Trophy Child (On Hold)

Chapter 19

"Where were you?" Andy asked, looking up at me with wide, curious eyes.

"In my room," I replied.

As I spoke, I turned my head away from his scrutinizing gaze, afraid that there might still be some trace of red in my eyes to give me away. I didn't really want to tip a big-mouthed ten year old off to the fact that I had just had a breakdown, if I could help it.

"Oh. What were you doing?"

"Nothing. Go play with Jaden or something," I grumbled.

Andy looked horrified by the very idea. "Who do you think I'm hiding from? I told you before, I don't like Jaden."

"Yeah? Well, I don't like you, so get lost."

I'm didn't mean to say it, not really, but it got the job done. Andy's face fell, and his pestering came to an early end.

I would have felt bad about it, if I didn't already feel so terrible about so many other things. My guilty conscience was at maximum occupancy, and t he more I thought about it, the more my stomach seemed to constrict. It was the need to escape from that unpleasant feeling that finally drove me back out into the living room.

I regretted my decision immediately.

I figured that I would be greeted by Mom and Aunt Katherine, but the two women were nowhere to be seen. Instead, I stumbled into what felt to me like a scene straight out of a horror movie: Dad, Uncle Rick, and the golden boy himself lounging on the couches and talking football.

Crying in my bedroom was suddenly a much more appealing option.

"There you are, Casey. Come and join us," Uncle Rick urged when he saw me.

"No thanks," I replied, eyeing Josh carefully.

"There's space next to Josh, take a seat," he said.

Dad gave me his best death glare, and mouthed the word 'now'.

Reluctantly, I sat down, trying to keep my distance from my cousin without looking too suspicious. I thought about texting Phil to help keep calm, but I thought that I had already bothered him enough for one day.

He'd already given me more than he owed me.

Both adults were too busy talking to notice the way I flinched when Josh moved closer on the couch. I was so focused on his close proximity, and watching him to he sure that he didn't try something, that I didn't hear a single word of the conversation.

Until my name came up.

"You should have tried out like I told you to, Cassy," Dad said, looking extremely disappointed.

But then, that's how he looked when it came to all of my life choices, so it wasn't anything new.

"You should have. It's a really strong team this year, especially with my boy," Rick agreed proudly. "Takes right after his old man."

"I'm not very good at sports. I don't know if there'd have been enough room on the field anyway, what with Josh's ego and all."

It wasn't the right thing to say. All three of them glared at me for the quip, though Josh wiped the look away just as quickly as it had overtaken his features.

"I was joking, geez. Tough Crowd," I said.

I definitely wasn't joking.

"No, don't worry, it was a good one, Casey. Just caught me off guard is all," Josh assured.

While Josh laughed good naturedly, he reached forward to grab his water from the coffee table. When he retracted his arm, he intentionally tipped the glass to his left side, spilling its contents directly into my lap.