The Fill-In Boyfriend(60)

“Okay . . .” I looked between the two of them.

“You’ve been behaving very differently since you started hanging out with that Bec girl.”

“What? I hardly hang out with her at all.”

“Well, I can’t help but notice that your new contentious attitude has coincided with her arrival in your life. I’d like you to have some space from her for a while.” Contentious attitude? Those were always the words she used on Drew.

“This has nothing to do with her. Did you watch Drew’s video?”

“Yes, we did,” my dad said.

“And?”

“And it was an interesting piece on the changing culture and the side effects that can come from it.” He set his plate on the coffee table and moved to the edge of the couch cushion.

“He used our family as his example.”

“Who else’s family was he supposed to use? He only has the one.”

“I don’t know, a family who wanted to be part of a documentary where they would be mocked.”

“It wasn’t mocking. It was just a take on society.”

“Maybe you feel that way because you weren’t in most of it. I was. I felt mocked.”

My mom placed her hand on my dad’s arm then spoke. “Oh, Gia, I’m sorry you feel that way. I can see how you might, but I hope, once you’re separated from it for a while, you can see it wasn’t intended to mock you.”

“Well, after the whole audience was laughing at me last night, it’s going to be hard to feel like that wasn’t the intent.”

“It’s a piece on society, Gia. Try to take it for what it is.”

“So you’re going to let him get away with this? You aren’t even going to talk to him?”

“We already did. We told him that we wished he would’ve been more clear when he was home about what exactly he’d be doing with the filmed pieces and that he hadn’t been very thoughtful of your feelings but that it was a very well-done piece. We’re proud of him.”

I swallowed hard. “Proud of him?”

“Aren’t you?”

“No. I’m not. I’m mad at him.”

My dad nodded. “I understand. I hope the two of you can work through that.”

My mouth dropped open and a hot surge of anger burst in my chest and stung behind my eyes. Words that I wanted to say sat at the back of my throat. If I said them, it would only make my mom think I was being contentious.

I cleared my throat, hoping to sound calm when I asked, “Can I go to my friend’s house?”

“Which friend?”

“Claire.”

“Of course. Don’t be back late and call if you go anywhere else.”

“Okay.” I left the house, feeling suffocated, like I couldn’t breathe. I started to drive to Claire’s but changed directions at the corner and headed for Bec’s house instead. Maybe it was because I was mad at my parents and needed to do something slightly rebellious in that moment or maybe it was because I really wanted to see her. Either way, that’s where I ended up.

It wasn’t until I was standing on her porch, knocking on her door, that I worried she might not want to see me.

Mrs. Reynolds answered the door. “Gia. So happy to see you.”

“Is Bec here?”

“She is. Let me go get her. Please come in.”

I stepped right inside the door and pulled it closed behind me. After a few minutes Bec came down the hall dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. Her face was free of makeup and she looked so different. Younger? Less angry?

“Gia. What are you doing here?”

“I’m angry.”

“Okay . . .”

“I need someone to let me be angry.”

She gave me a little smile. “Well, that’s my specialty. Come on.” She led me back to her room and pointed at the desk chair. “Sit. Start your rant whenever you’re ready. I will be here to egg you on.” She plopped down on her bed then she stood up again. “Hold on. I feel like we need some angry music as our background.” She pulled out her phone, scrolled through a few screens, then pushed Play. Music poured through some wireless speakers on the bookshelf. She adjusted the volume so it wasn’t too loud.

I laughed.

“Laughing and anger do not go together.”

“Stop trying to make me laugh, then.”