Numbers || Andy Biersack

chapter thirteen

I pushed the pasta around my plate, too eager to have an appetite. I just wanted to leave and see Andy. My thoughts were on my amazing boyfriend and a million miles away from the table I was sitting at with my mother.

"Kourt," she called, returning my mind to the dining room setting.

I looked at her across the table. "Yeah?"

"You seem so distracted," my mother commented. "Is everything alright?"

"Yep, I'm fine," I replied, plastering on a smile.

"What's on your mind?"

"Just school stuff," I answered, twirling spaghetti around my fork and then letting it fall back down onto the plate.

"I feel like you're hiding something from me," my mom sighed, looking at me with wide eyes. "You know I would always support you, no matter what."

Despite the insistence, I knew my mom would not be supportive if she really knew the truth. My mom was a kind and fairly open woman, but no mother would react well to her daughter dating someone fourteen years older. 

"I know, mom," I replied. "I'm not hiding anything."

The lie stung, but I just couldn't tell her. I knew if she found out another way, I would be in a lot of trouble. I would take that chance though, over facing the consequences of her disapproval.

My mom gave me an apprehensive look. "You sure?"

"Yeah, my teenage existence is fairly boring. There's nothing for me to even hide."

"Okay," my mom said. "Are you going to eat your food?"

I looked down at my barely touched plate. "I'm not that hungry. I think I'm actually just going to head to the library to work on a research project, if that's okay."

"Of course," my mom said, though there was reluctance in her gaze. "Well, have fun at the library."

"Thanks, I totally will," I remarked, standing up from the table and exiting the house.

Sitting in the quiet of my car, I just hoped that would be the end of her inquisition. I could only imagine what would happen if she were to stumble upon the lingerie sets I had buried at the bottom of my underwear drawer or all the flirtatious messages that filled my phone.

I was heading over to see Andy right now and hoping that everything would go alright. The past few weeks had been really difficult for us. Not only had we both been busy, but when we did have plans, Andy had bailed. Three times, I had waited for Andy at dinner, a theatre, and a coffee shop for nearly an hour. I had called his phone, only to be sent to voicemail. Each time, I went back home with a heavy weight in my chest. A few hours later he would call and apologize profusely. He never said it explicitly, but I knew Juliet was the cause.

It frustrated me to no end. I was beginning to break. I snapped at the very mention of Juliet's name and I could tell Andy was watching me carefully. I was at the end of my rope as far as Andy's stupid girlfriend was concerned.

He was constantly telling me that he was going to end things soon, but it has been four months since we met and he was still dating her. Every time I asked about it, there was some excuse. Whether it was that Juliet's aunt was sick or that Andy was really busy with work, I was tired of being fed these useless lines.

I slammed on my brakes as I registered the red traffic light in front of me. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I'd totally zoned out from the road. For the rest of the drive, I made sure to keep my mind focused on the traffic.

Not long after, I was rushing down the hall towards Andy's apartment. It had been way too long since I'd seen him, nearly two weeks.

The door opened a few moments after I knocked and I was greeted with Andy's perfect smile.