191 Chapter 191

"There is no way in the universe I am letting you spend the night at Lucy's house tonight, Cassidy," my mom was saying as I tried to down my breakfast in time not to be late for school. I was dressed in my cheerleading uniform, as I was every Friday during football season, and the bacon and eggs she'd lovingly made me now seemed a little less infused with that particular emotion.

"But Mom," I began, "how else am I going to tell her and Em what happened? I've been back for three days, and they still don't know anything."

"I understand that, dear," she said, sipping her coffee, "but you'd have to be crazy to think I'd actually let you be out of my sight for that long so soon after what happened the last time you slept outside of this home."

I knew what she was saying, but the teenager in me was indignant. "You said there wouldn't be any punishment."

"This isn't punishment, Cassidy. This is self-perseveration. On my account."