8.

8.

 

  “I don’t like you drinking.” Tandy said, standing in Parrish’s doorway.

     “Huh?” Parrish asked, sitting on her bed.

     Tandy walked inside of Parrish’s room and sat next to her. “If you have a glass of wine every once in a while, that’s fine, but you drinking beer and liquor the way you do just isn’t a great idea.”

     “Look, I’ll be twenty-one in a few weeks. It’s not like I’m a teenager anymore.”

     “I’m not worried about your age. I just figured that after what happened to you… since you were drunk when it happened �"“

     “Don’t.” Parrish told her, harshly.

     Tandy nodded her head in understanding. “Okay.” She said. “I know you don’t like to talk about it.”

     “If you know, then stop bringing it up.”

     “Okay. I’m sorry.” Tandy got up from the bed and put her hand on Parrish’s shoulder. “If you ever do want to talk about it, I’m always here.”

     Parrish nodded, looking down at the light-brown-colored, hardwood floor. After she heard the door close behind her mother, she dialed Levi’s number.

     “Hey, babe.” Levi said from the other line.

     “Hey.”

     Immediately suspecting that something was up, Levi asked, “What’s wrong?”

     Knowing that she was still too afraid to tell Levi the truth, Parrish answered, “Just tired, I guess.”

     She knew how much she hated lying to her, but she also knew that she was far too afraid to tell her the story.