finger on it and watch it roll slightly.
"There you go." Dale looks excited.
"Yes, but I can't pick it up and what's it really achieving anyway? Me picking up a pen is not going to help find me."
"I know, but at least it shows that your mind is strong. It shows that you have some will power."
I watch him open up the map book again and bring his computer screen to life. He blinks a few times and leans towards it as he stifles a yawn.
"Seriously, Dale. You're no good to me unless you sleep." I look at the clock on his screen. "Come on, it's ten o'clock. Go to bed."
"Okay, fine." He sighs, turning off the computer screen and walking to his bed. Reaching under his pillow he pulls out a t-shirt and boxer shorts. He whips off his shirt and I'm once again surprised by my instant attraction. He goes to lose his pants then pauses. "Are you... staying?"
"Um. No, I... I'll head home. See you in the morning."
Dale crosses the room and opens his door for me. Walking down the stairs, he lets me out the front. His grin is too cute as he waves goodbye. I hope no one can see him. What kind of moron randomly opens their front door, shirtless, and waves to the air?
Chapter Fourteen
I dread going home, but I force my legs to walk in that direction. I notice Dad's car in the driveway. At least he's home now. Wandering around to the back of the house, I decide to face the bathroom window again. It's thinner than any of the doors in the house and for some reason that makes it feel more do-able. I'm surprised to see it's still open. Mom usually closes it before she heads to bed.
Because I'm an idiot. ..or maybe because I just moved a few pages of Dale's manuscript, I fool myself into thinking I can climb through the window this time. I, of course, fail. My mind makes me do another "ants in my pants" dance before I can head to my room. As I ascend the stairs, I notice a soft glow through the doorway.
My bedside lamp is on and Mom is sitting on my bed...reading my diary.
"What are you doing?"
I try to grab for the book, but it's pointless. I don't even ruffle the pages this time. My mother sniffs loudly and turns the next page. I try to see where she's up to.
I can't believe I did it. I lost my virginity to Chris Cooper!
I cringe. I can't believe my mother is reading this! Can I die now, please.
"I thought it would be magical," my mother murmurs my words aloud, "but it wasn't. It actually really hurt and he's barely spoken to me since. Not that I care."
My mother drops the book in her lap.
"Not that you care? Oh, honey." She covers her mouth and blinks at tears.
"I'm sorry, Mom." I sit do wn beside her. "The truth is... I...I don't know why I did it."
Yes you do.
"My friends told me he was hot and super cool and I'd be an idiot not to go for it. He was kind of insistent. It was just easier to give in. It kind of happened before I could stop it."
I shake my head, feeling dirty and ashamed, yet knowing it was what I deserved.
Mom reaches for a tissue and blows her nose.
"How you holding up?" Dad appears in the doorway. His shirt is all wrinkled and coming untucked, his tie is loose and sitting at a funny angle. He looks tired.
"This is our fault." Mom shakes her head.
"Hey, don't talk that way." Dad steps into the room and leans against the wall.
"Do you know how she's been living? She has every right to run away."
"Why are you saying this?" Dad frowns.
"I found her diary." Mom lifts the thick book, flicking the pages through her thumb. "I don't know this girl."
"Do you really think you should be reading that?"
"Yes!" She opens it up again and slaps her hand on the page. "Yes I should. I can't believe I've waited so long and let so much slide."
She flicks to the back and scans the contents.
"Did you know she stole your credit card last week?"
Dad shoves his hands in his pockets and looks to the floor. "Yeah, I was going to call her on it when the bill came."
"Were you?"
He sighs. "Probably not."
"How could we
"There you go." Dale looks excited.
"Yes, but I can't pick it up and what's it really achieving anyway? Me picking up a pen is not going to help find me."
"I know, but at least it shows that your mind is strong. It shows that you have some will power."
I watch him open up the map book again and bring his computer screen to life. He blinks a few times and leans towards it as he stifles a yawn.
"Seriously, Dale. You're no good to me unless you sleep." I look at the clock on his screen. "Come on, it's ten o'clock. Go to bed."
"Okay, fine." He sighs, turning off the computer screen and walking to his bed. Reaching under his pillow he pulls out a t-shirt and boxer shorts. He whips off his shirt and I'm once again surprised by my instant attraction. He goes to lose his pants then pauses. "Are you... staying?"
"Um. No, I... I'll head home. See you in the morning."
Dale crosses the room and opens his door for me. Walking down the stairs, he lets me out the front. His grin is too cute as he waves goodbye. I hope no one can see him. What kind of moron randomly opens their front door, shirtless, and waves to the air?
Chapter Fourteen
I dread going home, but I force my legs to walk in that direction. I notice Dad's car in the driveway. At least he's home now. Wandering around to the back of the house, I decide to face the bathroom window again. It's thinner than any of the doors in the house and for some reason that makes it feel more do-able. I'm surprised to see it's still open. Mom usually closes it before she heads to bed.
Because I'm an idiot. ..or maybe because I just moved a few pages of Dale's manuscript, I fool myself into thinking I can climb through the window this time. I, of course, fail. My mind makes me do another "ants in my pants" dance before I can head to my room. As I ascend the stairs, I notice a soft glow through the doorway.
My bedside lamp is on and Mom is sitting on my bed...reading my diary.
"What are you doing?"
I try to grab for the book, but it's pointless. I don't even ruffle the pages this time. My mother sniffs loudly and turns the next page. I try to see where she's up to.
I can't believe I did it. I lost my virginity to Chris Cooper!
I cringe. I can't believe my mother is reading this! Can I die now, please.
"I thought it would be magical," my mother murmurs my words aloud, "but it wasn't. It actually really hurt and he's barely spoken to me since. Not that I care."
My mother drops the book in her lap.
"Not that you care? Oh, honey." She covers her mouth and blinks at tears.
"I'm sorry, Mom." I sit do wn beside her. "The truth is... I...I don't know why I did it."
Yes you do.
"My friends told me he was hot and super cool and I'd be an idiot not to go for it. He was kind of insistent. It was just easier to give in. It kind of happened before I could stop it."
I shake my head, feeling dirty and ashamed, yet knowing it was what I deserved.
Mom reaches for a tissue and blows her nose.
"How you holding up?" Dad appears in the doorway. His shirt is all wrinkled and coming untucked, his tie is loose and sitting at a funny angle. He looks tired.
"This is our fault." Mom shakes her head.
"Hey, don't talk that way." Dad steps into the room and leans against the wall.
"Do you know how she's been living? She has every right to run away."
"Why are you saying this?" Dad frowns.
"I found her diary." Mom lifts the thick book, flicking the pages through her thumb. "I don't know this girl."
"Do you really think you should be reading that?"
"Yes!" She opens it up again and slaps her hand on the page. "Yes I should. I can't believe I've waited so long and let so much slide."
She flicks to the back and scans the contents.
"Did you know she stole your credit card last week?"
Dad shoves his hands in his pockets and looks to the floor. "Yeah, I was going to call her on it when the bill came."
"Were you?"
He sighs. "Probably not."
"How could we
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