FORBIDDEN TIES {My brother's best friend}

Chapter 11

~~SELENA~~

The dining room was enveloped in an uneasy silence as we ate our meals. I could feel my mom's gaze lingering on me, silently probing for answers about yesterday's incident when I had locked myself in my room.

"Your car was brought today," Dad suddenly announced, breaking the tension, and I couldn't help but smile gratefully.

"Thanks, Dad," I replied, relief washing over me.

"It seems like there was nothing wrong with it," he continued, and panic surged within me.

"Maybe it was having issues then," Mom interjected, coming to my rescue just in time.

"Oh," Dad responded, nodding before returning his attention to his meal.

With dinner over, everyone dispersed to their respective rooms. I grabbed a soda from the fridge and hastily gulped it down, but when I closed the fridge door, I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of my mom standing there, her stern gaze fixed on me.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, trying to wipe the soda that had spilled onto my shirt.

"What happened to you yesterday?" she demanded, her tone leaving no room for evasion.

"What?" I feigned innocence, hoping to avoid the conversation.

"Don't act dumb here, young woman," she retorted, causing me to let out a deep sigh.

"I was really stressed and I needed a break," I explained, attempting to brush off her concerns.

"Hmm," she murmured skeptically, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm serious, Mom. I'm just tired of a lot of things," I insisted, taking another sip of my soda.

"It's nothing about Cyrus?" she pressed, and I shook my head in denial.

"Good, because believe me, it wouldn't be funny," she warned, a hint of concern in her voice, which elicited a chuckle from me.

"Don't worry, Mom," I reassured her, leaning in to kiss her cheek before disposing of the empty bottle on the cabinet. But as I turned to leave, my mom's sudden interruption stopped me in my tracks.

"What?" I asked, turning back to face her, curiosity piqued.

"I don't think your brothers and Dad would love seeing that hickey on your neck," Mom remarked, causing my eyes to widen in alarm.

"What?" I exclaimed, my hands instinctively flying to my neck. Why on earth did he give me hickeys?

"Shit!" I muttered under my breath.

"It looks quite fresh, though," Mom observed, her gaze piercing as she looked at me suspiciously.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" she asked, her tone gentle yet probing.

"Actually... we made out again, and that's all," I confessed, bracing myself for her reaction.

"Lena," she called out, her expression filled with concern as she looked at me.

"Mom," I responded, trying to lighten the mood with a smile.

"You have to be careful. Ezra would not like it when he finds out that you and Cyrus are making out," she cautioned.

"I know, but he did it with Eva," I countered, attempting to justify my actions.

"And what's wrong with your friendship with Eva now?" Mom questioned, her tone gentle yet firm.

well. I know if Ezra finds out about me and Cyrus, his relationship with Cyrus is not going to work at all, and they would end up fighting.

"Yeah... well," I faltered, realizing I didn't have a good answer for that.