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Shit I think I knoho’s waiting on the doorstep I gotta get rid of her, quick

Pushing up fro away so he’s not in the middle of the faer for any length of time Fable is supposed to meet us here with her car before we head to The District for dinner I can’t have her see Mo I need

"What are you doing here?" I say the moment I step out onto the front porch and slalares at edy old jeans, those same damn Nike shoes that have probably been around for ten years and look it, and a freaking T-shirt

It’s like 50 degrees outside She

You don’t care, man You Don’t Care

"It’s been al in an instant, but the hard glare is still in her eyes I’, but it’s so damn hard She’s my mom I always feel like I owe her "I need money, Owen I need a smoke I--I need to come down"

Come down? Shit "I don’t have any weed in the house"

Her mouth hardens "Don’t lie to me You always have weed in the house"

"Not this ti We’re at a standoff and we’re both too stubborn to give in first All I can think is the clock keeps ticking, bringing us closer to Fable showing up here soon, and Chelsea co in search offirst

"I don’t haveless hours at work"

Her mouth drops open "Why would you do that?"

"Football season is eating intoto pretend you care about school, huh? You can tell me the truth I kno you really feel"

"Yeah, when I was fifteen and alanting to skip," I say, glancing behindroom but no Chelsea yet Hopefully he’ll distract her for ed You’re the sa to hug me, and I step out of the way, shocked that she’d do it I can’t remember the last time she’s touched me with any sort of affection

Her arms drop at her sides, her mouth turned into a deep frown "Come on, Owen Give me some money I need at least twenty dollars I have nowhere else to go"

She al to cry, but I don’t remember the last time I saw her do that either--if ever So I call bullshit on the pathetic act "You need to go, Mo out here"

Her eyes narrow "Why not? You got so on?"

"I don’t have any weed on me, I swear" I really don’t After I flushed the first joint down the toilet, I got rid of the rest I haven’t had a sht at the hotel with Chelsea Whatever Wade

"What about your rooo ask him what you have I remember that boy, you know I used to talk to his e around rab the door handle but I’ainst the handle

"Wade’s mom took care of me when you couldn’t," I remind her "She’s definitely not a snob"

"That was your sister’s deal, not mine She’s the one who always passed you off on that wo around to worry about her baby brother" Mout "Don’t talk about her like that"

"I can talk about her any way I want She’s hter Not that she kno to act like one" Mo right off the porch I lunge for her, grabbing her by the elbows so I can set her back on her feet

It happens so fast, she takes total advantage, darting beneath ht for the door I run after her, slap s on the handle, putting all her weight into it, though that’s not much She’s like a shadow of her old self Thin and frail-looking, her fried blond hair wispy and dry, her jeans bag off her body, and when I get close to her, I realize she smells Bad

"I want to talk to your rooht into tugging the door handle again "Stop trying to block , Mom?" I wince She doesn’t really like it when I call her Mo

"What do you care?" She tosses over her shoulder "I don’t have a home Not that it matters to you or that bitch sister of yours"

"Stop insulting Fable I can’t stand it"

"Good, because I can’t stand her and I can’t stand you! Always passing your judg like you’re so uire You andat her in disbelief She’s expressing everything I’ve alorried about but never put into actual words Hearing her actually say it is …

Devastating

"No we’re not," I protest weakly, but she laughs

Actually laughs

"Oh yes, we are It’s why I loved you best You’re just liketo end up like oals, no success Every time you build yourself up, someone will kick you back down That’s what always happens They’ve all held ave ive you one, either"

I try to fight against her words but it’s hard So hard I feel like I’ain She used to scare the hell out ofme and Fable and whoever happened to be the boyfriend of the month It was always so her up only to spit her out

We saw it happen tiain, to the point where Fable tried to run away more than once, the suh We don’t talk about a lot of stuff Those types of otten

"And if you think you can find love, you’ve got to be kidding" When I open ain "I saw you co all over your ar at you like you’re her hero You’re nobody’s hero Does your stupid little girlfriend know you s but a worthless drug addict? That you give me all the weed and money that I want? That you hide me from all your friends and your sister because you’re ashamed of me? You should be ashamed of yourself Youabout" The words come out stiff I don’t even sound like irlfriend," I tell her, because that’s the last thing I want Moht even … even approach Chelsea