Keeping Secrets

Thanksgiving Break

I was hanging out with Becca in my room, getting ready to head back home for Thanksgiving break, when Beau texted again. Lin had already left, and so had most of the other girls in our dorm building. It was quieter than normal.

"You and your phone," Becca teased as she stretched her tall body out on the bed. "Max again?"

"No, he's driving. He left early this morning. This is just a friend from home."

Beau qualified as a friend and since I knew him from home, or at least to connections from home, it didn't really feel like lying.

"Oh, okay."

The picture from Beau showed the stage. Everything was set up, and it looked like they were just about to start the concert. Dane was behind the drum set and Justin stood off to the side, fiddling with his keyboard. The next picture Beau sent showed the audience. It was amazing to see how many people were there for them. The entire arena was full.

Trudge Lite was truly taking Europe by storm.

"Who's picking you up? Amanda?" Becca asked.

I put the phone down and turned to her. "No, my mom."

"Is she on her way?"

"Yeah. She should be here in about an hour."

She had already called to make sure I'd be ready by the time she showed up because she had a lot of cooking to do, so there was no wasting time. I was to meet her in the parking lot.

"Yeah, my mom too."

"Do you want to grab a latte or something while we wait?"

It was boring to just lie around and wait, and I could use some caffeine since I hadn't seen Max, and therefore not gotten my favorite latte.

"Sure." Becca stood up and slid her phone into the back pocket of her jeans. "Let's go."

***

"So Peyton," my grandmother started once we were all stuffed full of turkey dinner, and me and her were sitting on the couch by ourselves. My mom was cleaning up and my dad and grandpa were somewhere in the house with Eli. Probably looking at his football jersey or admiring his medals or something like that. "How's college?" She asked. "Have you met any cute boys yet?"

"Grandma," I gasped, but she just laughed. Her hazel colored eyes looked mischievous as they peered out at me from her wrinkled face, surrounded by steel gray curls.

"There must be one boy that tickles your fancy, no?" she asked in her southern drawl, and I couldn't help but laugh along with her.

"There are some cute ones, but nobody special."

"Nobody at all?"

Beau's face flashed before my eyes, but I wasn't going there. Not even with my grandma. And I'd shared more stuff with her than either one of my parents. But nobody knew about Beau. Not even Amanda.

"My friend Max is cute," I responded instead, "but he's just a friend."

She cocked an eyebrow.

"For real, grandma. That's all."

"Okay, honey." She patted me on the hand. "You have time. There is no rush."

"Have time for what?" My dad asked as he walked into the room with a beer in his hand and took a seat in his favorite lounge chair.

"Boys," my grandmother responded before I had a chance to say anything.

My dad's face scrunched up, and he looked directly at me. "Yeah, there is no need for any boys, Peyton. You don't need anyone distracting you with your studies."

I knew what else he was gonna say before he finished his thought.

"You need to keep your grades up to keep the scholarship."

And there it was. It always came back to money with him. God forbid he'd expect I'd be able to manage more than just going to class.

"Don't worry, dad. No boys and the grades are good."

"That's what I like to hear." He nodded and took a big swallow from his beer. And thankfully, that conversation was over.

As soon as the rest of the family joined us in the living room, my dad was back to talking about Eli's last football game, and how well the season was going.

I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from smiling. If he only knew about Max, and that he was one of the star players on the Universities division one team, he might have shown more of an interest in me. But he didn't. And I wasn't about to tell him either.

I didn't want him to show an interest in me because of who I was with. If he didn't think I was important enough on my own, so be it. I was tired of seeking his approval.

My grandmother turned back to me. "How is Amanda, dear?"

"She's good. She's hoping to transfer over to my school after the summer. Her dad just got a new job."

"Oh, that will be excellent. I know you two had hoped for that from the beginning."

"Yeah."

Like on cue, my phone buzzed with a text from Amanda. She asked if I wanted to come over for dessert. I had already had a big slice of apple pie and I was way too full to eat more, but I welcomed the distraction. I could only stand to listen to so much of how amazing my brother was.

"Dad, can I go to Amanda's for a while?"

"Ask your mother."

That was also the expected answer.

My mom said yes, but told me to be back by midnight.

As nice as it had been to come home and see everyone, I already missed the freedom I had at college.