another sip of her tea, a smirk playing on her lips. "Really? Because Archer said you were here this morning."

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. She knows me so well, she can always tell when I'm lying, but I can't tell her about Ares. Not now, and maybe not ever.

"Yeah, I came in real early, before everyone was up," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

She nods, her eyes boring into mine. "Your car was in the driveway when we got home. How did you get to Skylars? She doesn't drive. Did you walk there?"

Shit. I hadn't thought about that. Of course she is going to ask me a million questions. There are two things my mother loves most, tearing me down and controlling me. She may not see it as vindictive or whatever you would call it, but it still is nonetheless. She wants so badly for me to live the life she always wanted.

I pause, taking another bite of my apple. "No, I took a cab," I say, hoping she buys it.

"Hmm," she says, her eyes narrowing. "Why didn't you just take your car?"

I can't think of a good reason, so I just shrug. "I didn't want to drive, so I took a cab."

I'm sweating now, my palms are slick and my heart is pounding. "I'm going to go do some homework. I have a lot to catch up on," I say, my voice cracking.

I quickly walk out of the kitchen and head up to my room. Once I'm inside, I lean against the door and let out a shaky breath. That was close. Too close.

I walk over to my bed and flop down, my thought's immediately going to Ares. I wonder where he is and what he's doing.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out.

Ares: Had to go do something for work, be there in two minutes. Be ready for me, baby girl.

My heart starts to race and a grin spreads across my face, but it's quickly replaced with a frown.

Me: Moms home. She asked where I was last night. I had to lie and say I stayed at Skylar's.

Ares: Damn, what did you tell her?

Me: Told her I went to Skylar's and took a cab to her place.

Ares: You think she bought it?

Me: Honestly, I don't think so. She can see right through me.

Ares: Are you okay?

Me: Yeah, just shook up.

Ares: We will figure this out. Don't worry.