A Book Nerd's Guide to Falling in Love

Chapter 26: Secrets were always Revealed

"Elsy, time to get up, sweetheart," my father called. I still wasn't used to him waking me up in the morning.

It had been a couple of days since he retired, and he seemed to be enjoying it. At least one of us was happy in this house.

"Elsy," he called again.

I'd been awake since three in the morning. I couldn't sleep, thinking about Finn. The growing hate inside me burrowed deep, making me scheme for hurtful things to say to him.

When I didn't answer my father, someone knocked on my door.

"Elsy, bumangon ka na," my mother told me to get up. "You'll be late for school."

When I didn't answer again, she pushed open the door and peeked inside.

"Elsy." Her brows furrowed with annoyance when she found me still in bed, and I pulled my sheets, covering my head. "Are you pretending to be sick?"

"I don't want to go to school today, Mom," I murmured, my voice groggy.

"Is she okay?" I heard my father's voice, and the door creaked open wider.

"I'm not okay," I answered.

Someone touched my ankle. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" my father asked.

"Alam ko kung ano toh," my mother said, meaning I know what this is. "Is dis about a boy?"

I nodded, unsure if they could see the movement of my head or not.

"Which boy?" My father's tone grew dark. I could only imagine how scrunched his face might have appeared as he wondered which boy had broken his little girl's heart.

Finn. Johnson. The boy next door.

"Hay nako!" My mother sounded frustrated. "Dis is what happens when you turn into a teenager. It's normal to get your heart broken. It's not a reason por you to skip school."

"Oh, come on, honey," my father said. "She seems really sad. We can let her stay home just this once. You can let her help with the house chores."

My ears perked. Yes, please. I would do anything to avoid school today. Please. Please. Please.

"Fine. Pero ngayon lang." But just this once, my mother said.

Someone rubbed my ankle, likely my father. "You can come down for breakfast anytime you want," he said.

After that, I heard them whispering as they left the room, trying to figure out how to make me feel better and how to make me want to go back to school. But nothing would ever make me want to go back. In fact, I'd be happy if we moved to a new town again, preferably one with a library that wasn't closing.

I spent the whole morning lying in bed until my stomach protested with hunger by noon, and I had to come down for lunch.

My father cheered and invited me to carve out some pumpkins for the afternoon, but I had been thinking of better use for my time. I knew we weren't going to move anytime soon. Maybe not ever. One way or another, I'd have to face Finn and Lotty. So why not do it now, starting with my bestie?

I couldn't let Finn win, especially if he was tricking both Lotty and me. But I had to know for sure that Lotty had no idea of his devious plot.

A few hours later, I found myself walking up to Lotty's front door. I left the house before school ended so none of my classmates would see me. As my mother had called in, I was supposed to be home sick with the flu.