In My Skin

Ch 29 || Pranks and Secrets

A tight fist wrapped around my heart and squeezed. "Did you ever talk to your mom about your dad?" I asked carefully.

She hesitated. "No. She... doesn't talk about him. Ever."

I always had the feeling that there was a reason Sofia never talked about Angie's dad. The topic had only come up once after I moved in. She'd let slip that Angie's dad wasn't in the picture. I could still clearly picture the way her back went rigid and how she turned away, hiding her expression. "Why didn't you pick your mom instead?"

She continued to stare at her feet. "Lisa said that's cheating."

"And since when do we listen to other people's opinions?" Yeah, I was one to talk. Not that she knew that.

Again, she mumbled something incoherent under her breath.

I kept my tone calm and steady as I asked, "Are you sad you don't know him?"

Her voice was quiet. "Not really..."

"Then?"

"The others said it's weird."

I snorted. "But the others don't know your mom. Or your situation. And you don't know theirs. So it's wrong to judge others like that. Especially about their circumstances."

"So... I'm not in the wrong."

"Of course not. Besides, you have other things they don't have right? Would you judge them for it? Because you got better things?"

She tilted her head. "Better things? Like what?"

"Oh come on. You can think of at least two."

"Huh?"

"I'm gonna feel really hurt if this is going to continue..."

"Oh!" She whipped around. "You?"

I knocked her forehead gently, pulling a face. "Of course me. Who else in your class has such an amazing, great, and pretty neighbor like me?"

She finally laughed. "Since when do you talk about yourself like that?"

Since I'd started spending too much time with a certain hazel-eyed pain in my ass. "I wonder? Why? Do you disagree?"

I wiggled my fingers close to her armpits and she shrieked and broke into another fit of giggles. "No, no. You are great."

"See. If they knew, all your classmates would secretly be jealous. And then look at your mom. Who else has a loving mom like you? Maybe their parents are home but they don't care. Maybe they do. You don't know, right? But still, your mom's the best, don't you think?"

"Yes! The best mom in the whole world." She giggled again.

"So, is there anything to be embarrassed about? That you don't have a dad?"

"No," she stated and lifted her head.

I started opening the letter still clutched in my hand. "And I think when your mom is ready. She will tell you about him."

"Okay," she replied and swung her legs. "Can we continue watching now?"

I quickly checked her posture and let out a breath. "Fine." She seemed to have reverted to her usual self at least. Finally, I straightened the letter and froze.

Dark red blotches stained the white paper. The words were scrawled in jagged, erratic handwriting, each letter barely distinguishable from the next one, but I still managed to read the message.

"Time's up. Run or I'll come for you."