Deadpan and Frivolous

Chapter 20

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KYLIE POV 

I huff in annoyance and sit up in my bed. I've been tossing and turning all night and I can't sleep! I look at my clock and see it's five in the morning. I get up and go downstairs. I go into the kitchen to make myself a hot chocolate, but gasp and jump back when I see someone else in the kitchen.

"Jesus Christ, Mom! You scared me!" I say with a hand over my heart.

My mother scowls at me. "Language, Kylie." I nod and walk over to the sink, fill the kettle with water, then put it on the burner, switching it on.  "What are you doing up this early on a Saturday?"

I glance at her then turn and grab a mug out of the cabinet. "I could ask you the same thing. You don't have to work today."

My mom sighs. "I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," I say. The kettle starts whistling, and a turn and move it to a cool burner, switching the hot burner off. I grab the chocolate mix and put some in the mug and add the water.

"So, what do you have planned for today?" My mother curiously asks. 

"I don't know. I might have Jess over." I shrug.

My mom nods. "How are you and Luke?"

I sigh. "We're good." 

The truth is, I feel like he's still hiding something.  Having such thoughts makes me feel awful because I'm dwelling on this. I'm his girlfriend, so I should trust him!

My mother gives me a questioning look. "You sure?"

I nod. "Yeah."  After all, I could just be paranoid. At least, I hope that's all it is. 

"Okay." She says, still unconvinced.

I walk out of the kitchen and go into the living room. I sit down on the couch with my feet up on the coffee table, a habit I picked up from my Dad, flipping through the channels. My Mother joins me on the couch and we eventually settle on a cartoon.

As I'm watching the cartoon,  I can't help but feel a pang of sadness. We used to watch cartoons as a family all the time when my Dad was with us, and it makes me realize how much we've drifted apart.

"Hey, Mom?" I ask.

"Yes, sweetie?" My mom looks at me and gives me a warm smile.

"You wanna do something today?" I ask.

My mom looks at me with shock evident on her face. "Really?"

I nod. "Yeah, we never do anything together anymore."

My mom smiles. "Sure." 

I smile back at her and get up from my spot on the couch. "I'm gonna go get ready."

My mom follows my lead and gets up. "Alright, I'm going to get ready as well."

I go upstairs and go into my bedroom. I put on a pair of skinny jeans and an oversized sweater. I throw on a pair of vans. I put my hair in a ponytail and walk back downs the stairs where my Mom was already waiting for me.

"So, where do you want to go?" I ask.

My mom slips on her shoes and shrugs. "I don't know. Want to go shopping, then get some lunch after?"

I nod. "Sounds good." I smile.

My mom yells up the stairs to my Brother and tells him we're going out and that we'll be back sometime later. 

We head out of the house and get in the car, we start driving with the mall as our destination.

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My mom and I sit down in the food court, our bags surrounding our chairs, and we sigh in relief. 

"Well, that was tiring." My mom points out.

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, it was."

I take a bite into the pizza we bought and I hold back a moan. It's the best pizza I have ever tasted.

"So, how is Luke and his family? I haven't talked to his mother in a couple of weeks."

"Luke's good but he's been acting a little... stressed lately. His Mother and Father are doing good." I say.

"And his brother?" She asks.

I almost choke on my pizza right then and there. "You...you know about his brother?"

My mother gives me a look that says I'm extremely stupid. "Luke's mother and I have been best friends since high school. How could I not know about him?"

Well, I feel stupid. "Umm, he's doing good."

My mother starts to open her mouth then closes it as if she's choosing her words carefully. "Have you met him?"

"Yes." I give her a questioning look.

"Did he talk to you?"

"Yes," I smile. "He was shy at first, though."

"Yeah, I can imagine." She says.

"Do you know how he got like that?" I ask.

"Yes, he was going through a tough time. Jack started drinking and he got in a car accident. After that, he turned to drugs, and he almost overdosed." She explains. "Jack's the way he is because he almost died. The drugs did something to his brain."

I nod. "But what made him turn to drugs?"

I know I already asked Luke these questions, but I'm hoping she'll give away a little more information than he did.

"He killed someone when he got in the car accident." My mother looks down.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Who did he kill?"

My mom's eyes widen before she takes a long sip of her water and starts to eat her pizza, avoiding eye contact with me.

Okay, now I know something is up. 

"Mom?" I question. "Who did he kill?"

She sighs and puts down her slice of pizza. "Honey, I really think that this is something you should find out from Luke."

I roll my eyes. "I already tried that," I whine. "Mom, I need answers."

"And that is okay," She starts. "But I really don't think it is my place to tell you."

I narrow my eyes at her. "No, I am sick and tired of being in the dark. I want to know."

My mom looks down at her hands nervously. "It was...your Father."

I gasp and my hand flies to my mouth. I shake my head with tears in my eyes. I get up from my chair and start backing away from the table. 

"No," I deny. "Luke would never hide something like that from me." 

My mom stands up and takes a step toward me. "Honey-"

"No!" I sob. "I need some air."

I run away from my mom until I'm outside, not caring about the weird looks I get from people in the mall and the parking lot.

 When I'm outside, I keep running. As I run away from everything my mom just told me, there is only one thought going through my head.

How could Luke keep this from me?

How could he?