Why Do You Love Me ── MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER

x. her boyfriend

.·゜゜·　　·゜゜·．

REINA'S POV

Per Matthew's request, I didn't go back home and hash it out with Liana. I forced my best smile for her when I got home that night, and thankfully, she didn't see through the act. Or at least, I think she didn't. Our weekend went as normally planned; I helped Liana get her homework done and we acted like everything was okay. Except it wasn't, which only dawned on me when I pulled up to my mom's house on Sunday night.

I watched with a frown as Liana took her time taking her bag out of the backseat. Not because I was in a rush or anything, but because I now realize why she always tried to drag out her departure. And when she paused to stare down at her bag for a moment, I realized I couldn't just sit here and wait any longer to have a talk with my mom. It needed to happen today because I can't go another day acting like I didn't read that passage Liana wrote for her class.

When I got out of the car, Liana's head snapped up, her eyebrows raising. "You're coming in?" She asks in surprise.

I nod. "I need to talk to Mom about something." She stares at me in silence. "Is that...okay?"

Then she snaps out of it, nodding quickly. "Y-Yeah, that's fine. Does Mom know you're coming in?"

"Nope." The response makes Liana stiffen, but she says nothing else. I doubt she even notices my gaze on her while we walk up the pathway to the house, her eyes stuck on the ground. As soon as she unlocks the door to the house, I hear the tv playing loudly, a sign Mom is up and she's in the living room. "Hey, Mom," I say loud enough for her to hear me.

When I step into the room, Mom whirls around, a wide smile spreading on her lips. I can see she's still in her scrubs, indicating she got home from work not too long ago, just as she usually did. She looks the same as she usually did, and when I did a quick scan of her body, I'm relieved to see there are no signs of bruises on her skin. So, he isn't physically abusive, just emotionally. Noted.

"Hi, Reina," she says softly, rounding the couch to embrace me. "You don't usually come in. What's the special occasion?"

I shrug. "Wanted to catch up a little since I haven't seen you in a while. You're a very busy woman." I see her cheeks flush slightly, and if I had any doubts about Liana's letter, that behavior alone confirmed to me that my mom was seeing him again. Remembering the girl lingering behind me, I glance over my shoulder to Liana. "You should really go get that book back from Emma before it gets too late," I tell her, hoping my eyes convey more than the sentence did.

Thankfully, it seems my sister is used to my unspoken signals because she nods. Dropping her duffel bag onto the floor, she turns on her heel and walks right out the front door. I watch through the window as she walks to our neighbor's house, and thankfully, she's let in almost instantly. As soon as I guarantee she's safe, I turn back to my mom, my smile fading.