Page 119 of Bribed by the Billionaire Bad Boy

“Come now, sugar.” I ease her away from her mother, over toward the auditorium doors, back behind Mr. D’plume, and use my body as a shield.

“I can’t,” she repeats.

“You can do absolutely anything.” I hold her head against my chest, dip a kiss to the top of her hair. Watched a tear streak down her cheek and dampen my hoodie. I hold tighter. “We are going to be brilliant together.”

She sputters a laugh, pressing tight against me. “Don’t you get it, Lex? I’m not brilliant. The only reason I can even begin to be decent at this play is because I wrote it for myself. It wasmadefor me. To be a part of it is as natural as breathing.”

“Shut up,” I whisper. “As if this play is the only brilliant thing you’ve done.” I don’t know where to start listing all the ways she takes my breath away. How can I even get through to her if she can’t realize that writing the play, in and of itself, is outstanding? I curl around her. “No… Sugar, forget the play. Forgetdoinganything. I love that you just exist. Just that.” I swallow. “Just that is enough.”

She clutches my T-shirt and cries.

Calypso

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just that is enough.

I can just barely hear my mother’s voice behind me while she raves to Mr. D’plume about how a parent has a right to know what their child is up to. He, in not so many words, is trying to explain that I am an adult and I’m not even relying on her money to go to college.

She, knowing that I pay for half of everything at home, states thatas long as I live under her roof…she still has a right to control everything about me. Even my opinions about myself.

I wrap my arms around Lex’s waist, and everything hurts inside my chest.

It all feels so wrong.

In public. Like this.

Like this, it feels like something is wrong, and it isn’t me. For the first time, it isn’t me.

What am I supposed to do? All I did was not tell her that I’m in a college play. Why is she acting like this? I just want to run away. How am I supposed to go home now?

After too long, Mr. D’plume turns from my mother and clears his throat.

Lex smooths a hand down one of my braids and looks at our professor.

“I think we’re going to cut rehearsal tonight short. We’ll make it up.”

“What?” Agatha bursts through the door, and I can only vaguely question how long she’s been listening in. “I’m still here, and so is Marcus. It’s not fair to let Calypso’s drama interfere with the rest of us.”

She’s the one who brought thisdramahere.

I say nothing. I’m tired. I don’t want to pretend to be Harriet right now. I just want to give into my broken wings and lie weakly alone. Butwhere? Where am I supposed to go?

“Come on, Calypso.” My mother’s voice cuts through whatever Mr. D’plume is discussing with Agatha.

I tense, sickness rising, and cling to Lex tighter.

“She’s not going with you,” he states.

“What?” Mom demands, and her hand reaches for me, like she’ll drag me away.

Lex doesn’t let her touch me. “If you are too blind to see what you’ve done, I don’t think anything I say will help.”

My mother’s chest fills. “She’s acting like a child. You can’t expect me to baby her forever. I’m just looking out for what’s best for her. Clearly, you’ve turned my own daughter against me. She never lied to me before she metyou.”

“Babying her is exactly what you’re doing.” Lex’s gaze turns lethal, and he keeps me close and warm in his arms. “You really think I was the one who convinced her she had to hide? You really think this problem only started last fall? You can’t expect to control her forever. She’ll do things you don’t like, and you’ll just have to live with that.”

“You’ll never understand until you’re a parent. Iknowbetter. How can a mother just stand by and watch their child make mistakes that could have been prevented?”