"You've got an ego problem."
"Only with you." He chuckles, then yawns.
"Do I bore you?" I ask.
"Not at all," he says, stroking my hair. "It's just ... I don't sleep too well. And I'm so relaxed and content my body is ready to crash."
I lean up on my elbows. "So sleep."
"Here?"
"Sure. My mom won't be home until late." I start to get up, to leave him my whole bed so he could sleep in peace.
"Don't leave me," he says. "Lie next to me." He pulls me down with him. "You're so different," he says almost to himself.
"Don't say that," I tell him, looking away. I want to keep the false fantasy that I'm the same as other girls, at least for a little while.
"Different in a good way." His brows furrow. "A really good way."
Then he pulls me tight against him. We're spooned together as if we've been dating for years. We're even sharing the pillow I've slept on since I was ten. The last thing I remember before waking up is Caleb's slow, rhythmic breathing behind me as he falls into slumber.
But now I hear the front door open and I'm fully awake. "Caleb, wake up. My mom's home."
It takes him a second to get his bearings, we've been sleeping for over five hours.
"Wait here and don't make a sound," I say, then kiss him on his sleepy lips.
Sliding out from beneath his arm pinning me to him, I close my bedroom door and head downstairs. "Hey, Mom," I say, my voice groggy from sleep.
"I didn't mean to wake you, sweetheart. I hate these late Sunday nights, but I'd rather have them and be able to spend the mornings with you. It seems we spend much too little time together lately." She puts down her purse and starts climbing the stairs. I pray she doesn't want to hang out in my room and have one of those mother/daughter talks. Not now. But I guess if she does, the truth will come out. Maybe it would be a blessing in disguise, but I'd rather not chance it.
"It's fine, Mom. You always worry about the small stuff."
She doesn't hear the creak of my bed behind my door. But I do.
Mom's eyebrows furrow. "Why are you sleeping in your clothes?"
Oops. "I was in my room and must have dozed."
"Well, I'm beat, too. Go back to bed. You have school in the morning. And change out of those clothes."
"Okay. Good night." I hope she doesn't realize I'm anticipating with bated breath the moment she closes the door to her room.
When she closes her bedroom door, I hurry back to my room. Caleb is sitting on my bed, startled. "I'm so sorry," he whispers, still looking as dangerous and cool as ever even half-asleep. "I lost track of time."
"Me, too."
He walks over to the window.
"Caleb, what are you doing?" I whisper.
"Finding a way out."
I put my hand on his arm and tug on it. "You're not jumping out my window. Just wait fifteen minutes and I'll lead you to the front door. My mom sleeps like the dead and she falls asleep really fast. Besides, if we get caught we're in this together. Right?"
It takes him a while to respond. It's almost as if he doesn't believe what I just said. "Yeah. Right," he finally murmurs.
THIRTY-THREE
Caleb
I met with Damon this morning, after convincing my parents I stayed out late because I was at Brian's and we lost track of time. They bought it. Damon came for some sort of evaluation for the State of Illinois. He interviewed my family, even Leah, then we hung out in my room while he grilled me with questions.
I told Damon I asked Maggie to see her leg, leaving out the part that we work together every weekday after school, or the fact that she's the only person who makes me forget the past year even happened. God forbid I should tell him I slept with her last night, in the literal sense of the word.
Damon shakes his head. "It's forbidden to confront your victim, Caleb."
"I didn't confront her."
Damon crosses my room and puts his hand to his head as if he has a headache. "You sweet on her?"
"Who?"
"Maggie."
"No. No way," I lie.
"You small town kids are a breed apart. Okay, here's the deal: stay away from her."
"Do I have a choice?"
"No." Damon opens his folder and clicks his pen. "You're almost done with your community-service requirements. A gazebo for Mrs. Dorothy Reynolds. I see you've been on that job for three weeks."
"If all goes well I should be done by the end of next week."
Damon seems impressed. "Good work, Caleb. You started out rocky, but you're a decent kid. Let's meet again next week and talk about what's going to happen after your release."
I'm feeling energized after Damon's visit, knowing the jail threat is almost behind me. I just have to keep the fact that I'm with Maggie a secret.
I knock on my sister's door. She's in there. Her room is her cave. My sister hibernates except for school and meals.
She doesn't answer, so I knock louder. "Leah, open up."
"What do you want?" she says through the door.
I sigh. This is harder than I thought. "Just open the f**king door."
She opens it a crack. I push it the rest of the way open and walk inside. It's too dark in here so I pull the shade up.