AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Daddy isn’t gone. I’m sure he just went to get some food or something. He’ll be home when I get there.
Daddy isn’t gone. He just can’t be gone.
* * *
I hate reliving those bad memories. But if I’m being honest, I can barely remember any good memories. I can barely remember what Dad looks like. I don’t even have a single picture of him. Mom took all the pictures down. I don’t know what she did with them.
Finally making my way downstairs, I notice a note on the counter from Mother.
Paisley,
I’ll be gone for a few days. I’d better not hear about you fucking around with any boys or making a fool out of yourself. That shit reflects back on me, and I won’t have it. You know the consequences if you do.
* * *
Thirty minutes later and I’m walking up to the front door to the school. The guys are off to the side and having a conversation between themselves. I shouldn’t eavesdrop.
But is it really eavesdropping if they are signing the conversation?
I shake that thought out of my mind. I walk right past them after making eye contact with all four of them.
Getting through English is hard. I know all of my guys, especially Luca and Atlas, have been drilling holes into me with their eyes for most of the class.
Wait!Myguys?! It’s not like you own them, or even have any type of connection.
But it’s taking everything in me not to turn around and stare right back at them.
Focusing back on the teacher, I notice that he is dismissing us to discuss our semester assignment with our partners. Sighing, I turn around and look at Luca and Atlas. I give them a deadpan look, and we start signing back and forth.
“So, are we still on for next week in the library?”Luca signs to me questioningly.
I sign back,“Yep. I still haven't been able to tell Mother though. She isn’t actually in town right now, and I don’t know when she’ll be back. If she isn’t back in time, I’ll leave a note for her.”
“Where did she go?”
Shrugging, I sign,“I honestly have no clue. Nor do I care. I get a reprieve, so I’m going to take it and not ask questions.”
“Can we please talk about the bruise?” he signs to me.
“I told you to leave it alone!” I sign angrily with a glare.
“Yeah, well, not happening. I know it’s a handprint. I care for you. So do all of my brothers. Let us help you,”Luca signs.
“I told you I just slipped down the stairs. Nothing happened. End of story. Please can we talk about the assignment? I need to get good grades on these assignments. Please,”I sign with my eyes all big, looking like a puppy.
“Fine. But that conversation is not over yet. I will get you to tell me what happened, Paisley,” Luca signs with his lips in a tight line and his eyes furrowed.
Luca and I turn toward Atlas, and we all work on a bit of the outline for the first assignment. We decide that it would be better to work on the smaller, more detailed parts at the library.
When I hear the bell signaling class is over, my body relaxes. I didn’t even realize I was tense, but it makes sense. It’s still bad for me to be around guys. Mom gets one whiff of this, even though it is for school, and I’ll never hear or feel the end of it at home.
I grab all my things, shove them in my bag, and run away from the guys without glancing their way. I don’t even give Atlas a chance to catch up to me on the way to our second period.
CHAPTER13
ATLAS
Sittingbehind her in class gives me a little advantage, as I can see almost everyone who looks at her, but the disadvantage is I can’t see her face. Her beautiful face.
