Baby I'm A Sinner novel Chapter 76

"That's bullshit."

I flick my thumb over the cigarette bud so the ash can fall into the ashtray, without taking my eyes off of my dad.

"And what's this about London? What job offer does she want to take?"

"She has to work four days ever other week at a new firm that offered her the CEO position. It pays double what she earns now and she's have to do even less work."

"So? Let her take it."

"I did tell her to take it, but she wants to move there even though she can work there from Monday to Thursday, every other week."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is that she wants to move. Honestly Noah, can't you understand?"

"What I can't understand is why you have to fucking fight all the time about every little thing."

"ALEX!" my mother yells from somewhere downstairs.

My father stands up from the bed. "Listen to me son."

I raise an eyebrow as I put the cigarette out.

"The moment you stop fighting, that's the moment you know you stopped caring. And it's scary. I'd rather fight with your mother for what we have, than stop fighting and lose everything."

I don't say anything else as I watch him leave the room. I just pull out another cigarette and light it up, before I turn to my computer to see if Dani replied.

Dani: sorry

Dani: I'm just stressed right now

Noah: why?

Dani: my parents want me to go to this fancy dinner

Dani: because my grandparents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary

Dani: and I'm not in the mood

Noah: where are you going?

Dani: Rosso

Noah: never been there

She reads the message but doesn't answer. I always hate this part. When I really want to talk to someone but the conversation stops and I don't really know what else to say.

I close the conversation and leave it at that, and then put the cigarette out. After I finish the essay by copy and pasting it on my computer, and then removing the parts that sound a bit too wise for my vocabulary, I consider it done, so I move to my bed with my laptop to watch a new horror movie.

I hear my siblings downstairs two hours later, so I stop the movie and wait for them to come into my room for a hug, like they usually do.

When the door opens, I don't even get to turn towards them because they already jump over me and yell my name.

"Noah!! We learned to count to a hundred today!" Rose tells me and wraps her arms around my neck, while Elliott kneels over me with a smile.

"I can count over to one hundred and ten! Ha!" he says and sticks his tongue out.

Rose pushes him and then they start wrestling, so I have to pull them apart.

"Hey hey hey! What did I tell you about fighting?"

"That we shouldn't do it." Elliott pouts and sits down next to my head.

"Can we watch cartoons on your computer? Mom and dad are downstairs."

"Of course. What do you want to watch?"

"Cinderella!" Rose says, at the same time as Elliott says "Aladdin."

"Okay. We're going to watch Cinderella today, and then Aladdin. That sound okay?"

They nod, before they both settle in next to me and cuddle up into my chest. When the movie finishes, I play Aladdin, and then send them off to bed because it's already past eight.

I decide to check if Dani has messaged me, but to no luck. So I text her instead.

Noah: hows dinner going?

Dani: well, besides the racist and sexist jokes, everything is ok

Dani: I guess

Noah: I'm boreed

Noah: do u think you can come out for like 10 mins?

Dani: yes please

I get up from my bed and walk over to the closet to change my sweats for some jeans, before I grab the keys to the Bentley and walk out of my room.

My parents are in the living room now, sitting on the couch and watching a Tv show, not fighting anymore. My father turns his head when I get to the door but doesn't ask me where I'm going, so I just exit the house.

I know where Rosso is because it's one of Lucas' favorite places to eat, and he and Harry would go there on their secret dates where no one they knew would see them.

"Because you won't tell my why you really left the class so suddenly."

She sighs. "I already told you. Really, I just felt sick so I left."

"Did you throw up?"

"No."

I bow my head to shoot her an incredulous look.

"No!" she says, this time more defensive.

"When was the last time you've-"

"You know what? If you asked me to come out just so you can grill me about my 'eating disorder', then I'm going back inside. See you tomorrow." She says and stands up, smoothing her dress down.

I catch her arm and stand up too, not wanting her to leave. For some reason, I pull her up against me and hug her by wrapping my arms around her neck.

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried, that's all."

"Is it weird that I don't believe you?" she asks, this time in an amused tone so her previous anger is probably gone already.

"No. I wouldn't believe myself either."

"Do you, though?"

She pulls away from me to look up at me as she asks the question. I nod.

"I do."

"Okay then."

I smile and lean down to press a quick kiss on her lips, but she continues it by opening her mouth and intertwining our tongues.

The kiss doesn't last long because she pulls away soon enough, saying that she has to go back before her parents get the idea that she might have gone outside to smoke since they're already suspicious about it.

I want to tell her that she's eighteen and entitled to do whatever she wants, but then I remember that some parents actually care about their child's well-being, so I kiss her forehead and let her go.

I wait for her to enter the restaurant before I get into my car and leave.

When I get home, my parents are both out, and I check on my siblings to make sure they're sleeping. It's a bit irresponsible to leave two small children home alone at night, but there's no one I can yell to about it so I just go to my room and pack my school bag for the next day.

Two hours later, as I lay in bed still watching American Horror Story, it occurs to me that it's going to be one of those nights again where I just can't sleep for some reason. I go over what I ate and drank today, and there's nothing out of the ordinary; nothing containing too much sugar, and no energy drink whatsoever.

By the time the sun comes out it's already time to get dressed for school, so I just take a quick shower and change into some presentable clothes before I leave.