Situationship [Complete]

26 | It Hurts

I shouldn't have popped off on Teagan like that, but I didn't want to tell her the truth.

Sex aside, she doesn't know what the weekend meant to me—how much it helped me separate myself from all of this shit. But sometimes, she's just like the guys, self-interested and unbothered. The minute I think she gives a shit about me, she makes it clear she doesn't. One minute, she seems open to listening, then shuts me down the next.

She has her limits and I understand. We've known each other too long for me not to know why she acts the way she does. She loves to remind me there's nothing between us but sex, and I'll respect that, but I just want . . . Ugh. 

I don't know what I want exactly. I'm spinning around in feelings I shouldn't have because I'd rather feel anything but this.

My heart is still pounding when I drive up the pathway to the house. Mom's last message was the biggest red flag in the world, and she hasn't responded since. 

I pull up at the front door and Silas approaches. When I climb out, I ask him, "Is Dad here?"

"Not right now," he answers.

He reaches for my keys, but I stop him. "I'm going to leave it here. I won't be long."

His wrinkled mouth frowns, but he nods in acknowledgment. He always reads my subtext.

Mom seemed off before we left for Vegas. I couldn't get her to tell me what was going on. All she wanted to talk about was the dress she was wearing to their charity gala, who designed it, the color, everything. That would have seemed normal if the gala hadn't happened a month ago.

I tried to convince myself I was wrong, that there must have been another gala I didn't know about, but when we landed, I had a message from her that said he's making me go back.

Inside, I find Mom standing in the atrium, watering her flowers. She seems okay, but she always seems better when he's not around. She flinches with surprise when she sees me. A big smile spreads across her face. "Heath!" she raises her arms to welcome me into them.

I run to her and hug her tight. "Are you okay?"

"What? Yes. Of course I am." She holds my face in her hands. "What is wrong, my darling?"

"Your messages."

Her head tilts. "Messages?"

"You were talking about your dress for the gala. The red one with the one shoulder." I grab my phone from my pocket and pull up the press image of her and Dad. "This one?"

"Yes! Wasn't it lovely?"

"This is from last month."  I watch her eyes narrow with confusion. "You were messaging me about it on Friday."

"Yes . . ." Her eyes drop from mine. "I don't . . . I don't know why I sent that."

My heart sinks again. "Mom, tell me the truth. Are you taking pills again?" She still won't look at me. I take her face in my hands to make her. "Mom, please. You have to stop doing this to yourself."