The karaoke place continued to buzz, the sound of off-key singing mixed with laughter and chatter. I was finally beginning to feel like I could breathe again when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Groaning internally, I pulled it out and saw Mom plastered across the screen. Perfect timing, as always.
“Hello?” I answered, trying to sound casual even though my heart was still racing from earlier.
“Where are you?” she asked, her voice carrying that tone of concern that usually meant she was gearing up for a lecture.
“Karaoke,” I replied, keeping it short. I wasn’t in the mood to explain the sudden change in my personality or why I wasn’t holed up in my room as usual.
“Karaoke?” she repeated, like I had just told her I was skydiving off a cliff. “Since when do you go to karaoke?”
“Since now,
