Chance Encounters

twenty-nine

[a/n: writing this chapter was honestly more difficult than i expected it to be. i made the mistake of writing about something i've yet to resolve, so bear with me if it seems in any way unnatural or unreal. it was a bit of a struggle, but i hope i did the story justice. thank you, as always. :) 

sam xo]

Chapter 29

Mom must have known that something was up if the pointed glances she frequently sent me were any indication.

It had been nearly a week since the night I everything went wrong with me and Tori. Neither of us had tried to contact each other, and even that much was enough to signal anyone that something was definitely not right. Tori and I hung out nearly every day, and the fact that she hasn't once turned up at our doorstep with a bunch of rom-coms in hand was obviously getting my mom worried.

I also kept quiet about what happened with me and my dad over the phone. I'd hung up on him after our argument and ignored all his other calls afterwards. I wasn't sure if he called Mom to tell her just exactly what happened, but so far, she still hasn't asked me much about either Tori or Dad, and to be honest, I kind o preferred it that way.

I'd spent every day locked up inside the house since then, if only so I wouldn't accidentally bump with Tori or, worse, Austin. I knew I would have to go out at one point, of course, but I was still far too confused and upset about what happened that I'm not sure I could manage bumping into either of them.

This gave me a lot of time to catch up with the shows I hadn't been able to watch lately. I was, in fact, binge-watching the second season of How to Get Away with Murder when my Mom knocked on my door and popped her head in.

"Reed?"

"Yup?"

I waited for her to ask about my unusual behavior, but she merely said, "I left a shopping list on the counter. Can you run by the market later?"

"Yeah, sure," I replied, knowing it's unlikely for me to find Tori buying groceries. I didn't know about Austin, but since I didn't really have a choice, there was nothing I could do but hope fate wouldn't be so cruel.

"By the way, your Aunt Rosie phoned me earlier. Said she was wondering when you'd drop by."

I remembered the phone I'd borrowed from my great aunt, which I'd stowed in the bedside drawer.

"I'll go visit," I assured Mom, who sent me a grateful smile before slipping out my room.

* * *

"So." Aunt Rosie set a plate piled with steaming baked potatoes on the table in front of me. "What exactly is going on with you?"

I looked up at her, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, don't give me that innocent look." She fixed me with a knowing stare, taking the seat opposite mine with a slight grimace, a hand automatically landing on her bad hip.

I headed here immediately after grocery shopping since there weren't a lot of perishable goods that needed to be refrigerated right away on the list. Mom must have told Aunt Rosie I was coming because she didn't seem surprised when I showed up on their doorstep at three in the afternoon.

Of course, she was horrified to learn that I haven't had lunch yet, and quickly sent me to the patio at the back where she and Uncle Silas (who was out fishing with a couple of his friends) spent most of their afternoons, complaining that the house was too stuffy during the summer.

She knew I absolutely adored baked potatoes so I wasn't entirely surprised at the generous serving she insisted on giving me.

I was, however, taken aback by her question, and I was genuinely too stunned to reply.