Page 35 of War

She smiled. “Sure.”

Yes.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. I fell asleep almost instantly, the sunglasses holding back the light.

Chapter 17

By the time the drive ended and I woke from my nap, the pain medicine started to work. I still wasn't taking the sunglasses off for anything; fight me.

Amantha parked in front of her apartment.

“Are you awake?” she asked.

I grunted.

“I'll take that as a yes,” she said.

Amantha grabbed her cane from the backseat.

“Let's head inside,” she said.

I didn't want to move but I grabbed that bag and followed behind Amantha as she walked into the apartment.

Neo sat at the kitchen bar eating a bowl of cereal. He tipped his chin at me when I walked in.

“Why’re you wearing my sunglasses?” he asked when I didn't take them off inside.

“He's hungover,” Amantha said.

Neo nodded, then continued like the sight was nothing unusual. “Mona called and wants to know if I can go skating then watch a Roller Derby with her today. Can I go?”

Amantha looked confused. She sat on the couch and leaned her cane beside her. “Where? Who all's going? And who's Mona?”

Neo said, “I think it's Mona and her parents. At the local skating rink. In town.”

“Okay. And who's Mona?”

“She's a girl I go to school with. So can I go?”

Amantha didn't look convinced.

“Mona’s cool. I've met her,” I volunteered.

I sank onto the couch beside Amantha and put the bag down by my feet. On my way back up, I pulled the opened Reese's cup package out of the bag. I unwrapped the candy and took abite. As the taste took over my mouth, I hummed happily. The medicine was definitely working.

“Does she want you to meet her there or are they coming here?”

“I think they're coming here.”

Amantha nodded. “I have to meet her parents, but then okay.”

Neo beamed. “Thanks! I have to call Mona!” He rushed down the hall, leaving his cereal abandoned, and slammed his bedroom door.

Amantha cringed at the noise. “Did I do the right thing?” she asked, turning to me. “I'm winging it as a parent, and sometimes I have no idea what's right and wrong.”

I watched her worried expression through the sunglasses. “Yeah, it's the right thing. He has a huge crush on Mona. You just made his year. Although, you might want to talk to him about sex and protecting himself.”

The worry faded from her face, and she waved a hand. “Oh, we've already had that talk. He knows all about sex, condoms, STIs, all of it. I gave him a box of condoms and told him I didn't care how many he used, he just needed to be safe. He's good.”