chapter 13

Joan’s pov

Everything sucked. I hated everyone. Yes, he was right. What was I thinking? I was a whore who begged for sex, one that wasn’t paid but enjoyed being used, and for all I care, I was done, totally this time.

I would tell Mom everything. I would tell her about Fred and me. It might be the last time she wouldn’t trust me, but it was worth it.

It was dinner time, and as always, this new fake family was down, all hoping we could pretend and look at each other's faces like nothing happened between us, and I was going to ruin it for everyone, including myself.

Walking down the stairs, in a four-chair dining room, mom was sitting close to her newlywed husband, both of them holding hands together and whispering something in each other's ears, while Fred was at the left wind, already chewing the grapes like the pig he was—no single cutesy.

I hate him, I hate myself.

“Come join us; we have big news we would like to share with the family,” mom said.

“This is not a family, and what’s so