Silence, Page 21

  ***

  Dinner was delicious. I ate until my stomach hurt. The over-full feeling was worth it, though. Jenna was an incredible cook.

  Cole groaned as we walked back up to his room after helping to clear up. He’d eaten three chillies and had been sick. “Lay with me?” He reached out and grabbed my hand, gently pulling me onto the bed. “I’m never eating that stuff again.”

  Yeah, until next time. I pursed my lips. He said that every time.

  After chilling in his room for a while, waiting for him to recover a bit, he walked me home. I started to feel sick as I unlocked my front door and pushed it open. “See you tomorrow, Oaks,” Cole said, kissing me on the top of my head.

  “Goodnight, Cole,” Mum called after him. I jumped at her voice, not having seen her approach.

  “Are you okay, darling?”

  I nodded, looking away from her.

  “Are… Are we okay?”

  We would always be okay. I loved my mum so much I was willing to keep silent for her. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. It wasn’t her fault. None of it was. Mum hugged me back, almost squeezing me to death as a sob of relief racked her chest.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  I smiled and kissed her cheek, letting her know that I loved her too.

  When I stepped back, I could tell from her puffy eyes that she had been crying for a long time. I felt a stab of guilt.

  This is not hurting her nearly as much as the truth would.

  Giving her a quick half-hearted smile, I went upstairs and got into bed. Everything that happened in the day had exhausted me, and I just wanted to curl up under my quilt and sleep.

  I couldn’t even stay awake long enough to receive Cole’s text.

  17

  Oakley