(Book Three) Being in love is tough, being in highschool is hard, being in love, gay, and in highschool is harder. But my best friend, who happens to be my girlfriend, is worth fighting for.
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This is Book Three of the series.
See Nameless...
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I sneak back into my house.
Ari dropped me off home shortly after 4 AM with a promise of coming by later to hang out. It's my favorite kind of hangout. When we lay in bed together, the door closed, with her latest playlist playing softly in the background. Ari has the best music. She has an ever-changing collection of songs. I've usually not heard of them, yet they always fit perfectly as if each song was composed specifically to be the soundtrack to our lives. We listen to music, cuddle, make out, and get lost in the vast ocean of our love for each other. When we do finally come up for air we talk and giggle about nothing and everything. I'm already counting down the time till I see her next.
I approach my house and unlock the front door. It's dark and completely silent. It was a risk spending the night with Ari, but it was a risk worth taking. I cherish every bit of time with her. With the weight of her leaving hanging over my head time with her is even more precious.
I push the door closed behind me. The living room light switches on. I pivot around. My mother is lying on the living room couch in her robe. She must have fallen asleep there...waiting for me.
I stare back at her like a deer caught in headlights. My mind flips through several options. Find an escape route. Which is silly; there's nowhere to run. Next unfiltered panic hits me and I'm frozen in spot, unable to move. Then I start scheming. Trying to come up with a lie or an excuse in my head. How much did she see? Did she know I was out all night? Can I say I went outside to get the newspaper? No, that one's dumb we don't get a newspaper delivered.
She stands up from the couch and crosses her arms. She scowls and my heart sinks. It's not disappointment on her face but rage. It's icy, sharp, and aimed directly at me. An involuntary shiver runs up my spine.
"Aurora?" She asks.
I nod my head, too caught off guard by her glare to be anything but truthful.
She walks around the couch and towards me. I'm taller than my mother but even towering over her I feel tiny under her scrutinizing gaze.
"You were out all night."
It's more a statement than a question so I don't answer. She looks me up and down then eyes my clothing as if trying to piece together where I've been. The first-truth-lie comes to my mind.
"I was hanging out at Ari's and lost track of time."
"You snuck out after curfew..." She says angrily. "...to go who knows where with that girl again."
I open my mouth to speak.
"Save it!" She interrupts then purses her lips and eyes me for a long moment. "I tried to be reasonable with you. Treat you like an adult, but clearly you can't handle it."
