| |
“YES, MRS. MONROE. I’M available this Friday night. All night?” Penny draws her lip between her teeth. Dealing with Mason and Brody for twenty-four hours straight is her worst nightmare come to life.
“I can pay you well, Penny. Rod and I have a gala in the city, and we thought we’d stay over with friends.”
Penny forks her fingers through her curls and sighs. It’s not like her mother will know she’s gone. “Sure, that shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Wonderful! I’ll pick you up after school. The boys should be getting off the bus by the time we get here.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then.” Just as Penny ends the call, her phone dings with an incoming text.
Kennedy: Are we still on to finish our lab project on Thursday?
P: Yep. I have scholar bowl until 4:00, so I’ll meet you at the library about 4:30?
Kennedy: Works for me. C U Later.
Penny smiles. She likes Kennedy Harper. The girl is smart, and they work well as chemistry lab partners. Thank God, Mrs. Leavy isn’t anything like her junior high science teacher, Mrs. Crockett.
May she rot in whatever hellhole she transferred to.
“Penelope! Get down here!”
Shoot! Mom’s home early.
Her heartrate accelerating, Penny quickly throws her dirty clothes in the hamper. Her mother has been on the warpath this week, and laundry is her number one complaint. Penny grips the basket and settles it at her hip. Bounding down the stairs, she traipses to the laundry room.
Her mother’s graying hair bobs at her shoulders as her lips purse menacingly. “I told you I wanted these folded by the time I got home.”
Penny grabs the clean towels from the dryer. “I had homework and I got sidetracked.”
Crossing her arms over her slight form, Miranda arches an eyebrow. “With your boyfriend?”
Penny frowns. “What?”
“Don’t give me that innocent crap. That Donovan boy just left. I saw him.”
Flipping up the curtain, Penny looks outside. What in the world? “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Luke wasn’t here. He hardly talks to me.”
Miranda scoffs. “You’ve never been a good liar, Penelope. He was driving off as I pulled in.”
Penny clenches her jaw as irritation niggles through her. Jeez, is the idiot spying on her now? “It can’t be. I haven’t seen him in—” She lets out a yelp as Miranda grabs her upper arm and digs her nails into the tender flesh.
With a growl, Miranda grits out, “Be a little slut. It doesn’t matter to me. But you aren’t doing anything or going anywhere unless the chores are done. Understood?” Slamming Penny against the washing machine, Miranda grips her arm harder, breaking skin.
Penny tries to pull away. Trapping her against the wall, Miranda twists her forearm back and up. A sharp pain jolts from Penny’s shoulder, and she cries out, “You’re hurting me!”
Miranda yanks Penny nose to nose, her smoke-laced breath stifling. “I know your brother liked that boy. But Luke Donovan is nothing but trouble. If I get a call from his mother this year because of this stupid bullying crap or some other drama, you’re going to regret it. Caroline Donovan has a stick up her ass about us, and I’m not about to deal with her shit. Mind your manners or I’ll really give you something to cry about. Got it?” Stifling a sob, Penny gives her mother a curt nod. Miranda releases her. “Get the laundry finished. Then clean the bathrooms.”
As Miranda flounces out of the room, tears stream down Penny’s cheeks. Flinching, she shakes out her aching shoulder and rubs the bruises on the back of her arms. Might as well add a little color to the injuries she’d received on Saturday for not doing the dishes. She usually avoids her mother’s temper until the weekend.
Sorting the clothes into three piles, she stares at the clock on the wall. It’s six o’clock on Monday evening, and already her week is ruined.