Page 13 of Roar for Me
Never again.
He hadn’t been enough for his parents.
He hadn’t been enough for Mariah.
He’d never be enough for anyone.
It was better for him to be alone.
It was best for his son.
Aurora walked into the hallway to find Katie packed and waiting. Her own bag with her change of clothes hung on her shoulder. “Oh great, you’re ready too!”
“Almost! Someone promised me pizza money.”
“It’s in my purse. Let’s get it before I forget.” Aurora led Katie down the stairs to where her purse waited in the hall. “You know, we really need to talk about college. You should be thinking about where you want to go.”
“But Mom …” Katie whined.
“I don’t want you to miss your window of opportunity.”
It was the same conversation every time. Aurora shook her head as she pulled two five-dollar bills out of her wallet. When she looked up, Katie was fidgeting, her gaze averted.
“Kiddo, what’s wrong?”
“I … I …” Katie’s face puckered and grew red. Then she threw her arms around her mother and held on for dear life “I don’t want to talk about it. Please?”
“Okay, okay. It’s alright.” Aurora hugged Katie back and rubbed her back in soothing circles as tears soaked into her shirt. Where were these dramatics coming from? “Whatever it is, you can tell me, Katie-bear.”
Her childhood nickname seemed to calm the tears, and she mumbled into Aurora’s shoulder.
“What was that?”
She lifted her tear-stained face but couldn’t hold her mother’s gaze. “I don’t want to leave you, too.”
Aurora held her closer, her jaw clenched. She was so much like Jeff it was scary. He’d always put her first. Now their daughter was doing it, too. Everything was backwards. When was the last time she’d taken time for herself? Maybe that was why Katie was so worried about her not having fun and pushed her into doing the gala.
“You don’t have to move away to go to college. You could commute from here. Nothing would change.”
Katie said nothing but squeezed tighter. Something wasn’t right. Now was not the time to press her for answers, though. They were going to be late. Aurora patted Katie’s back, and they released each other.
“Why don’t we talk about it later, after you get home tomorrow? We’ve got parties to get to. Let’s go.”
Snap! Ping! Snap!
Aurora ducked her head as a rubber band fight raged around her. Brendan and Duncan were only two kids of several who were taking advantage of the substitute teacher leaving the room. All she wanted was to do her assignment so she could start the new Star Wars novel tonight. Jen had loaned it to her, and she was dying to read it. And the rest of her class insisted on acting like children.
“Ow!” Her hand spasmed as she took a shot to her writing hand.
“Gotcha!” Duncan laughed.
She glowered up at him, her patience worn thin. Most of Duncan’s shots had been ather.
For forty minutes, she’d endured this class’s shenanigans. One more measly workbook page stood between her and Jedi tales tonight, and she’dhadit. Her eyes bore holes into her target as the thick hair tie slipped from her wrist down to her fingers. Duncan’s mouth dropped in shock as she drew back and took aim. SNAP! Right in the—
“That’s enough, Miss Wilson! I’m writing this up for your teacher!”
She’d been so focused on her one shot, she’d completely missed the sub’s return. She bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from growling. At this point, she wasn’t even surprised she was on her way to another detention. Glaring at Duncan’s back, she forced her sore hand to hold her pencil long enough to finish the assignment. Duncan was hellbent on ruining her life, and she wished she never had to see him again.
