seriously didn’t think that. Some evil little monster in my head planted the thought there.
Right, no question now. My hair is going up. I grab it with both hands and scrape it as tightly as I can off my face—so tightly in fact that I almost rip my hair from my scalp. Ouch. I look in the mirror and cringe. Well, Ryan won’t be under any illusion that I made an effort for him. That’s for sure.
I run down the stairs into the hall where Ryan is waiting by the front door leaning casually against the wall, a lazy cute smile on his face. Stop it.
“Hi Suzy.”
“Hi Ryan. You go to the car and I’ll join you in a sec. I just want to have a quick word with Mom.”
He frowns but doesn’t say anything, just shrugs his shoulders then opens the front door and heads off down the path toward his car.
“Suzy,” admonishes Mom in that special tone of hers. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Suddenly it feels like I’ve stepped back into my old life with Mom having a go at me for everything I do. I wonder if it’s the clothes I’m wearing. They must bring out the tyrant in her. Or am I doing my usual and blowing things out of proportion? I guess I could be. I’ll put it down to these nerves of mine which are messing with my head big time. Not because of my feelings for Ryan, before anyone gets the wrong idea. But because of all this deceit. It doesn’t sit right. And I feel I’m setting myself up for a huge fall.
“What wasn’t?” I reply in the calmest voice I can muster.
“Speaking to Ryan like that.”
“He doesn’t mind. Anyway I need to speak to you and I don’t want him to hear.” She doesn’t look convinced. Oh well not a lot I can do about that now I don’t have time. “Look, if anyone from school phones, like Lori or Guy, please will you tell them I’m sick and asleep in bed?”
Now she really looks cross. She folds her arms and glares at me. And believe me she knows how to glare. Grown men have withered under less.
“Suzy. If you think I’m going to lie for you then think again. I’ve warned you before about playing people off against one another.”
“But Mom you don’t understand. I can go to VC events any time. How often will I get the chance to go to Truck-fest? I’ll tell you. Probably never again seeing as it won’t come back to this area for another five years and who knows where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing by then. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Of course you had a choice. There’s always a choice. You could have told your friends about Truck-fest. They might have wanted to come with you. In fact the club could have changed the date for their picnic so you could all go.” God help me. She’s on a roll. “See Suzy there’s always a choice. And lying shouldn’t be one of them.”
I let out a huge sigh. She just doesn’t get it. Doesn’t get it at all.
“I know what you’re saying, Mom. And I’m really sorry for putting you on the spot like this. But it’s too late to change things now. I’ve already told everyone I’m not well. You don’t want me to lose all my new friends do you? Especially after I’m doing so well at school and everything.” Okay so that’s a bit below the belt but really I have to employ whatever tactics I can. And quickly. Or Ryan might go without me.
She breathes loudly through her nose. If fire comes out of her nostrils it wouldn’t surprise me.
“Just this once. But don’t ask me to do it again. Because you know what the answer will be.”
“Thanks Mom. You’re the best.” I fling my arms around her and give her a big kiss on the check. “See you later. Love you.”
Chapter Nineteen
I run down the path to Ryan’s car, a white Ford I think. Though I could be totally wrong as apart from Minis I suck when it comes to identifying cars. Whatever, it’s certainly seen better days that’s for sure. Unlike Guy’s brand new one. Not that I’m comparing the two. As far as I’m concerned, as long as the car gets me from one place to another without breaking down I don’t care whether it’s new or old—but don’t tell Guy I said that because