Don't Fall for Me

Part 6: Two-Strings

I stuck my tongue out at him, real mature I know.

"Care to share with the class, Ms. Cross?" Mr. Duncan accused.

"No, sir," I said.

The glass giggled. Ryker smirked at me. I shot him a look of pure hatred. Xander just shook his head at us.

I tore the note in a million pieces and sprinkled them all over my desk. This day needed to end soon.

~*~*~*~

"Eve! You're home early!" My mom shouted, surprised, from the kitchen.

"No I'm not?"

I stopped at the threshold of the kitchen. A man, a little older than my mom, was standing close to her, almost too close. He had salt and pepper hair and brown eyes. This guy was at least a foot taller than my mom. He straightened his polo shirt and cleared his throat.

"Eve, I can explain," my mom rushed.

I stared.

"Is this what you've been doing when you were gone all day? Were you really at work all those times? Or were you meeting up with this man? Do you have no respect for dad at all!" I screamed, throwing my arms in the air.

For the first time in a while, tears streamed freely down my cheeks. I ran out of the room and slammed my door shut behind me. I threw myself on my bed, bawling.

My mom was dating another man. And it wasn't dad. It had looked like they were just making out in the kitchen the three of us used to eat dinner in together.

"X," I cried into the phone.

"Eve? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He panicked.

"M-my mom is w-with another man!"

"Oh jeez, Eve. I'm coming to pick you up right now," the line went dead as he hung up.

I must have looked like a mess when he finally arrived. I had worn a smidge of mascara to school today and it was probably running down my face.

I didn't care.

I didn't check to see if the man was still with my mom. I ran out the front door without telling her I was leaving. Xander pushed open the passenger side door of his car from where he was sitting.

I collapsed in the seat. Xander pulled out of my driveway and I yanked down the mirror from the ceiling of the car.

Wordlessly, Xander handed me a napkin. I wiped the running mascara off my face then blew my nose in it.

"Attractive," Xander muttered, amused.

"Shut up."

Xander parked the car in a packed parking lot. He undid his seatbelt and reached over the console to pop mine off, too.

"Where are-" the words died on my lips as I read the neon sign blazing on the building.

The Hangout

"X, what are we doing here?"