that I fucking hate him for it.
But more than him, I hate myself for letting him take it.
A knock sounds on the door. I startle, biting the pen and my lip.
Ow.
I smother my expression. “Come in.”
Aunt and Uncle walk inside, both of them still wearing their work suits.
When Aunt Blair leans in for a hug, I stand up and remain in her embrace for a bit too long. Beneath the cherry perfume, she has Mum’s scent. Something that resembles cotton candies and summer.
I don’t know why I’m thinking about that right now when I don’t even remember my mum.
Today, I miss her.
I miss the life that I don’t remember.
Reluctantly, I pull away from Aunt and hug Uncle Jaxon. He plants a kiss at the top of my head.
Uncle is classically handsome with brownish blonde hair and cobalt blue eyes.
Although his build is above average, he has a beer belly.
“I called and you didn’t pick up.” Aunt studies my face in that scrutinising way that brings her clients to their knees.
It’s like she’s detecting the lie before I even say it.
“Sorry, I forgot it.”
“I called the school,” she says. “They said you went home?”
“I…” Darn. I didn’t think that far when I left. “I didn’t feel so good.”
Uncle Jaxon looms over me, his forehead creasing. “Are you having palpitations, pumpkin?”
“No.” I force a smile and hope to hell they believe it. “I just had a headache and wanted to come home and rest. Sorry I didn’t call you.”
“We were so worried about you, honey.” Aunt smooths my hair back. “I came home to check on you earlier, but you were asleep.”
“I told you she would be fine.” Uncle chimed in. “Where did you forget your phone?”
“At... school.”
Real classy, Elsa. I’m shooting one freaking lie after the other.
It hurts to lie to them, but I’d rather die than put Aunt and Uncle’s company in jeopardy.
Their names and Aiden fucking King’s name shouldn’t exist in the same sentence.
Aunt continues scrutinising me and checking me up and down like she’s expecting me to collapse any second. “A headache out of nowhere is suspicious. Maybe we should visit Dr Albert.”
“It’s just a headache, Blair,” Uncle says on my behalf.
“Headaches are symptoms for the nastiest diseases, Jaxon.” She scolds.
“One of them is simple fatigue.”