Tethered Hearts | ✓ | Books 1 & 2

Episode 43| Elephant in the Room

Sophia's P.O.V.

When it came to our knowledge that my mom was in the room, Bryce couldn't have moved away from me any quicker. Not wasting time, I buttoned my shirt up and smoothed my sweaty palms on my jeans. I allowed my hair to fall down my face, creating a drape over my beet-red cheeks.

"We were just leaving, mom." I grumbled weakly, averting my eyes to the thin walls. "I only wanted to get some new clothes to change into. I thought I told you that at the hospital."

"You did, but from how you said it you made it seem like Nicolas was going to take you." She studied Bryce, head to toe, in a way that had venom in each pensive gaze. "And you said you'd be staying with Nicolas – not whoever this person is."

"I'm Bryce Matthews." Bryce offered her a handshake, but all my mother did was stare at him as if daggers were blazing out of her pupils. Hesitantly, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and coughed an airy laugh. "Pleasure to finally formally meet you, too, Ms. Álvarez. This isn't the most perfect way to properly meet, but I saw you at the hospital–"

"She saw you, too. You don't need to introduce yourself. Things are awkward enough." I snickered, dying from the inside. I would've wished for any other scenario. Of all the years, my mother never saw me act intimate with a guy in the room. The most she ever saw was me hug Nicolas –but that was Nicolas, after all.

This was going to happen sooner or later.

My mother was born in a traditional household. I heard stories of how she met my father, and it wasn't something out of a storybook. Their parents had introduced them, and their first conversation was at their local church; the same church they would be married in a year later. That was how many of her friends got married. The concept of a girl going around dating without the parent's okay wasn't entirely accepted at that time.

"Wait for me in the car, Bryce," I muttered. "Please take my suitcase with you."

Bryce sheepishly did as I told him to do and got my suitcase, zipping it up and setting the wheels on to the floor.

"Not so fast." My mother filled up the door frame, shutting the exit off. "Where do you think you're going?"

Oh, dear. Drag me into the light already.

Her stare didn't seem to diminish in power. "What time is it, Sophia?" she asked this in our native language. She didn't pause to let me answer. "Your brothers are sleeping and you come into my home, with a man, do you have no have any respect–at least for your younger brothers? What if they walked in?"

"I'm sorry, mom." I resorted to an apology before anything humiliating occurred. Anything more humiliating than having your mom walk in on you pinned to the wall with your chest half exposed and your tongue down your...eh, friend's mouth.

We'd have to discuss titles later.

That is if I survive this.

"Let him go. We can talk about this without him in the room." I said, sauntering to Bryce and lightly tapping my hand to his shoulder. "If you want to say anything, allow him to go, mom."

This small, minuscule touch I did lit a fire in her brown eyes. "How long were you planning on hiding this from me? I thought we had a good relationship, Sophia. A relationship where you didn't keep secrets and you remain open with me."

"I said sorry, mom. We can have this conversation with him out of the room."

"I can't believe you." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You never used to lie to me. You didn't keep secrets, either."