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“Oh, yeah!” My mother exclaims. “Why don’t you introduce us to your friend?”

I motion for her to stop talking, and not bring it up any further, but she’s clueless.

“Oh, come on. Bring her out. We won’t bite.”

I roll my eyes.

“Mom, no. I don’t need her to meet everyone that’s currently in my house. We can set up something for another time,” I lie. Kara would never.

Ignoring me, my mother pushes past me towards my bedroom door and knocks.

“Are you decent in there?” she calls out.

I run my hands down my face in disbelief. Raquel stands awkwardly by my front door, looking down at her phone. She’s obviously listening, but at least she’s being subtle about it.

“Mom!” I whisper harshly. “No!”

“Yes?” Kara’s voice comes from behind the door, sounding unsure.

And my mother takes that as her invitation to open the door.

I am horrified. It’s already been a crazy morning, and this does not need to be added to it. She should not have to meet my parents and my ex-husband right now. We’re not even together!

This is probably her worst nightmare. I cringe on her behalf.

My mother looks around my bedroom with a tisk before her eyes land on Kara.

“I can’t believe my daughter forced you away into such a pigsty! Reya, it’s a mess in here!”

I groan, pushing past her so I can pick up last night's underwear off the floor.

I continue to whisper, not wanting to draw any further attention into this room.

“Not that you need to know this, but the mess is partially her fault, mom. Can you go? Can we do this another time?” I plead, knowing it’s pointless. My mother doesn’t do a thing she doesn’t want to do.

“What's your name?”

Great, I’m being ignored completely. I go to close my door at least, but my dad chooses that moment to make an appearance.

“What’s going on in here?” he asks casually.

“Nothing! Please dad, help me out here.” I point to my mom. “This is not the time for this.”

He gives me a confused look, as if he has no clue why I wouldn’t want this to happen.

“Don’t be rude, introduce us.”

“We’re not—“

“I’m Kara,” she interrupts. “I live… right there.” She points in the general direction of her place.

I watch the realization hit the two of them at the same time. My poor mother’s face turns a bright red, and my dad is… still confused. This time I know it’s because he has no idea how she went from being that girl in the apartment next to me to being a girl in my bed.

“I don’t understand,” he says. “Do you have a roommate? A sister or something?”

“Nope. It’s just me.”

He laughs loudly.