When I arrived at my aunt’s house the day before, I was lucky enough to find it empty. I grabbed a few snacks from the kitchen and retreated to my room.
So, I was going to leave town, right? I had to.
I spent all of yesterday researching job opportunities in other cities, looking at hotels, and comparing apartment costs.
And I found something.
There was a city not too far from here, close enough that I could still visit my mother. It was exactly what I needed.
But there was a hitch.
It seemed my aunt had other plans for me.
This morning, I woke up to the sounds of furniture being moved and a lot of chatter in the hallway outside my room on the second floor.
I chose to stay put, thinking they hadn’t realized I was here. That was a mistake.
Suddenly, the door burst open and my aunt stormed in, her face radiating happiness. She hurried over and enveloped me in a tight hug. “I’m so sorry for everything I said. I was worried, and I acted terribly. I truly apologize.”
I was taken aback. “It’s okay… But what’s with all the noise?”
Nothing was okay, but I needed answers.
“A relief for me and a big surprise for you. We’ve brought your mother here to live with us!” She exclaimed. I jumped up from the bed, staring at her in disbelief. Slowly, I made my way to the hallway as she trailed behind. “We’re setting up a room for her, and we’ve hired a nurse who knows how to care for her…”
“Where is she?” My voice trembled with urgency.
“She’s in the room next to Dave’s study…”
I sprinted there immediately, dodging the people bustling about in the corridor and bumping into them. The thought of seeing my mother after so many months was overwhelming. I missed her in ways words couldn’t express.
The door stood wide open, revealing her from a distance. She was reclined, eyes closed, buried under layers of blankets. She looked frail, much thinner, with more silver in her hair than I remembered.
A sharp pain pierced my heart. She wasn’t okay.
I entered the room and walked slowly to her bedside. How could she sleep through this din?
“She was very anxious about the move, so they had to sedate her. She’ll be out for a few hours,” my aunt whispered from behind me. “She didn’t recognize me, but I can’t blame her. It’s been years since we last met. She looks so different.”
“She didn’t look like this when they took her away. She looks… unwell.”
My aunt gently placed her hand on my shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “The hospital provided her latest medical reports when they released her. Physically, she’s okay. She’ll recover soon, especially now that she’s here. She must have missed you.”
“Yeah…” I whispered, still struggling to grasp the reality that she was here with me.
Tears welled up, and I couldn’t hold them back. I knelt beside her bed, taking her delicate hand into mine. It felt just as soft as I remembered. Flashes of memories surged-times she would brush my hair, plant soft kisses on my forehead, or play with me as a child. She was a wonderful mother, and she would have continued being one if it weren’t for that wretched disease.
“It was Dave’s idea to bring her here,” my aunt suddenly interjected.
“What?”
“I know you two don’t see eye to eye. Frankly, I don’t either, but this was genuinely thoughtful of him. I’m truly grateful,” she said, flashing a warm smile. She then exited the room, engaging with people outside.
Dave? Was this the same man who threatened me?
“Celina, you have school. Get dressed and grab a bite to eat downstairs. I received a call, and I know you’ve been skipping days. Indulge me, and when you return, you can see your mother awake,” my aunt directed, heading down the stairs.
I didn’t want to upset her, so I obliged.
After showering and dressing, I brushed my teeth, ran a comb through my hair, grabbed a couple of cookies from the kitchen, and dashed to school. I was definitely missing my first class, but it didn’t matter. I was eager to return home to see my mother awake.
Would she recognize me? Would she know I was her daughter?
When I entered my literature class, the teacher’s glowering expression was chilling enough to terrify any living creature-even puppies. “You’re incredibly late, Miss Brown. You can’t attend my class today…”
“I’m so sorry! Truly! It won’t happen again,” I pleaded, hoping she’d let me stay.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Well, since you’ve suddenly remembered your manners, take your seat.”
Did I suddenly remember my manners? Who does she think she is…
“Excuse…”
One stern glance from her was enough to silence me instantly. I remained quiet, wanting to stay in class.
I could sense him watching me. I had purposefully avoided acknowledging him since I stepped into the classroom. In fact, I hadn’t looked his way at all, but I could feel his unmistakable presence.
Why was he still here? He’d failed out and was officially unenrolled. How did the school let him attend like everything was normal?
After class, I decided to find Cris before heading home, hoping we could mend fences. But he was nowhere to be found.
“Celina!”
I whirled around, not recognizing the voice.
It was Blake. He was leaning against a car in front of the school. He waved energetically and shot me a grin, to which I returned in kind. He gestured for me to come over, so I approached.
“Hey there, kiddo. How’ve you been?” he said, playfully ruffling my hair. He must’ve seen my look of surprise and slight embarrassment because he grimaced and added, “Too much?”
“Yeah, a bit much,” I chuckled. “I’m good, actually pretty happy today. How about you?”
“It shows. Care to share why?” His dimples deepened as he smiled, making him look endearingly boyish.
“Well, my mom’s back from a trip, and I’m just glad to see her,” I fibbed. What was I supposed to say? That my mom had returned from a mental institution? Not the best conversation starter if you’re aiming for casual and comfortable. “You here to pick up your brother?”
“No, actually, I came to see you.”
Well, that sounds a tad creepy.
I could feel my cheeks heat up, coupled with an internal debate on why I always seemed to attract the weirdest of folks. “Really?”
He burst into laughter and pinched my nose, causing me to step back, amused and slightly alarmed. “No, silly! I’m joking. There’s my brother.”
He pointed towards a guy from one of my classes who was now walking toward us. I slapped Blake’s arm playfully. “You’re such a jerk.”
“Watch your mouth! You’re talking to your elder here,” he said, puffing out his chest and standing on his tiptoes to emphasize his ‘seniority.’
“Oh, ‘you’re talking to your elder, blah, blah’,” I mimicked, rolling my eyes and laughing.
He smirked. “Proves my point. Need a lift anywhere?” he offered, but before I could decline, his brother joined us.
I think his name was Todd.
He looked between us, his eyebrows knitted in genuine confusion. He waved his hand between us repeatedly, “You two know each other?”
“We met at your party,” Blake answered before I could.
“You two dating or something?” Todd blurted out, his tone a mix of disbelief and mild irritation. He certainly wore his emotions on his sleeve.
“No! He just gave me a cab number!” I practically shouted, emphasizing that I wasn’t seeing someone older, especially not his brother. As if I needed to add dating the school’s bad boy and then, the older brother of one of my classmates to my life. I shuddered to think of the names I’d earn in my class if that ever happened.
“Great, because your ex or whatever he is, is behind us, glaring holes into my brother and you. Make sure he doesn’t beat him up, okay? He’s my ride home,” Todd muttered cynically, shooting me a narrow-eyed look.
“Are you dating someone?” Blake jumped in immediately.
“No, we never had a thing,” I clarified without looking back to check if Todd was bluffing.
Technically, that wasn’t a lie… Okay, it was, but I wasn’t about to admit to any involvement with him.
Ever.
Todd chuckled, glancing down at his shoes. “Not what everyone else says.”
This guy was really testing my patience. “I don’t care what everyone else says. It’s none of their business.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay, chill. I’ll see you around, Celina.”
With that, Todd hopped into the passenger seat and impatiently honked for his brother to get in. Truly, the guy was insufferable.
Blake rubbed the back of his neck, glancing over his shoulder. “That guy’s staring at me like he wants to put me six feet under.”
His comment confirmed that Donovan was still lingering, playing the part of the stalker.
“He’s a jerk, don’t mind him. Thanks for helping me out the other night, and I’ll catch you around.”
I turned to leave when Blake gently caught my wrist, pulling me back slightly. It was a light touch, meant more to get my attention. “Can I call you sometime?”
I hesitated and shook my head, making a face to show I was uneasy about it. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea…”
“Just to chat sometimes, as friends,” he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets.
He looked genuinely nervous, almost boyish. After pondering for a few seconds, I nodded. “Okay.”
He handed over his phone, and I quickly keyed in my number. Handing it back, he said, “See you.”
I walked towards the bus stop when Donovan abruptly cut into my path, stopping me dead in my tracks. It genuinely startled me. “Can I drive you home?”
Without a word, I sidestepped him and kept walking. “I’m sorry, Cel, really, if you’d just let me explain…”
I didn’t utter a word.
“Okay, I’ll explain. I got scared, alright? I was terrified and I ran. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I need you.”
I wasn’t going to waste my breath on him. He was pitiful.
“Cel, I need you.”
He placed a hand on my cheek, and I immediately slapped it away. He wasn’t going to touch me.
“Celina, please…” His voice wavered, just a touch.
He gripped my face forcefully, pressing his lips to mine. I didn’t move, didn’t return his kiss. Instead, I pushed against him with all my might… But he wouldn’t back off. I could feel the force of my shoves bruising his chest and stomach, but I didn’t care. He wrapped his arms around me, pinning my hands to my sides.
He was crushing me.
He was suffocating me.
He slowly pulled away, his eyes filled with genuine sorrow. “Darling…”
I remained silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
The bus arrived, so I sidestepped him and boarded without looking back.
“I won’t give up on you!” He shouted after me.