Masking Amaya Frazer

{13} Castle on the Hill

Raindrops raced down the windows of my mother's car as we rode in silence. Her GPS was the only one to speak every few minutes as it directed us on the route to New York.

My stomach flipped as I anxiously chewed on my nails. I had known my mother wouldn't hesitate to send me away for the entire summer if it meant she wouldn't have to see me. It was just an added bonus that I would be making money while babysitting Milo's younger sister.

But if that money would be enough for me to continue attending the same college as him was a mystery.

Upon our arrival, my mother hopped out of the car, handed over my suitcase, and gave me a stiff squeeze. "Have a great summer. I'll see you soon," she said, hurrying back into the car before the rain could make its mark on her clothes.

Without giving me the chance to reply, she sped down the lengthy cobblestone driveway.

Taking a deep breath, I took my time walking up the quarter-mile long driveway to the mansion looming in the distance. There was a slight shake to my hand as I knocked on the door, braving a smile that I didn't feel when a middle-aged woman answered it.

"You must be Amaya," she said, reaching out a hand. The breeze ruffled her short, dark brown hair as her full pink lips tipped up in a warm smile. Her eyes were a pale blue and long lashes fanned her cheeks each time she blinked.

Just like her son, she was beautiful. "I've heard so much about you," Mrs. Black informed me as we shook hands.

You have? I wanted to ask. "I'm not sure that's a good thing," I admitted, blushing.

It was no secret that Milo and I had our own fair share of arguments and disagreements. I wondered what he could have told his mother about me, but the welcoming expression on her face indicated that he may have left out the few bad instances that we battled through.

Mrs. Black laughed, transferring her hand to my shoulder as she led me inside her immaculate home. "My son is staying on campus this summer so you can use his room since it's right next to Mandy's. It wouldn't make much sense to have you living in the guest bedroom all the way down the hall now, would it?"

I opened my mouth to decline the offer to practically live in Milo's room for an entire summer when he wouldn't even be there. Everything would remind me of him when all I wanted to do was to forget him.

After all, I was transferring to a different college--without Milo--come the fall semester despite landing this job.

I followed Milo's mother throughout her labyrinth of a house until she led me up a flight of stairs and paused at a bedroom door halfway down the hall.

Gesturing inside, she said, "You can put your bags down in there for now. Mandy's is this door right here and Marcus' is right across the hall in case you need anything."

"Marcus?"

She nodded. "My oldest son. I'd have him look after Mandy while I was at work all summer, but..." she trailed off, biting her lip as she sent a forlorn look at his closed door. Putting on her own mask, she faked a smile. "Now that you're here, I won't have to worry about Mandy."

Keeping my eyes trained on the mysterious closed door for a few more seconds, I wondered why Milo had never mentioned anything about a brother...or a father for that matter.

Feigning another smile, I dropped my bags in Milo's vacant room as exhaustion due to a long ride in the car with my mother hit me. I failed to hide the yawn behind my hand as I joined Mrs. Black back in the hall. Noticing my drowsiness, she offered, "Why don't you take a nap? I have to pick Mandy up soon so you can meet her when you're well rested, okay?"