Yours Truly

Chapter 12

Eva groaned at the feeling of something in her hair.

"Hey." George whispered.

Eva smiled before she opened her eyes. "Hey."

George knelt beside her bed. She knew her eyes probably looked sad, but she was really happy to see him.

"Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded.

"Good because your mom invited me to dinner."

Eva quickly sat up. "She what?"

George laughed and sat on her bed. "It's fine. I don't mind."

Well, Eva did. This was all a trap! Her parents were going to interrogate him finally.

"George, you really don't have to stay..."

"I want to, but if you don't want me to."

"No! It's just I didn't want you to be obligated. That's all."

"Well, I don't." He tapped her nose.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "This should be interesting."

Climbing out of bed, she followed him downstairs to the kitchen. It was odd for Eva to see her mother bustling around over "food stations". Actually, it was just odd for a Monday.

"Oh, you're up! How are you feeling?" Her mother paused a beat to look her over.

Eva smiled to reassure her as she sat on a stool next to George.

"Well, I'm whipping together your favorite. Is that OK?"

Eva took a big whiff of the delicious smell of ravioli. Her mouth instantly started to water. What her mother really should've asked was whether or not she was okay with George staying for dinner, but she decided to drop it. Eva could only hope her mother would be on her best behavior.

"Yeah, that's OK. Is dad home?"

"No, he had another business trip to attend to this morning. He won't be back until tomorrow." Eva's mother stirred the pot absentmindedly.

"How did the rest of the day go?" Eva whispered to George.

He gave her a grim look. "The school might as well be sharpening their pitch forks the way they keep talking. I feel for Micah."

She nodded and stared at her fingers. Maybe she was overreacting. She should help her best friend. After all, he'd helped her. It was the least she could do, but deep down her inner demon grasped her wavering decision with tight hands screaming out "Mine". She felt so conflicted.

Thoughts about George telling her that she could talk to him, came back to her. What if she confided in George? Just someone other than Micah so she could clear her head for once. Someone she trusted. She glanced at him. He laughed at something her mother said.

He seemed trustworthy, but she hadn't known him for long and even though he'd been nothing, but the best, she still didn't know if sharing the truth with someone was really what she wanted to do yet. It didn't seem to go well when she did it with Micah.

George helped Eva's mother prepare a salad for dinner before everyone went to the kitchen table to eat. Each bite Eva took of her meal, sent her farther from her troubling thoughts and closer to food heaven.

"This is really great, Mrs. Thompson." George wiped the corner of his mouth.

"I'm glad that you like it." She smiled.

"Is there any ice cream left in the freezer?" Eva couldn't help asking.

Ice cream seemed like the last pick-me-up she could use for the day. Eventually she'd have to talk with Micah, but for now, she was going to make herself happy again.