Tory’s POV
When I got back from school, I kept to myself, angry that Nate had tossed me away like some useless toy, just like how Woody would feel sad that the kid didn’t want to play with him.
But why did I care? I hate Nate? Why did the way he looked at me before he pushed me away hurt so much? Am I attracted to him? Why did I not protest when he tried to kiss me. Ugh!
As I sat down on the couch, eating chips and watching TV, mom who had already arrived earlier this week, came rushing downstairs from her room.
” Is everything okay?” Toni asked
” Tiffany, she said she needs help with her son”
” Of course she does, she’s a horrible parent, never cared about the poor boy. I bet he’s had enough of her neglect and has decided to take his life. You know if I were his mom, I’d do a better job.” I said indifferently as I chewed on my chips.
My mother walked briskly towards me and hit me on my back.
” Ouch!”
” Even if Tiffany is a horrible mother, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help her at a time like this! That was a very insensitive thing to say”
” Why are you saying we?”
” I don’t know, I don’t wanna go there alone. Maybe if he sees that you guys are teens like him, he might want to bond you guys or something… just come with me okay?” She said before she rushed out through the door.
” Tory!” She yelled.
” Oh my God! I’m freaking coming mom! It’s not like I’m the only one inside the house”
” Where’s Tia?” Toni asked as she started to leave.
” Uhh… At her friend’s place”
” She’s barely home these days”
” Yeah yeah, get in the car” I said as mom tapped her foot impatiently. We entered the car and mom sat in the front as Mr. Joe drove. Brian had not come to work for a week now, I suppose Tia had told him and he freaked out. Coward.
” What’s wrong with her son?”
” Said something about killing himself”
” So he’s dead already?” Toni asked wide-eyed.
” I don’t know”
” If he’s dead then what are we doing there, carrying his corpse!”
My mom stared at me, surprised at my words before she shook her head and sighed.
” Clearly you’re in a bad mood, that’s why you’re saying this.
” Yeah, no thanks to that asshole called Nate”
” Nate’s still bothering you?” My mom asked with a faint smile.
” he’s a pain mom. I so hate that boy!”
” Teenagers” Toni said as though she wasn’t one.
” All this wouldn’t have happened if she’d just taken my advice on raising her son right.” My mom said.
” Well, she’s more concerned about cheating on her husband than the poor boy. If he was a girl, I’d have said he should come live with us”
” Her son goes to your school though” my mom said.
” Really what’s his name?”
” I don’t know, she never talks about him. She just said that he goes to your school and that was ages ago.”
Mr Joe took a left turn and entered a mansion, it looked familiar like I’d seen it somewhere before. A part of it was burning, there was already an ambulance and some firefighters. Did her son plan to burn both of them alive?
Tiffany deserves something like that though, such a shitty lady. We got down and Tiffany who I was seriously harboring anger for raced towards my mother as she sobbed.
” I don’t know, he’s never acted like this before! Why look at how much damage he’s done!”
Seriously?! She cares about the house that’s burning? What about her son?
” What about your son?”
” He’s stuck inside”
” They’ll get him out okay?”
” I only just got rescued myself, at the time I called you, I thought I was gonna die in there!”
” Just look at how damaged this house is, my husband, is gonna be so pissed…” She said nagging and my mom let go of her hand.
” You don’t even care that your son’s in there!” She yelled.
” Took you long enough to see just how cold-hearted she is ” I said dryly.
” I – I do, I just, I- the house cost my husband a fortune, that’s all I’m saying”
” Oh my God, where did the fire start ?!” My mom asked.
A wrinkle formed on Tiffany’s face as she thought hard and then she said, ” his room”.
” And the award for the worst mom goes to…” I muttered as I folded my arms and watched my mom and Toni running to tell those putting out the fire that someone might be in the room.
” You suck” I said to Tiffany and she just glared at me.
One of the men, quickly went inside and came out saying that the door won’t open.
” Break the fucking door!” One of them putting out the fire in the boys’ room said.
My mother came back and stared daggers at Tiffany, much to my pleasure.
” There’s no way I’ll carry a child for nine months and hate him so much the way you hate your son”
” Whatever, I didn’t call you here to judge me. You don’t know what a pain that boy is to me.” She said defiantly.
” I’m telling you, he set the house ablaze on purpose, he gets that way sometimes, always trying to have himself killed! Pathetic boy, thought he could take me with him!”
” There’s a man in there!. Andy gimme a hand quick!” The guy who had broken the door said as he came running out and the one being called followed him in, the two guys putting out the fire rushed in as well since the fire was now put out.
” You’re horrible Tiffany” My mom said. Tiffany just stood there and said nothing.
As the men came out, they were struggling to carry a big, tall young man with platinum blonde hair that was now a little messed up with smoke.
As they set him on the bed, he muttered ” mom” as he turned his head towards us, my mother had already rushed to see the boy but was told to go back so he could have some air.
As they pushed the bed to the ambulance, my eyes widened as I saw who it was. He definitely is a pain, he does go to our school, it’s Nate!