Page 18 of Am I the Only One

“You’re never here.”

“I know, but everything I’m trying to accomplish in DC is for us. And, one day, we will be back together.”

“I hate where I live. It’s always so loud, the food is crap, and everyone who works there sucks.”

“It’s only temporary.” I try to assure him. “I promise you, I’m going to get you out of there and into a private facility, I just need to graduate and make a little money.”

“How much longer?”

“Soon.” The lie gnaws at the scar tissue of my broken heart, which is barely surviving. I don’t know what else to tell him. I’m so lost and so defeated. I can’t stomach the thought of having to tell Matthew that I’ve failed him miserably and that the shit hole he’s living in might become his permanent home.

The sound of an airplane flying overhead catches his attention, pulling him off the bed and over to the window as he stares up in wonderment. I wish I could give him a better life, one more like the one our parents had given him. Everything used to be fine...he was so happy and well taken care of, and now ... now everything is a colossal mess.

“Did you know that the back of the plane is the safest place to be if it crashes?”

I force a tight smile when he glances back at me. Little does he know that the metaphorical plane we are on is in a nosedive and we both have first-class seats.

Emma

“Emma,” Luca’s mother, Gloria, greets as she leads me through their doorway. “I am so glad you made it. Luca said you spent Christmas back in Tennessee with your brother’s family. I hope you had a nice visit.”

“I did, thank you.” I slip off my scarf and wool coat.

“Let me take that for you,” says one of the many catering staff that’s working the party, and I hand over my stuff with a soft, “Thank you.”

Gloria takes a look at my gold beaded cocktail dress, complimenting, “Beautiful,” before asking, “School must be keeping you busy; it’s been a few months since I’ve seen you. How did this last semester go?”

“Good,” I lie. “It’s becoming more time-consuming the closer to graduation I get.”

“Only three more semesters,” she remarks excitedly, and I mirror her smile with my own.

“I know. I can hardly believe it.”

“Believe what?” Luca questions as he and his father approach, looking dapper in their tailored suits.

“Graduation,” Gloria remarks as Martin, Luca’s father, greets me with a kiss to my cheek.

“Have you started prospecting internships?” Martin asks.

Luca’s eyes catch mine before I turn to his father, answering, “I’ve only just started researching ones I might want to apply to.”

Shifting in my high heels, I wring my hands nervously as I dump my deceit all over their questions.

Thank God for Luca, who grabs my hand and excuses us.

“You’re a life saver,” I tell him as we make our way to the back of the house and into the grand living room, which overlooks the dock that leads out to the bay. “I feel like such a fraud, lying to your parents.”

“Then why lie?”

I peer at him out of the corner of my eye. “You know why, Luca.”

“Your pride is a bitch, ya know?”

A server passes, and I pluck a glass of champagne off the polished tray he’s carrying, murmuring, “Yeah, I know,” before taking a much too big of a gulp.

“Bottoms up. Are we getting wasted?”

I shake my head and let a smirk play across my lips. “I wish.”