Chapter 61

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Several years earlier...

(Continuing from Chapter 59)



Finally home after dance practice, I walked in, ready to uncage my feet and exchange my shoes for slippers.

At least, for a while.

Bounding up the stairs, I dumped my bags on my bed and changed out of my dance gear, grimacing as the cool air of my bedroom met the still damp residue of sweat that coated my body.

Clattering from downstairs let me know that Evie wasn't in our shared bathroom, so I hopped into the shower, washing the sticky feeling off of my skin and working a palmful of conditioner into my hair.

Satisfied that I no longer stank, I threw on some lounge clothes and headed to the kitchen.

On the way, I passed the living room, where Evie sat cross-legged on the couch, textbook on her lap, notebook in her hand, confusion on her face.

"Everything okay?"

Evie looked up, then back down, "Um... no?"

"What's wrong?"

She sighed, "The answers say that I should be getting two solutions for this equation - but I'm getting none?"

Coming up behind her, I leaned on the back of the sofa, peering down at her work, "Show me what you've got so far?"

Evie passed the notebook to me, and I straightened up, studying her chicken scratch scrawl. "Oh, I think I found it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I showed it to her, pointing to the exact spot, "you missed a negative. That'll change what's under the radical, and you should be able to solve it now."

"Wh-" she snatched it back, examining the page, "oh, son of a bitch-"

"For what it's worth, the rest of it looked fine."

Throwing her head back, Evie stared at the ceiling, "I swear to the Goddess, I am going to learn a trade just so I never have to take another math class."

Shrugging, I replied, "Hey, the world needs plumbers."

In the kitchen, I filled a glass with ice and water from the refrigerator door. Inside, I stared at the abundant deliciousness that I wasn't allowed to touch.

Fuck it.

Opening the freezer, I took out two of the ice cream bars reserved especially for my dad. I unwrapped one, burying the thin plastic down deep in the trash and taking a grateful bite.

The fragile chocolate shell shattered between my teeth, and the soft, creamy center instantly began to melt on my tongue. I licked my lips before returning to the living room and whatever insanity Evie had playing on the TV.

She glanced over, "Mom's not going to like that."

Taking another bite, I asked, "So, you don't want one?"

Evie snorted, "I never said that."

"That's what I thought." Placing the wrapped treat into her outstretched hand, I went back for my ice water and settled in on the overstuffed armchair that mom had begrudgingly allowed dad to have.

"What the fuck are you watching?"

"No idea. It's some random comedy from the eighties."

"Then why is it on?"

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