“Shut up, Claire,” Skylar whispers, but I ignore her. She agrees with me; she thinks these dances are dumb! Why is she trying to stop me?

“And that is?” Rachael asks.

“That the dances are whack. I swear they were made in 1999, and I refuse to look stupid in front of our campus and peers doing something so easy that the seven-year-olds at my studio could master it in a day’s time.”

Puckering her lips, she says, “I don’t see anything wrong with our dances, and I refuse to use our money to pay for a choreographer just to make you happy. I don’t know how things are done for you at your studio, but you aren’t going to be spoiled here.”

I take a step forward, my blood pressure rising a bit. Oh, the desire to flip the girl the bird and start my own dance team is so tempting, but I’m going to keep my cool. I’m going to make this team better. For what? I have no clue. I don’t even know why I care, but I feel like I need to do this. “For one, I’m not asking to be spoiled, and two, no one said anything about hiring anyone. I am an award-winning choreographer. I can come up with kick-ass dances that will make us look spectacular. We’re all so beautiful, with amazing bodies and talent that is being wasted on crap-ass video dances. This dance team can be more.”

I can see on everyone’s faces that they are all for it, but Rachael’s is twisted in disgust. “So you want to take over my team.”

I shake my head. “No, that’s not what I want. I’m too busy with work and school to do your job, but coming up with dances is second nature to me. I can do it.”

“How surprising since it seems all your time is spent on your boyfriend?”

I glare as everyone looks down at the ground. “I have no clue what that has to do with anything. I want to help make the team better, not talk about my personal life.”

I don’t even think she heard me, because she says, “Do you know how stupid you look with him? We all know it’s a joke. He’s a player. He’s slept with all of us, and he’s probably screwing some dumb freshman behind your back while you stand here right now.”

Taking in a deep breath, I try to count to three as I hear Skylar say, “I told you to shut up.”

Looking back at Rachael, I let out the breath and ask, “Is this the part where I get mad and break up with Jude ’cause of what you’ve said? Because apparently I look so stupid to be with such a player, when in reality, he has been the sweetest, most amazing person I’ve even met. He changed his phone number so people like you can’t get ahold of him. When he looks at me, he’s looking at me and only me. So I should throw that away because you said so? Have you slept with him in the last week? Have any of you?”

No one will meet my quizzical gaze; even Rachael looks away.

“No? Okay, now let’s get one thing straight,” I say as her gaze meets mine. “When we’re in this room, don’t come at me with anything but dance. My personal life is my business, not yours. If Jude hurts me then it’s my fault ’cause everyone told me over and over again what a player he is, but it’s not your concern.” Rachael doesn’t say anything and I continue, “Now, as I was saying, can I please choreograph us some kick-ass dances because I do not want to look like an idiot in front of my man and the whole campus, not to mention my family. So are there any objections to that?”

Littler Bro: I think something’s up with Mom.

Instead of replying back to Jace’s text, I decide to call him. He answers on the second ring.

“The whole reason I texted it was ’cause I didn’t want to say it out loud, asshole.”

“Shut up, go outside. What’s going on?”

I hear him shuffling through the house and then my mom yell, “Stop shuffling your ever-loving feet, Jace Ryan!”

I smile as he apologizes before I hear the door shut. “Okay, so I heard her crying, like, all morning.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, Jude, or I would be telling you why she was crying.”

Duh. As my heart speeds up in my chest, I ask, “Did you ask her?”

“No, as soon as I came in, she dried her face and left the kitchen. I asked Lucy and she doesn’t know either. She said she would ask her, but when she did, Mom started fussing over Angie and completely ignored her.”

Something inside me twists. My mom only cries when she’s stressed or if my dad has done something to her. I know that Lucy, Angie, and Jace are good; Jayden and I are golden, so I know she isn’t stressed about us. I talked to her yesterday too, and she said everything was fine, so I don’t know what’s going on. Spinning my chair around, I think as I spin and then ask, “Was Dad supposed to come home?”

“Not from what I know.”

“Yeah, I don’t know either. Hmm, okay, I’ll call her.”

“Don’t tell her I said anything!”

“I won’t, promise. Thanks, Jace.”

“Thanks, Jude.”

Nothing else is said and I hang up. Stopping my chair, I lean on my legs trying to figure out what I’m going to say to her. I’m not sure, but I have to speak to her. I’m even tempted to drive out to the house to see her face-to-face, but I have a date with Claire in a bit, and I don’t want to miss that if nothing is wrong. If I’m not happy with the phone call, then I’ll drive out there.

I dial her number and she answers right away. “Hey, honey!”

“Hey, Mom,” I say. “What’s up?”

“Nothing much, just making some dinner. You?”

“Nothing, just checking in. I was thinking about you.”

“Always so caring and thoughtful. I love you so much, Jude.”

I smile, my chest warming a bit. My mom is the best thing in my life. “I love you too, Mom. Everything okay?”

“Yes, honey, why wouldn’t it be? I am blessed with four beautiful, smart children and a gorgeous granddaughter.”

So my dad pissed her off; she usually includes him in that blessing, even though he doesn’t deserve it. “I think Jayden got all the smarts, but we all are beautiful.”

That makes her laugh and I ask, “When is Dad coming home?”

“I don’t know,” she basically snaps and then quickly says, “Excuse me, honey, that was rude. I’m really tired.”