:
My feet carried me away from the dining room before my brain caught up. I could hear chairs scraping behind me as my family reacted to my outburst.
“Avery!” Dad’s voice boomed from the table. “Get back here right now!”
I kept walking toward the stairs, my heart pounding in my cars.
“Young lady, if you take one more step, there will be serious consequences!”
I paused at the bottom of the stairs. My hand gripped the banister. I could go up to my room like I always did when I was upset.
But that would look like defiance. Like the attitude they were always accusing me of having.
I needed a different plan.
I turned sharply and headed toward the downstairs bathroom instead. The small one near the kitchen that guests used.
“Young lady!” Mom’s voice joined Dad’s. “Come back here this instant!”
I pushed open the bathroom door and slammed it shut behind me. My hands were shaking as I turned the lock.
“She’s being completely unreasonable,” I heard Dad say from the dining room.
“Where did this attitude come from?” Mom asked. “She was doing so well.”
I leaned against the bathroom door, trying to steady my breathing. I needed to think fast. Come up with a story that would get me out of trouble.
“Maybe I should go check on her,” Ava’s voice drifted through the door.
“No,” Dad said firmly. “She needs to come back on her own and apologize.”
“But Dad, she seemed really upset. Like something was wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong except her behavior.”
I turned on the faucet full blast. Let the water run loudly while I tried to figure out what to do next.
The sound of running water would give me time to think. And it would make it seem like I was actually using the bathroom.
“She did have stomach problems at school today,” Ava said from the dining room. “She was in the bathroom for a really long time at lunch.”
I heard Mom’s voice soften slightly. “Stomach problems?”
18:44 Thu, Jan 1
Chapter 18
“Yeah. She said she felt sick. That’s why she was quiet during classes too after lunch.”
My sister was actually helping me. Without even knowing it.
I splashed cold water on my face. The shock of it helped clear my head. I needed to sell this story.
I flushed the toilet even though I hadn’t used it. Let the sound echo through the small bathroom.
“Maybe she really is sick,” Mom said. “That would explain the mood swings.”
“Sick kids don’t slam tables and storm off,” Dad replied. “They ask to be excused politely.”
“But if she was feeling bad and couldn’t think straight…”
34
I could hear them debating through the thin bathroom door. Ava was doing most of the defending while my parents went back and forth.
“She’s been acting strange again all week,” Dad said. “This isn’t just about being sick.”
“I think she’s been trying really hard to be good,” Ava said. “Maybe the pressure got to her.”
“What pressure? We haven’t put any pressure on her.”
I almost laughed at that. No pressure. Right.
I turned off the faucet and dried my face with the hand towel. Took a deep breath and practiced looking sick.
I could do this. I’d gotten good at pretending these days anyway.
I unlocked the bathroom door and opened it slowly. Walked back toward the dining room with my hand pressed to my stomach.
All three of them looked up when I appeared in the doorway.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“What was that about?” Dad asked, his voice still angry.
“My stomach started cramping really bad. I had to get to the bathroom fast.”
“You couldn’t say excuse me first?”
“I thought I was going to be sick right there at the table. I didn’t want to throw up on everyone’s food.”
Mom’s expression softened. “Are you feeling better now?”
“A little. Still crampy though.”
“Maybe you’re getting the flu,” Ava said. “You were in the bathroom forever at school too.”
“Yeah. I’ve felt off all day.”
18:44 Thu, Jan 1
Chapter 18
Dad studied my face. “That still doesn’t excuse hitting the table.”
🙂)
34
“I know. I’m really sorry about that. When the cramp hit, I grabbed the table for support. I didn’t mean to hit it so hard.”
It wasn’t completely a lie. I had grabbed the table. Just not for the reason I was claiming.
“Well,” Mom said, “if you’re really sick, maybe you should go lie down.”
“I think I will. Can I finish my dinner later?”
“Of course, sweetheart. Do you want some ginger ale?”
“Maybe in a little bit.”
I started walking toward the stairs, still holding my stomach.
“Avery,” Ava called after me.
I turned around.
“I hope you feel better. And I’m sorry if talking about that story upset you. I know you don’t like when people are mean about writing.”
She was giving me an out. A reason for why I’d gotten defensive that had nothing to do with the story being about me. Even though in reality, she wanted me to admit I was upset because of it but I wasn’t giving her that chance.
“Thanks. I just think people should be nicer about other people’s feelings.” I said.
“You’re right. I’ll try to be more understanding next time.”
Mom smiled at Ava. “That’s very mature of you, sweetie.”
“Avery’s always been sensitive about people being mean,” Ava continued. “Even when we were little, she’d get upset when kids made fun of others.”
“That’s true,” Mom said. “She’s always had a soft heart.”
I nodded and headed upstairs to my room. Once I closed the door, I collapsed on my bed.
That was too close. Way too close.
But I’d managed to turn it around. Made it about being sick instead of being defensive about the story.
18:44 Thu, Jan 1
C
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
