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all things. I can go to school alone.”
    â€œBecause, Malloy, I was tied up all summer. I couldn’t come to see your work, but I want to make up for that. The time has gone by, and I know I’ve been extremely busy with sorority stuff, but I’m not letting you go back to Western Smith alone. Why do you ask anyway, honey? You don’t want me to go?”
    Her question caught me off guard. It’s not like I’m a person who lies. I always shoot straight from the hip, but I’m not evil, and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. For some strange reason this seemed like it meant a lot to her.
    As she put my last suitcase in the trunk, I touched her hand and said, “I’m just surprised at all this. Oh, wait, my laptop is in there.”
    She moved her hand in circles. “Well, hurry up. We need to get on up there.”
    â€œMom, we’re not in a rush. I don’t have any classes until next week.”
    â€œWe are on a time schedule, dear. I have some plans for us, so let’s go.”
    I had no idea what she meant. She had planned something.Maybe she was trying to make up for time missed.
    Before I got to my apartment, we stopped at an exquisiterestaurant.
    â€œNo Mom, I’m not hungry right now. I really want to get settled in my place.”
    â€œWe have time for that. And of course you’re hungry, darling. It’s lunchtime. You must eat a little something,” she said, being the overprotective mom I knew her to be. “Oh, stop looking so grim. It’s not like you’re eating with me alone. We’ll have someone to stir the conversation,” she said, seeing the frown plastered on my face. “And, yes, before you lose it, it is one of my sorority sisters coming to have lunch with us, because then she’s going to take me back home.”
    â€œSo it wasn’t really that you wanted to help me move in?” I asked condescendingly. “I mean, we haven’t even gone to my place to empty out any of my stuff, and you’re saying after we eat you’ve got a sorority meeting.”
    â€œDarling, you said yourself you can handle it. I just wanted to come up here with you. I’m not arguing with you, dear, and if it’s that big a deal to you, we can go by the apartment before the meeting, okay?”
    â€œWith some lady I don’t even know. No thank you,” I said, and then there was a knock on the car window.
    â€œHello!” my mom said in an excited tone.
    I looked over and was surprised to see Hayden Grant, standing there like she had an appointment with my mom or something.
    â€œCome on, honey, let’s get out. Our lunch date is here.”
    My mom had to be joking. I didn’t want to speak to that girl, much less break bread with her. As we walked to the restaurant, Hayden was so fake with me. I stepped back, giving the two of them space. They chatted and caught up. Watching them interact, it seemed as if my mother was her mother or something. They seemed so friendly and close. Of course as soon as we sat down, my mom got up to go powder her nose, leaving Hayden and me alone.
    â€œOkay, now look,” she said to me in a snide tone, “I know you don’t want me here.”
    â€œSo why’d you come?”
    â€œBecause your mom asked me to.”
    â€œSo you came to kiss butt?”
    â€œYou need to change your attitude. Keep being so snide and you won’t go far in life. You seem so bitter and angry. I know what I need to do to get where I need to go.”
    â€œIf kissing other people’s behinds is going to take you to the next level, maybe we’re trying to rise up different buildings.”
    She just rolled her eyes at me.
    â€œI see you two are chatting away,” my mom said as she sat back down. “Very, very good. Let’s have a quick lunch, Hayden, so we can help Malloy settle in. We’ll have a few minutes before the meeting. I hope that’s