“Rhett, I don’t have time for your games.”
He tilts his head to the side. “I’m not sure I’m the one playing any games. Am I?”
I sit back down, completely defeated. My parents knew where I was the whole time when we were on the phone earlier. What they did to me, it’s entrapment.
And I deserve it.
“How’d you find me?”
My brother, who’s dressed in a gray three-piece suit, pulls out his phone and taps the screen. I lean over to see what he’s doing. My mouth drops open when he pulls up the Find my Friends app. Sure enough, we’re side by side blinking dots.
“And,” he says, pulling up another screen. This time it’s my snap. Our avatars are hanging out together in my courtyard.
“Do Mom and Dad know?”
Rhett pockets his phone, crosses his left leg over his right and puts his arm behind me. “They don’t know. They think I’m on a business trip.”
“Are you?” I have to know because it’s unlike Rhett to lie to our parents. That job is solely for me.
“Sort of,” he says. “I was in Sacramento when Mom called, crying because she thought you’d been abducted. They don’t know you’re here, at least not yet.”
“You can’t tell them.”
“I can, and I will unless you tell me what’s going on.”
“That’s blackmail,” I tell him.
He shakes his head, not a single hair falling out of place. If we were the same age, we’d pass for twins. Our hair is almost identical with our brown and blonde mixture naturally done by the sun.
“Blackmail usually involves money. I’m simply being a big brother.” Rhett adjusts the way he’s sitting so he can face me. “Look at me, Eleanora.” I do as he commands. “You need to tell
me what’s going on and why I’ve found you in Los Angeles.”
I sigh and wipe away a fallen tear. “I don’t know, Rhett. I dread going home and becoming Roy’s wife. I’m twenty-two and have been away from home once and that was college. I want to live a bit before I have to marry someone who is only marrying me because it’ll make our families stronger. When Dad suggested that Sofia and I drive my new car home, I wanted to do it, but Sofia already started her job and couldn’t. Kellie gave me another offer.”
“One that made you lie to our parents.”
“Everything out of my mouth has been a lie to them. I knew they’d never go for it, letting me come here. Mama would rather have her toenails plucked out then to let me come to California by myself.”
Rhett grows quiet. I have a feeling that any minute he’s going to tell me to gather my things and that he’ll drive me home. I don’t want to, but I’m out of options. Unless I can convince Rhett to stay.
“How long are you here for?” I ask, plotting ways to get him to stay here with me.
“Only today.”
“Are you sure you can’t spare a few days? I can show you around, take you to see some sites. We could find a few celebrities.”
He shakes his head. “None of that interests me. What do you think about going home?”
And there it is, the hammer to my nail. I nod and bite the inside of my lip to keep from crying. I start to stand but sit back down and look at him.
“You know what, this is crap. I’m an adult and should be able to decide what I want to do with my life and right now, it’s to be here. I’m not going with you.”
“You know things don’t work that way with Mom and Dad. If we arrive together, it softens the blow.”
“Why, Rhett? Why can’t I be free to make my own decisions?”
He looks in my direction but doesn’t say anything. I finally break eye contact and start to walk away.