Autumn Leaves and Teenage Dreams

28. Nightlight

True to her word, Aurora invites me over for a sleepover only a week after her birthday has passed. I stand awkwardly in my room, my heart beating rapidly, my throat parched, and my body slightly shaking as she suggests the idea. When I slept over at her house at New Year's, that was different because we weren't a couple yet, and I didn't have the slightest comprehension that she even liked me.

When Aurora notices my silence and surprise, she states on the other line, "I-I'm not suggesting anything by inviting you over! My parents are home so..."

I sigh in relief. That helps, though I'm still nervous. I'm afraid her parents might catch on, or worse, my parents might.

"Okay, then," I say. "Um, when should I come over?"

"Now, if you want."

"Are your parents okay with that?" I ask nervously, twisting my hair as I talk into the phone. I have to keep my voice down, afraid one of my siblings or parents might overhear my conversation through the door.

"We didn't have anything planned tonight. I can ask right now and then give you the okay in a few minutes if you want," Aurora suggests. Lowering her voice, she murmurs, "I just want to see you."

"O-Okay. I'll let my parents know as well," I say. With that agreement in mind, I shut my phone off and begin slowly packing my things. Because unlike last time, now I need to think about if my pajamas are cute enough, if I really need to bring a sleeping bag, how much mouthwash I should bring if we'll be kissing all night, et cetera, et cetera. I pack my typical sleepover gear, and then my phone rings with a text from Aurora, confirming it's okay with her parents.

Great. Now it's my turn.

Letting out a sigh, I open the door and find my family downstairs, waiting for dinner.

"You hungry?" my mom asks as she cooks. My siblings seem to be, as they're both rummaging through the pantry when my mom's too distracted with cooking to scold them. My father is setting the table, looking up at me.

"Um, Aurora invited me to sleep over at her house. Can I go?" I ask awkwardly, shuffling my feet.

"Weren't you just there last week?" my mother asks. I was never scolded about the late curfew, though I think she heard me coming home anyway, considering I heard her flush the toilet shortly after I got back that night. Or maybe it was my father, and he didn't want to rat me out.

"How come Callie always gets to go out on the weekends?" Olivia pouts.

"Weren't we going to play some board games tonight?" Oliver asks me. I feel badly disappointing him. I nearly forgot I promised to spend some time with him tonight. Still, I don't get invited to Aurora's that often, and I'd like to see her. We rarely get enough alone time together as it is.

"Shoot, sorry, I forgot about that," I say.

"Can you at least eat dinner with us?" my mother asks.

I can tell that this is her one requirement. Because instead of telling me outright I'm only allowed to go if I spend the dinner with the family, she likes to twist her words and manipulate me into agreeing to what she wants.

"Um, yeah, I guess I can tell her I can come over a little later," I admit.

"Nice. Maybe we can squeeze in a quick board game too," my father says, which makes Oliver happy.

I feel bad texting Aurora that it will be probably another hour and a half before I can make it over, but she seems fine with it when I text her. The whole dinner, I am anxious, eating enough so my parents won't notice I'm not that hungry, but not enough to make me feel sick. Even then, I'm mostly quiet at dinner because lately, I feel I've been holding in a big secret. It makes it uncomfortable to talk to everyone together because I feel like I'm lying to my family all the time, especially tonight, when I think of how Aurora is waiting for me.