Chapter Thirteen continued...

My mother stops mid-sentence when she sees me and James is standing by the entrance. I hastily wipe the tears rolling down my face onto my sleeve. I hadn't realized I'd been crying so much.

My mother is in yoga pants, her gym bag is hanging over her shoulder, and her mat is tucked under her arms. She scrutinizes James then turns to look at me.

"Oh, you're right here." She says.

I clear my throat and stare down at my feet. I don't want her to see the grief in my eyes. "He's on his way out."

Her timing couldn't have been more perfect. She always arrived around this time after Sunday morning yoga. There was no better way to end a conversation than to bring your mother into it. And this conversation didn't need to go any further. James had admitted it. He's guilty and he's realizing the conversation is over as well.

"Good. I'm new at this but I'm sure having boys over alone in the house is against the rules of grounding." She smiles at me, but her eyes are piercing. "But since he's here. Would you like to stay for breakfast?"

My mom gives him her most charming smile. The one she used when attempting to get out of speeding ticket or wanted extra samples at chocolate shops. It's all dimples and flirtation. And it's incredibly embarrassing and makes me nauseous.

"Thank you, ma'am. But I have church with my family." He gives my mother his own charming smile, but it only churns my stomach. " My mother cringes at his use of ma'am.

James's eyes bore into mine. Then he says in a hush toned though I know my mom is listening to every word.

"Remember what I said. Think about Ari." Then he lets himself out.

"Cute boy." My mother comments.

I groan.

"What?" My mother says in exasperation. "I'm just saying. Are you to...?"

"No! Please, stop! He's Ari's boyfr...." I can't make myself say it. I grab her shoulders and try to direct her towards her bedroom.

"Oh?" Her eyebrows rise and her voice is full of innuendo.

My attempt to corral her into another room fails. She plants her feet and heads towards the living room. She messily places her bag on the couch and her mat on the table. Then she gives me a knowing smile. I think I know where she is about to go with her next statement, but she throws me completely off.

"Why are Kris and Katie hiding behind my couch?" She asks.

Of all the times for her to choose to be observant. Kris and Kate stand up from their perspective hiding places. They wave.

"It's nothing. They're helping me." I say.

She looks between the three of us. It's one of those times I'm not sure how much she understands. Parents are strange or at least mine is. Sometimes my mother is clueless and way off base like her implying James and I were a thing. Gross.

Then there are other times she knew exactly what I was up to. No matter how sneaky I was she always seemed to know. I like to call it the been-there-done-that effect. I doubted she'd been in a situation like this. I'm not so sure what she is thinking, I only hope she isn't going to ground me further.

"Alrighty then." She says. I'm thankful she has decided to drop it. "Are you two staying for breakfast?"

"No, but thank you," Katie speaks up. "Kris and I have plans with our boyfriends."

"Then it's just me and you, Sweetie."

 I nod my head but don't move. Neither do Kris or Katie. My mom pauses then seems to get it.

"Alrighty, I'll be in the other room. Making breakfast." She smiles then walks into the kitchen. I eye her suspiciously. I know she is planning on eavesdropping.

"Let me walk you guys out," I say.

 Kris and Katie nod. When we get outside and close the door behind us Kris is the first to speak.

"I'm sorry, I should've believed you. I couldn't..."

I put a hand up to stop Kris. "It's okay. You were still willing to help me find the truth. That's all that matters." I lean over and give him a hug.

"I thought James was one of the good ones." He says mournfully.

"Me too."

Kris nods his head.

"So, did you guys get it?" I ask.

"Of course."

Katie holds her phone up. An image of James is frozen in time on her screen.

"We got it from two angles." She smiles proudly.

"Send it to me?" I ask.

"Already sent." She says, then she pockets her phone.

They both turn to leave. Katie makes it halfway down the walkway then stops and walks back towards me.

"Are you sure you want to do this? She might not forgive you. I could do it?" She offers, "She already hates me, for what I did to her."

It's the first time I've heard her acknowledge her past with Ari.

"This is a shoot the messenger situation." She adds. "I can take the bullet."

"I have to do this Katie." I appreciate her offer, but I needed to do it. "If you did this it would only seem callous."

"Okay, if you say so." She turns and I think she is about to leave, but she pivots around again.

"Ari and I were..." Katie pauses, "...complicated. Did she tell you about us? What I did when we were younger?"

"Yeah," I say curiously.

"What did she say?" She asks.

"Uh," I don't understand why she's asking me this. She already knew. I humor her.

"That you were best friends. She told me you spread a nasty rumor about her, because of a boy you guys liked."

"Huh," Katie nods her head thoughtfully. "Is that what she said?"

"What? Is that not true?" I sigh. I couldn't take any more deceptions today.

"No, I think she told you the gist of it." She rubs her chin. "She left out a part, but it doesn't matter."

"What'd she leave out Katie?" She is clearly egging me on. She is leading me and wants me to ask.

She shakes her head. "It's not my place to say. If she'd wanted you to know she would've told you. Maybe one day she will."

Katie turns to leave again. Now, I'm really confused. Again, she turns back around. I roll my eyes at her dramatics but her next words take me aback.

"You don't have to choose between us and her. I'm sorry, I should've noticed sooner. I know I made it difficult for you two before, I won't anymore. And if doesn't work out with Ari, you'll always have us."

"Thanks, Katie. It means a lot. I don't know if I'll have many friends after this." I say.

She huffs. "That's far from true. You're forgetting how likable you are."

"When I'm noticed." I chuckle.

"They're going to notice you now." She smiles wistfully. I think she's going to turn and leave but she doesn't. She looks down at her feet then back up at me.

Then Katie says, "It's okay, you know?"

"What's okay?" Why was she being so cryptic all of a sudden?

"You and Ari...together. It's okay. You need to know that."

"Wait, what Katie? What are you talking about?"

Why was it that everyone was jumping to the same conclusions? It was a dumb rumor, spread by James, the Captain Liar himself.

"I'm not..."

"It's okay." She interrupts me.

"I..."

"It's okay." She repeats again but softer.

I stare back at her in silence. Her eyes are wide and sympathetic. Then she rushes over to me and wraps her arms around me in a hug. Drops of wetness roll down my cheeks and I realize she'd hugged me because I'm crying again. I'm crying and I don't know why. I wipe the tears from my face as I pull away.

Katie is stubborn. Once there is an idea in her head there's no shaking it lose. She starts backing away and waves.

"Good luck."

I watch her as she makes her way to Kris's running car. Kris waves before driving away. She was mistaken about certain things. But Katie was correct about one thing. My classmates were going to notice me.

Only I wasn't sure if it was going to be because they hated me or loved me. Did it matter? Perhaps being seen negatively is better than being invisible.  

TBC...Chapter Fourteen next.

What's she gonna do?