Chapter 41: How to ruin your life before breakfast

By the time I got to my house, reality set in hard and cruel.

There was no way mom.

“I’m in huge trouble,” I muttered while getting off the bike.

“Probably,” Klaus said casually.

I shot him a stern look.

“You have a serious issue”

“And yet here you are” he smiled and faced me “you’ll be alright” he leaned in and pressed a kiss on my forehead.

“You sound so sure”

“I am” he hopped back on his bike, waved and drove off.

I walked up to my door, my heart pounding so loud it felt like a loud traditional festival was going on in my chest.

Well it was nice while it lasted.

I opened the door slowly and carefully tiptoed past the living room like I had been there all night.

“Okay…act normal” I whispered.

I felt like a thief in my own house. The living room was calm and that was a good sign.

Maybe I could actually pull this off.

I took one step after the other gently.

The floor creaked. I froze and went completely still. My soul literally left my body. I look down at the floor like it had personally betrayed me.

“Traitor” i mouthed

I waited as though if I moved I might summon demons from beneath the floor.

Nothing.

Good.

I let out a quiet breath.

I continued, slower this time, like a low budget ninja. Just a few more steps and I would get to my room.

“hello , young lady”

I stopped. I didn’t breathe, turn, or blink.

Maybe if I stood like a statue, the ground would swallow me whole or I would just simply disappear.

“Don’t even think about it” my mom’s voice was calm and steady like I had been waiting patiently for my arrival since 1865.

I turned around slowly.

She stood there arms crossed with that look she gave me when I left the microwave turned on and opened or when she found the trash bag by the porch and not in the bin.

I gave her a small,very fake smile.

“Hi mom” I managed to say but she didn't smile back.

“What a beautiful way to start the morning, Theresa,” she said.

She called me Theresa, not Tessa. I was so fucking dead now.

“I… i was just heading to my room” i said pointing behind me like she didn't already know where my room was.

She raised a brow.

“Oh thats cool” she said nodding her head and turn to grab the door knob “and just where are you coming from”

My brain suddenly stopped working.

“from … here” i gestured towards absolutely nothing.

She took a careful, intimidating step forward and I took a step back sweating like I was about to shit my pants. Literally.

“And where exactly is it?” Her voice was low and threatening.

“The kitchen” i said weakly “i was thirsty so i umm… went to drink some water”

“Well thats very interesting because i was in your room like an hour ago and you werent there”

Fuck.

What was I supposed to say now?

She moved forward again.

“And i caught maya climbing out your window at two in the morning” she added now pacing around, not nervously but deliberately.

“And the most interesting part? She couldn't tell me where my daughter was”

Fuck. She killed Maya.

I opened my mouth to speak but she raised a single finger and I paused, terrified.

“The next word that comes out from those filthy mouth of yours must be the truth or so god help me you might be visting your sister earlier than expected” her eyes turned red “now tell me, where the fuck were you”

“I was outside” i said with a shaky breathe

She shook her head like I said the wrong answer to a pop quiz. “Try again”

I inhaled slowly.

Maybe I should run away or better still, pass out right here , right now because I was sure either way I was as good as dead.

“Clock”s ticking,” she reminded me.

“I was at a friend’s place” i said quickly

She smiled– not the happy one, the i am so going to hang you in your fucking room for disappearing like that and making me worry like that.

“Woud you mind telling what friend?”

“Klaus,” I whispered and her threatening look shifted into disgust.

She blinked twice

“You spent the night with a boy?!” she was beyond furious.

“Well in my defense it was too late to come back home”

Her eyes widened and her calm, threatening demeanor suddenly shattered and moved into a crazy harley quinn on dopamine demeanour.

“What the fuck is wrong with you tessa! I was worried sick”

“I didn't know I would stay the night”

“You weren't even supposed to leave your room past dark”

“It was important mom” i shot back raising my voice

“You don't get to decide what is important as long as you still live under my roof”

“I’m a legal adult mom, i’m allowed to make certain decisions"

“You’re not even eighteen yet”

“In a few months i will be”

Her jaw tightened.

“You snuck out of this house in the middle of the night, lied to me and stayed over at a boy’s house and now you’re claiming to be grown up”

“I didn't lie–”

“You had your friend lie for you, same difference”

“I do not need to explain every single thing I do to you” i folded my arms “and besides its not like i committed a crime or something, i’m allowed to be a literal adult”

Her expression shifted.

“You watch your tone young lady”

“I’m not a child anymore mom. I can go out if i want to and who i want to –”

“By sneaking out of my house?” she asked

“Fine” she said aftera thick silence. She nodded her head slowly and took a deep breath.

“Since you claim to be grown enough to make your own decisons” she continued, her voice steady “then you’re grown enough to live with them”

My brows etched “whats that supposed to mean?” i said in the most bitchy tone i could accumulate.

“It means if you dont want to live under my rules then you dont have to live under my roof”

I let out a sarcastic laugh.

“You cant be serious”

“Youre darn right i am”

My heart dropped.

Wait hold on tessa. Are you high on something? Tjhis is mom were talking to here, if you had just confessed and apologised then she probably wont be sending out out of the house right now.

“Mom im sorry” i finally said. Realising the gravity of my stupidity. “ i didnt mean any of that i promise”

My face dropped and i tied to grab her hand but she pulled away instantly.

“Pack what you need and leave” she said finally “you can stay with your friend”

“Mom”

‘I’m serious” she said and left.

I slowly slid down and sat by my door.

What was i thinking?

Why woud i break mom’s heart like that?

Why the fuck was i being a bitch?