Chapter 100: A Marshmallow
-Kathrine Andrews: ( Song of the Chapter: Donk by Beyoncè)
The second we stepped into Glyndon’s room, I could tell she was not okay. She tried to act like her mother’s reaction had not hit her like a ton of bricks, but I saw through it.
The way she walked a little slower than usual, the way her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, the way she kept her head down as if she was afraid to look at me.
She sat down on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands like they had all the answers to the universe. I leaned against her desk, crossing my arms.
"Are you okay?" I asked, in concern. I let that concern show, I didn’t hide it. I wanted to know.
Glyndon let out a short, bitter laugh. "Yeah, sure."
That was a lie. A shitty one.
I pushed off the desk and walked toward her, stopping in front of her. She still wouldn’t look at me. "Glyn," I said, softer this time. "Talk to me."
She exhaled heavily, running a hand through her hair before finally lifting her gaze to meet mine. "I knew my mom was going to react like that. I knew it. And I told myself I wouldn’t care, but—" She swallowed hard. "It still hurts, you know?"
Yeah, I knew.
I sat down next to her, close enough that our thighs touched. I didn’t say anything, just let the silence stretch between us. Sometimes words weren’t what people needed. Sometimes, just knowing someone was there was enough.