EMBRACE winrina

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Don't talk about my mom," she snapped, and even though I thought I saw the sliver of remorse in her eyes when she looked at me, I was becoming frustrated. She let her expression harden again and she shook her head. "I certainly haven't ever mentioned her, so I'd really like you to tell me how you knew that she died without snooping through my things while I wasn't in the apartment."

I couldn't help but to wonder what things she could possibly have in her apartment that I could find and make the assumption that her mom passed away, but I guessed she was just referring to a diary or something. And then my mood quickly shifted when I actually thought through what she had said, and I tightened my jaw. I had been treated like a delinquent enough in my old foster and group homes, but I didn't think I'd be able to handle it if that's the way that she saw me too. I lowered my voice and spoke, "Is that really what you think of me?"

She looked at me silently, but her expression told me that she wasn't going to re-think what she had accused me of doing. I felt the compassion I'd had for her quickly start to evaporate into thin air. "I was taking care of your niece when she told me that her grandma passed away. But I'm glad I give you the impression that the first thing I'd do when left alone is snoop through your fucking things."

I could tell that as soon as I'd finished, she felt at least a little regretful, but she was way too fucking proud to mutter anything like the words "I'm sorry".

Because saying something like 'I'm sorry for assuming the absolute worst of you like everyone else in this fucked up world' would have been way too much for her to handle.

I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, weaving between the desks to get to the back of the room. She watched me silently as I sat down again in the desk farthest from her, propping my legs up and sighing.

How was she able to make me feel this way so easily?

I wouldn't meet her eyes for the next ten minutes, and she either couldn't think of anything to say or didn't care, so we sat in silence. That was, until her door opened and Lia and Principal Lee walked in. I quickly took my legs off of the desk, mainly because I didn't want her to get in trouble with him, and made eye contact with Lia. She gave me a sly smile and walked over to me, sitting down in the adjacent desk.

"Fancy seeing you here.. again."

"What'd you do this time?" I muttered, briefly meeting her eyes before putting my feet back up the minute Principal Lee finished speaking with the brunette and walked out of the room. I could feel Karina's eyes burning into my back but I didn't look at her, and instead, I looked at Lia.

She frowned slightly. "To be completely honest with you, nothing. And it wasn't like before when I was texting and I said I didn't do anything, there's really no reason for me to be in here right now."

"Really? Why are you in here then?"

"I wanted to spend time with you and you're always working?"

I raised my eyebrows and she just laughed a little. "Okay, okay. The truth is, I heard a few people talking shit about my uncle in the hallway, and I may have gotten involved. But honestly, I didn't even touch them so I don't know why I'm in here."

"Your uncle put you in detention for standing up for him?"

She shook her head. "It's not his fault, Mrs. Smith was the one to see me getting in their faces about it and she called home. So unless he wanted to deal with my mom, he didn't really have a choice."

Karina hardened her voice, speaking, "I told you both last time that detention is to be quiet, girls. I'd rather not repeat myself."

"And I'd rather not have to sit here for an hour and stare at you, but yet here I am."