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“Girls love drama,” said Caleb, grinning at me strangely. “Don’t they, Milla?”
“I guess? What exactly are you talking about? If it’s about the party, wouldn’t it be better to ask your dad?”
“He doesn’t need to know everything,” Noah stated softly. “Besides, everyone loves drama. That’s the best way to make a party memorable.”
“What exactly are you guys planning?” I asked.
“It’s a surprise,hon,” Caleb said in a high-pitched voice, mimicking my mom.
“Don’t you dare play a prank on my mom,” I hissed, glaring at each of them.
“Why do you think we’d do that?” said Noah. “Your submission has kept her off our hit list. You pay for her sins.”
Mysubmission?I balked at the word but quietly swallowed my indignation like bitter poison.
The waiter returned with a massive tray filled with food. The dishes covered the entire table and looked enough to feed a dozen people, not just four.
I picked up a mammoth burger with three patties packed between the buns. My stomach groaned at the sight.This is going to get messy, I thought giddily as my eyes took in the cheese and other fillings.
Over the next half hour, our table went quiet as we devoured the food. They ate fast, finishing their burgers in a few bites.
“It’s taking you forever to finish,” said Caleb, grabbing French fries and shoving a handful into his mouth. “Hurry up or there will be nothing left for you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, taking sips of my delicious brownie milkshake. “I’ll be lucky to finish what I have on my plate.”
Caleb rolled his eyes and Noah shook his head.
Despite their jabs, I enjoyed the food immensely. It’d been a while since I had an appetite to eat so much.
A sliver of surprise shot through me. I should be too scared and anxious to be eating with these guys, but somehow, I felt weirdly happy with them.
I’m totally fucked up, I realized, taking another big bite of my burger and smearing melted cheese and sauce all over my mouth.
24
Camilla
I woke up to my mom’s gentle voice. Opening my eyes, I looked at her, sitting at the edge of my bed with Brian standing near her.
“Morning, kiddo,” said Brian, lifting his coffee mug in a salute. He was still in his PJs with a loose robe hanging from his shoulders.
“Hey,” I mumbled, sitting up. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to wake you up early,” said Mom. “With the party happening later in the evening, we’ve got to prep early. You and I are going to a spa and then, coming back here to do our hair and makeup.”
I looked at her closely, noticing the deep circles around her eyes. She usually hid them well with makeup.
“Did you sleep well, Mom?” I asked in a grim tone.
“Yep!” She smiled, but I could see she was forcing it.
I looked toward Brian and caught him staring at my mother worriedly. My heart went out to him. He was taking care of her by himself without letting anyone worry.
My heart swelled with gratitude toward this man. He was so good and kind to my mom and me, bearing a heavy burden all by himself. He was protecting me even though he didn’t have to.
I wondered why Noah, Caleb, and Corey couldn’t see this. Why did they love their mom so much that they’d keep on hating their dad?
Their hate was so black, they were blinded by it.
