Page 85 of Break Points and Face Offs

“Everything okay over there?”

“Yeah, it’s good. Just wanted to check in.”

I ask her about the kids and Dad and work.

“How’s your friend, Priestley?” Ma asks when she’s finished telling me about the new kid in her class who’s having trouble fitting in.

“He’s good.”

She must hear something in my tone because she presses.

“I like him,” I admit.

She’s quiet for a second and my heart drops. “What? You don’t like him?”

“No, honey I was just suppressing my squeal. Didn’t want to be ‘cringe.’”

I snort. “When have I ever called you cringe?”

“Not you, those little devils you call siblings.” She laughs. “So, what’s the problem, hon? He seemed to like you back. He came all the way here with you, didn’t he? To sleep in a basement? Don’t tell me if he didn’t sleep in the basement, I don’t wanna know.”

“He slept in the basement, Ma.”

“Because you know I support you having a healthy sex life, so long as you use protection⁠—”

I’ve been groaning to drown her out since she said the word sex.

“You’re so easy to rattle.”

“Ma.”

“Sorry.” The sound of chair legs scraping across tiles paints the picture of her getting up to pace around the house while we talk.

“You’re not gonna ruin the pie are you?”

“Don’t worry about the damn pie. Tell me about this boy.”

So I tell her—the PG version, obviously. Ma might be embarrassingly immune to the fact I’ve been having sex since I was a teenager, but she doesn’t need details.

“So you guys have been … spending time together … dating?”

“Yeah, sort of.”

“Kisses on Ferris wheels kind of seems like dating.”

“Yeah, it does.” I smile at the memory.

“So what’s the problem?”

My mood sours. “He’s my rival.”

Ma laughs.

“So what?”

“So … how am I supposed to date someone who wants to take me down? Or be happy for him if he succeeds in taking me down?”

“It’s just a stupid leaderboard. Who cares?”