"It's who?" Elizabeth asked, her voice sharp with surprise, her eyes blinking rapidly as she leaned forward, trying to process what she'd just heard. Her naked shoulder brushed mine, her wine glass forgotten as she stared at me, her smirk gone, replaced by wide-eyed curiosity.
I exhaled softly, my cheeks flushing, my fingers fidgeting on my thigh as I looked down at the floor, avoiding her gaze. "It's my mom…" I said, my voice low, almost a whisper, the words heavy with the weight of truth.
"Your mom!?" Elizabeth's voice rose, her eyes widening further, her hand pausing mid-air as if she'd misheard, her expression caught between shock and disbelief.
"I mean… my stepmom!" I corrected quickly, my voice rushed, my heart racing as I looked up at her, my cheeks burning hotter. "Aeri. She's my stepmom." The clarification felt necessary, but it didn't ease the tension, the theater's dim light casting shadows across my face as I braced for her reaction.
