Chasing a Broken Butterfly

Chapter 27:

Nathan was able to convince my mom that we have a project due this week for English that requires him to stay at my house late into the night. He went home real quick to grab the 'papers' we needed in order to do it. He and I both know he meant the cameras.

"Well, if he's going to stay here with you for a bit, then I'll just go out with a couple of co workers tonight to grab a couple of drinks. Is that okay?"

"Of course," I tell my mom, "It's your day off and you don't go out much anyway."

"Thanks, honey. I'll be home before midnight," she smiles at me and finishes the rest of her coffee.

"What time are you planning on leaving?" I'm mostly asking so I know when Nathan and I can really do our thing.

"Everyone's going to be there around 8. I'll start getting ready around 6," she says as she looks at the clock. It's barely five. "Elle, I've been meaning to ask you..." my mom drums her fingers on the kitchen table, "where is Lacey?"

There's a familiar tug on my heart at the mention of her name. I swallow my pain down as I start to weave my lie. "I meant to tell you earlier..." I start, "but I didn't have the heart to." I look down at the table, unable to look at her for fear that she'll read in between the lines. "I was walking her this morning with Mikey. We went to the meadow...the one next to the lake and I thought that she'd probably like it if I undid her leash and let her run..." I let out a shaky sigh before I continue, "she did....she ran away, mom." Tears start brimming, but I blink them away. I look up at her through my eyelashes, wishing I could cry to her and tell her everything.

She remains silent for a bit. "Is that why you were covered in dirt earlier?" she quietly asks. I nod my head. I don't trust myself to speak. "Elle, why didn't you tell me?"

I shrug my shoulders as I continue to fight the urge to melt down. My mom scoots out of her chair and kneels down in front of me. She takes my hand and says, "Elle. Look at me. It's not your fault, honey. Did you think I was going to be upset?" Her voice is gentle, which makes me want to cry even more.

"No...I don't know," I wipe my tears away for the millionth time today.

"I know you're going to miss her. I'm sorry, honey" she hugs me tightly. "Who knows, maybe she'll come back."

No, she won't...

"I'm just going to go to my room. I need to get ready for our project," I change the subject. I can't bear to keep lying to her.

My mom gives me a sad smile, before nodding her head. "I'll be in my room if you need me, okay? I can stay home..."

I shake my head, "No, it's ok mom. You need to go out; have fun. I'll be okay. Nathan will be with me."

She lingers in the kitchen entryway. "He's a nice boy. I like him," she says as an afterthought before leaving to her room.

I take off to my room a couple minutes later. I lay down on my bed and look up at the ceiling. I decide to check my phone to see if Mikey has tried to text me. He hasn't. I'm not sure whether to feel relieved or saddened by that fact. I'm not ready to face him after he practically just told me that he has feelings for me. I've always thought of him as a brother. I think we both just need time to think things over.

My phone buzzes with a text message. Maybe it's him. I open it up and it's a number that I don't recognize. It reads:

*What part of 'back off' do you not understand?*

I hit the reply button and type:

*I have no idea what you are talking about. Stay the hell out of my life!!!*