Once I was in my room, I went straight for my cell. The tiny screen said nineteen missed calls. Oops. I flipped it open and pushed the number one button. Home. It didn’t even finish ringing before she answered.
“Finally! Teresa Elizabeth McCaide. You called your brother but not me! And you tried to run away. What is going on over there?”
“Sorry.” My voice cracked.
She took a deep breath. “Oh, baby. What happened?”
“Nothing. I’m totally, one hundred percent, a-okay.” The wobble in my voice told my mother what she needed to know—that I was one hundred percent lying.
“Oh, Tess—”
“Mom. This isn’t the place for me. There has to be somewhere else.
Axel said something about the cousins?”
She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, baby. The cousins can help, but they can’t teach you what you need
