"Please don't take this the wrong way, but how come you only talk about your dad? I mean, your walls are filled with full family portraits," he asked.
He hit a sensitive spot.
My mom passed away when I was seven, and I made sure no one at school knew—except Chloe.
Actually, the truth is, no one really cares about my life.
Okay, back to reality.
Steven noticed my silence and seemed to get the message.
"It's fine. You don't have to talk about it. My mum divorced my dad too," he said.
What the hell?
If my mum divorced my dad, why would that be so hard for me to talk about? Anyway, I'll let him believe whatever he wants. It's not like we're close or anything. But I have to say—he's a little dense.
"So, you said you wanted to show me something?" he reminded me.
Of course, I did. But he totally ruined the mood. Now I have to think of a way to send him off. If I could just...
"Griselda! Whose car is that?" my dad yelled.
Okay, I am dead for sure.
But on the bright side—I don't have to figure out how to get rid of Steven anymore.
I raced outside and saw something strange. My dad was with a middle-aged woman.
"Who are you?" I asked, forgetting my manners.
"Griselda, is that how you talk to your elders? And I just asked you—whose car is this?" my dad repeated.
"It's mine," Steve said.
My dad's expression was exactly what I expected—furious, especially since Steven looked like the ultimate bad boy.
"Griselda!" my dad shouted.
"Calm down, Ben," the woman said in a tone that sounded sickly sweet to me—some of you might call it nice, but to me, it was disgusting.
"Sir, I had issues with my art assignment, so I asked to meet Griselda. She didn't want to stay late at school or go somewhere unsafe and have you worry, so she suggested coming home instead. She said it would be safer here," Steven explained in a rush.
It was obvious he was scared.
And who wouldn't be? My dad is terrifying.
But I've got to admit—Steven might be dense, but he's a great liar.
Let's just see how my dad takes it.
"Fine, but I think you've overstayed your welcome," he said, pointing at Steven's car.
Steven ran to his car and drove off. Now I could find out who this mysterious woman was.
"Hello, who are you to my dad?" I asked, trying to hide my curiosity.
"I'm your dad's g—" she began.
"Friend. She's my friend from work," my dad interrupted.
Things definitely looked fishy, but I didn't think my dad had a reason to lie to me.
So I smiled and went up to my room.
The next day at school, I mentally and physically prepared myself.
But the second I walked through the gates, people started giving me side-eyes.
Something felt... off.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed me and pulled me into an empty classroom.
"Griz," Chloe called out.
"Dude! What the hell—you scared me," I said.
"Oh? Did I really scare you, or were you just hoping someone else would grab your hand like that?" Chloe said in her usual sarcastic tone.
"Okay, what is going on?" I asked. I hate when people beat around the bush.
"Are you seriously going to play dumb with me? What's going on between you and Steven?" she asked, staring straight into my soul.
"What?! Nothing's going on between me and Steven! That's just a stupid rumor. He followed me home for an art assignment. Honestly, it was more of a way to avoid Nikki," I explained.
Chloe didn't look convinced.
"Can I tell you something?—Actually, I don't need your permission. Griselda, I'm sure you know what happened between Steven and my classmate Rina."
"They were just friends—well, not really. But after he had problems with Nikki, Rina gave him some solid advice. He started following her around, they got close, and when rumors spread, Nikki wouldn't leave her alone. Then Steven said he was bored and that he was just playing with her."
"That hurt Rina more than anything, Griselda. You could've just refused to hang out with him in the first place."
She called me Griselda.
Whenever she uses my full name like that, I know she's dead serious.
"Chloe, I promise—" I was about to reassure her when we suddenly heard screams echoing from the hallway.
"OH MY GOD! It's Barbie Roberts' daughter—Barbiee!" someone yelled.