Pepper never meant to lose her best friend. Lucas never meant to fall in love.
Yet the aftermath of broken hearts leads them to blur the lines of their friendship forever. When Pepper is dumped by her boyfriend and Lucas is led on by his crush, they...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
MOM ASKED, no, begged me to invite the girl's over the next time we wanted to have a girl's night. Like she already hadn't embarrassed me so much the last time she came home drunk and began screaming at me in front of everyone. It was a nightmare. Even more so, her personality has gone on a steady decline since I mentioned joining everyone at the summer camp after graduation. Elliot and I thought it would be a good idea to earn a little cash and be rent free for a few months before we find an apartment. It has nothing to do with that college guy, Elio, like Pepper claims it does.
Mom, on the other hand, believes I'm trying to escape her. She's compared me to her mother and my father, guilting me to believe I'm bound to abandon her like they did. I've told her it's not like that. It's for my future. I'm done letting people take advantage of me. Ever since I discovered the true colors behind Lucas' actions over these past months, I've vowed to never let myself be so vulnerable to people who could hurt me.
The one person who's hurt me more than Lucas ever has is my own mother.
She's gone from hostile and angry to gentle and motherly. Any way she can convince me to stay. She's clueless to the fact that her constant shift in emotion is proof that she needs help, and I can't be the one to do it anymore.
Still, I entertain her suggestion. If she truly believes she can be a host to my friends, I will give her a chance to. She's showered, brushed her hair and teeth, reapplied her makeup, and tidied up around the house. She even washed her drabby robe that stays slung across her slender frame, nearly concealing the orders weaved into the fabric. It almost reminds me of the time before she drowned in her first bottle.
Almost.
The doorbell rings and I perk up from my bedroom.
"I've got it!" Mom yells across the hall and is dashing towards the door in seconds.
My heart drops to my stomach at her enthusiam. She's really trying this time. I scoot off of my bed and slide my feet across the carpet as I make my way to the door. Pepper, Lena and Martsia are showering my mother with the stiffest smiles as she tries her best to greet them and apologize for her previous behavior. Three pairs of eyes dart to me and relief flashes through them.
"Hey, guys. Come inside." I wave them in. "It's cold out there." Thank god she remembered to pay the bill this time.
The girls rush in and begin taking off their winter garb while Mom insists on taking them from them with a jubilant smile. No amount of makeup can hide the stress and fatigue in her face. Even though she's only in her thirties, alcohol has accelerated her age and given her premature wrinkles. She used to be so beautiful.
"What's the plan for tonight, ladies?" she chirps while shoving everyone's coats in the corner of our sofa. "I can order you something to eat. Do you want to watch movies or play games?"
