It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

Chapter Thirty-One
Atlas
It’s a three-hour drive there. Josh hasn’t said much. He’s been reading,
although if he’s as nervous as I am about this, I’m not sure he’s actually
absorbing anything he’s reading. He’s been on the same page for five
minutes. It’s a drawing of what looks like a battle scene, but mostly all I see
is cleavage.
“Is that manga appropriate for a twelve-year-old?” I ask him.
He shifts ever so slightly so that the cover of the book is all I can see.
“Yes.”
His voice dropped an entire octave on that lie. At least he’s a horrible liar.
If he ends up staying with me, detecting when he is or isn’t telling me the
truth should be easy.
If he ends up staying with me, maybe I should buy him a few self-help
books for balance. I’ll stock his bookshelves with whatever graphic novels he
wants, and then secretly slip in a few of my own to supplement my lack of
skills as a guardian. Untamed, Man Enough, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a
F*ck. Heck, maybe even some sacred text from every major world religion.
I’ll take whatever help I can get.
Especially after today. As much as Josh may think this is a one-way trip, I
know in my heart he’s coming right back to Boston with me. I just hope he
doesn’t come back kicking and screaming.
When the GPS says we’re turning onto the street, Josh’s hand tightens
around his manga. He doesn’t look up from it, though, even though he still
hasn’t turned the page. When I spot Tim’s address on the curb in front of a
run-down frame house, I pull the car over. The house is across the street on
the driver’s side, but Josh pretends to be sunk into his story.
“We’re here.”
Josh drops his book and finally looks up. I point to the house, and Josh
stares at it for a good ten seconds. Then he puts the book in his backpack.