Project Coffee

xii

"Tell me what she said."I feel my head hurting from just speaking to him.

"I didn't go through your texts,silly."He tells me."I understand limits and privacy."

"Just give me my phone back."I order.

"Not gonna happen."I let out a grunt of frustration before crossing my arms over my chest and falling back on the couch cushion.

"Where's mom?"I finally ask taking in how silent the house is.

"She's at her new job."Freddie briefly mentions.

"Oh,okay."I think nothing of it before what he says officially clicked in my head."Wait,new job?"I ask.

"She went for an interview yesterday and they liked her.Today was her first day."Freddie explains."You would've known if you were home instead of sneaking around with Alex."He grumbles.

"Where is she working now?"I ask ignoring his last remark.

"As some business corporation."Now this is the part where I would normally think she was the personal assistant of the CEO or something because she's had a history of fetching coffee and answering phone calls.But instead a thought erupts in my head.

"In the technology field?"I ask him a little bit of hope in my voice.My mother was a brainiac back in her days with science fair awards and a degree in computer science. I'm pretty sure she still had her smarts but after working at coffee shops for almost half her life the knowledge probably began fading.

"Yeah,she's working as part of the tech group."Freddie addresses keeping his eyes locked in the TV as the men in football uniforms throw the ball around.

"What did dad call to say?"I ask him finally.

"He wanted to know if we wanted to stay with him over the summer?"Freddie explains.

"We?"I ask easing an eyebrow and his face starts to redden almost immediately.

"Well he didn't say we"He starts scratching at the back of his neck.

"It's okay."I usher already knowing where it would lead.

"I told him I wasn't going if you weren't."He tells me just as I get ready to head up to my room.

"Don't make me the reason you lose your father figure."I tell him my chest feeling heavy as I start walking out of the room.

"I've already lost him."I hear Freddie call out after me,the sound of the television volume increases and the aching in my chest begins again.

But a different ache.Not the longing and glass shards I felt when Dylan dumped me.This one was empty a hollow ache.It was full of blame and the weight of what happened to this family on my shoulders.

I walk up to my room and topple onto my bed.Letting the mattress and comforter pull me.I would've started my homework but I'd left my bag by the front door and I didn't have the strength to walk back downstairs and catch a glimpse of Freddie.

Without my books to keep my attention or my phone to keep me distracted I stuck.Until I turned to my side and caught the glimpse of a small pink rectangle lying on my desk.

The same place I left it this morning.I stumble out of bed,my guts telling me to stay away.Telling me this was not my place to invade.

But it was in my room and everything in my room is something I can invade.

I plug the flash drive into my monitor letting the file download before opening it.

"Katie."Freddie call just as the file finishes loading.My cursor immediately hits the X tab button right before Freddie enters.

"What was that?"He asks as I turn in my chair to see him only to find his eyes locked on my computer.

"School project."I shrug trying to keep my heart from racing at the thought of what would have happened if I got caught.I turn around and pull out the flash drive capping it before putting it in one of my desk drawers.

"Right."He agrees before a pause hits.

"What did you need?"I ask him finally wanting to get rid of the tense air.

"I just wanted to know if you were okay."He asks rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm fine."I stand from my spot turning to stand in the middle of my room.

"You can talk to me,you know that right."He ushers me.I nod my head to him before letting out a breath and sitting in my bed.Freddie follows my actions and sits on my bed next to me.

"I know."I breath out.

"Dads a douche,you know?"He tried to comfort me.

"I wouldn't know,"I admit."I've never spoken to him."

"Mom loved him."

"And he loved her."I tell him."And he loved you."and then I happened and the love was gone.

"You can't always dwell in your own self pity."My brother says just at I fall back and let my mattress hit my back.

"I'm not dwelling."My voice comes off flatter then I thought possible."I'm just thinking about what happened."

"Everything that happened has brought to where we are now."

"Are you reciting poetry?"I ask him his back still what I can see.

"No,but I am trying to condole my sister."He assures.

"I don't need to be consoled."I tell him.

He take in a breathe before getting up to leave.

"I should get going."He says heading towards the door.

"Wait,"I sit up and Freddie stops moving and turns to look at me."Where are you going?"I ask.

"The boys and I are meeting up by the diner near school."He tells me.Before taking his leave.

I throw my head back on pillow letting everything what's happened so far this week sink into my skin.