Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39

Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39
Amy got to the house before we did, her car situated in its usual spot. I spared a glance to her room. The window closed, blinds down, but tilted just enough to peek. A shadow shifted.

She's watching.

I knew she'd be curious. And she won't be happy once she sees who it is.

But it appeared Amy wasn't the only one peaking through the window. As soon as Cross parked, the front door swung open. My mother appeared in the doorway with a beaming smile.

"Hello there!" she chirped, her voice teeming with excitement.

Cross waved with equal enthusiasm. And now I wanted to hide. Cross avoiding my mom became impossible, especially when he decided to carry all my things inside. We looked like new parents returning home from giving birth at the hospital: bags, a baby, and an overly affectionate father.

"Mom, this is Cross he's the..boy I told you was my partner yesterday," I said vaguely.

"My, you're so handsome," she gushed. "And so strong carrying all those things! Come in, come in!"

It wasn't even that much, but of course Mom was focused on his muscles rather than the weight of what he was carrying.

Mom stalled behind and whispered in secrecy."You avoided telling me about him last night, but tonight you better spill everything!"

Inside, Cross rested the bags on the counter. With natural ease he engaged my mom in conversation, telling her how long we've known each other and that we're close friends, not just 'health class partners'. He even made her laugh, sharing old stories of us I barely remembered. I didn't understand his need to explain all this to her-which of course she was eating up like warm soup. All fine until he ventured way left.

"...so I wanted to ask for your permission to bring Clara over this Friday. My mom's cooking dinner and she's been wanting to meet her. I'll bring her back before it's too late, of course."

My eyes bulged. He did not run this by me!

"Of course!" Mom placed a hand over her heart, touched by his 'consideration'. I could practically see the gears turning in her head-boyfriend. "This sounds more serious that Clara made it seem..." she allowed her thoughts to trail suggestively. waiting for Cross to fill in the blanks.

"I’m very serious about your daughter," Cross replied. "Im giving her time to decide if this is something she wants.'

"Of course she will consider," Mom emphasized, surprised I was uncertain about such a handsome, dedicated, and thoughtful boy. Then, she pursed her lips in thought. "Now that I think of it, she did have a boy that broke her heart some time ago..."

"Oh, Kevin?" Cross supplied. My mother leaned in with interest and Cross didn't disappoint. "I warned Clara he was bad from the beginning. I was the one who caught him kissing another girl the same day he confessed to her. I had my eye out to cut him off right away."

Mom gasped, whirling from all the extra information Cross was telling her that I hadn't. I shook my head behind her, warning Cross. He only grinned while she gathered herself. If only she knew he was the reason Kevin kissed that girl, and that the girl was no one other than Little Miss Pretty Princess upstairs.

But no way was I opening that can of worms.

"Aww, you've been protecting her all this time!" Mom crushed Cross into a hug.

Cross hugged her back, looking immensely pleased. He shot me a wink behind her shoulder.

I cleared my throat. "Um...I think Cross has to go now, Mom. He's sweaty from practice and probably wants to shower."

"Oh, I didn't mean to keep you!"

"You didn't keep me at all," Cross reassured. "I've been wanting to meet Cross's mom for a long time."

"Call me Candace," she insisted. "I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you."

Mom waved as I grabbed Cross by the shirt and dragged him to the door.

"What the heck was that?!" I hissed under my breath. Cross kissed my forehead, completely unashamed.

He smoothed my hair over my shoulders calmly, like he hadn't just dropped an emotional bomb in my kitchen. A bomb I now had to carefully deactivate before my mom went off the wall telling all her friends.

"I'll call you later tonight to check on our son," he said, kissing my forehead again. "Goodbye, babe."

I watched Cross leave with a rising sense of trepidation.

Me?

Meeting his mom?

...in two days?!

"Aww, you're already missing him and he's just left," Mom cooed behind me, completely misreading my stilled stance in the doorway.

I shut the door. "I am not ready to meet his mom."

Mom waved at my troubled countenance. "Don't be worried. He met me today-and I know that was his idea because knowing you I wouldn't have met him until next year."

She clasped my hand and led me upstairs. I could feel the questions radiating from her.

"I need to shower," I said, vainly trying to delay the interrogation.

"That's fine. I'll sit in the bathroom while you tell me all the details." She wiggled her brows expectantly.

Mom kept true to her word. She followed me to the bathroom and sat right on the toilet, firing question after question while I shampooed. Namely how Cross treated me and how this "relationship" developed.

"Honestly, he and I were strictly friends until recently. I think the makeover played a part in him seeing me differently."

Mom hummed, unconvinced. "I don't know.. sounds like you trying to date other boys is what set him off."

I poked my head out, conditioner dripping down my arm. "Now you're just assuming things."

"I saw his face when I brought up that Kevin boy" she countered. "Pure jealousy! That's probably why he rushed to get Kevin out of the picture before things got serious."

"Maybe," I conceded. She doesn't even know the other half with Jacob. But there was no point trying to convince her otherwise when I couldn't tell her all the grimy details.

"Based on his history I question if I'm actually his type. He's talked to a lot of other girls and it never amounted to anything. I don't want to get invested if he's going to get bored later. If it doesn't work out things will get awkward in our friend group."

Mom crossed her arms. "These other girls, did he give them his jersey?"

"No. But it's just a shirt"

"Did he drive them home and meet their mom?"

"He's never driven a girl anywhere, but-”

"Did he pursue any of them the way he's pursuing you?"

"Well, no. But…"

"Has he invited any of them over to meet his mother?"

"Of course not! It's just that…"

"Honey." Mom gave me that look. "He really likes you. I'd be shocked if he wasn't in love with you already!" she insisted, eyes sparkling the way they did when she watched a Hallmark movie. "I think you should give him a chance. A boy doesn't put this much effort into someone he's unsure about. Trust me."

I combed through a knot in my hair. She did make a point. Cross was treating me differently. Very differently. I could acknowledge that. But she didn't know the whole story. Cross had a reputation. I downplayed his history for the sake of not airing his dirty laundry, but the reality was problematic.

"I think I'll fully trust him once I know everything about his past. And once I go through his phone."

"His phone?" Mom's nose scrunched. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"If there's nothing to hide then it shouldn't be a problem," I said plainly. "He can look through mine too."

One check. Just once, to see if he was serious. If I didn't find anything incriminating, then I could give us a chance without reservations.

By the end of our talk, Mom convinced me that Friday was the perfect day for an honest conversation. In his home, away from friends, he'd be more comfortable opening up about his past. She reminded me that no matter what he confessed I couldn't be judgmental. If I was, he'd shut down and might never try to open up again.

Larissa…

Later that evening, I typed her name into the search bar. Countless Larissas showed up. Impossible to find one girl without a last name, or a face to pair her with.

With a frustrated sigh, I locked my phone and stared into the ceiling. Mom was right. It was better to hear it directly from Cross than to spiral over guesses.

Until Friday, then.