Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

Chapter Twenty-Four

Though I was sure she saw the extra bit of melancholy in my person, my mom never once asked me what was wrong. I knew that she was only doing what I'd asked her to do; give me space and time. But I kinda wished she'd ask anyway. I wanted to cry to my best friend the injustice of boys while eating our weight in ice cream. I knew she'd be able to say the exact right thing to me.

And yet I kept my mouth shut. I had no one to blame but me, I knew. That knowledge didn't exactly make me any happier. It seemed I was doomed to forever have a dark cloud looming over my head for the rest of my life.

I had the perfect opportunity to tell her one day. Jason was out with Kaitlyn so it was just me and my mom. It was as if fate had set aside this day specifically for the chance to reconnect with my mom.

But what did I do? I asked about her instead.

"So, what's up with you and Alaric? You two haven't gone out in a while."

I sat at the island stool, watching as my mom made brownies.

With a sigh, she let her spoon drop in the mixing bowl to turn to me. "We decided it would be best to take a break."

"Why?" I asked, even though I had a sneaking suspicion I already knew the answer.

My mom gave me 'don't-be-stupid' look. "I think you know why, Kodi."

So she was making this my fault now? Oh, wait, that wasn't really fair. She didn't sound accusing. Just.....resigned. Which was worse, to me. Brenda McNelly never gave up on anything in her life. It killed me that I'd forced her to give up on me.

"Oh." I looked down at the island top. "You know, you don't have to put your love life on hold because of me."

Mom reached across the island to grasp my hand. She waited until I looked back into her lovely blue eyes. "Yes, I do."

I knew she wanted me to open up to her. A part of me really wanted to. But I was sick and tired of crying all the time. Never had I cried so much in the past month since I was little.

But I knew I'd have to give her something. I told myself I could be cavalier about this while making sure she didn't beat the pulp out of the guy.

"Um....Leander and I aren't dating anymore." I wasn't sure if I should have said we broke up. We never really had the 'boyfriend-girlfriend' thing going on. Apparently we never even have the dating thing.

Mom's eyes widened as if that was the last thing she would have expected. "What happened?"

I shrugged, looking down at the island top again. "It wasn't real....."

"What do you mean?"

I sighed, willing myself not to cry. It wasn't so much that I was so broken up about Leander not liking me. It was just the humiliation of it all and how I'd been so close to opening up to him. "He never really liked me," I told my mom quietly. "It was just a bet he made with his friends."

"What?" My mom's tone lost its sweet, comforting lull.

Uh-oh. When I looked back up, there was fire in her eyes. Her lips made one thin line, her brows so pushed together you couldn't see the space between them. She was practically red with anger.

Her hand around mine tightened. "What do you mean it was just a bet?"

My hand hurt like hell, but I didn't dare move. Maybe I should have left the bet part out.... "Me getting to like him," I said, more focused on her than on my boy issues. "He told me the other night."

As soon as my mom let go of my hand, I knew there was going to be trouble; especially when she sprinted towards the front door.

I took off after her, blocking her path. "Mom, no! I handled it, okay?" In fact, I'd more than handled it. Alaric didn't even question why Leander's truck had been parked in his driveway without Leander actually being home. I'd waited by my window for about an hour until Leander got home. He'd probably called one of his friends. And he'd looked absolutely livid. Lucky me, he hadn't confronted me yet.