Chapter 42: Locked out

I sat on the front porch with my bag beside me looking like a full time beggar downtown. I barely had enough time to freshen up when mom chased me out of the bathroom. I had to throw on a simple sweatpant and crop top else I would have come out totally naked.

I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag, staring straight at nothing ahead, nothing in particular.

I thought about it and I was just being a religious stupid ass teenager who thought she could talk to her mom anyhow because she had what? Spent a night at a boy’s place?

I’m so stupid.

“Mom, please” I said for what seemed to be the hundredth time and still got no response. The only sound I heard was my mom humming some ancient old song from probably Egypt and the soft movements like she was dancing in a ball room.

Yeah I knew she enjoyed this.

She acted like I totally didn't exist and just went on with her daily routine.

“I said i.m sorry” i said my voice softer “i didnt mean for this to happen” i sighed “i shouldnt have snuck out and more importantly i should've apologised instead of arguing with you like a brainless jelly fish”

I leaned forward resting my elbow on my knees. Maybe I shouldn't have snuck out in the first place.

Then I wouldn't have told Klaus how I felt and he would've kept pushing me away and we would never be together.

And don't tell my mom but i think sleeping outside tonight was better than a reality without kissing Klaus alone.

“I’m so sorry mom” i said “i realise now that you were just worried about me and i was being a very ungrateful daughter” i sighed “i dont deserve you”

The door suddenly opened.

I shot up immediately, hope rushing through me so fast it almost hurt.

“Mom–”

She stepped out completely ignoring my desperation, keys dangling in her hands.

“You're still here” she said casually adjusting her shoulder bag in her right hand.

“Where else would I go?” I asked, my voice breaking slightly despite my efforts to stay composed.

She shrugged.

“That’s something you should’ve thought about before declaring independence.”

My chest tightened and I swallowed hard.

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

She looked at me and her eyes softened for a split second.

“I’m going to the store,” she said.

I blinked.

“What?”

“I need groceries,” she continued like we were discussing the weather. “When I get back… I’ll decide if you deserve to come back inside.”

I froze, smiled and nodded my head.

I love my mom so much.

She walked past me and scoffed like I was a pest clinging to her feet.

The gate clicked open and shut.

And she was gone.

I stood like that at the porch for about thirty ore minutes wondering why the flowers all look and smell different or why the grasses can't be a different colour like the flowers.

My phone buzzed and maya's name popped up on the screen.

“Hello?”

“TESSA WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” her voice blasted through the phone.

I winced. “Lower your voice, damn.”

“Don’t ‘lower your voice’ me!” she snapped. “Do you know what time I slept? Do you know the lies I had to construct? I thought you died!”

“I’m alive.”

“Barely, from the sound of it. Where are you?”

I exhaled slowly. “Outside my house.”

A pause.

“Outside… as in outside outside?”

“Yes.”

Another pause.

“…I’m coming.”

She hung up.

I dropped my phone beside me and leaned back against the wall.

This was my life now.

Fantastic.

You're doing a great job tessa.

Maya practically ran through the gate eyes scanning me like she was checking for injuries.

She arrived quicker than I expected.

“Oh my God,” she said, stopping in front of me. “You look fine. That’s disappointing.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Good morning to you too.”

She dropped her bag beside mine and sat down.

“Details, leave nothing out”

She said and I let out a long loud sigh.

I told her everything.

From the sneaking out to the bike to meeting ethan to the confession to the kiss to the sleeping over to the breakfast to mom catching me to her throwing me out after I pissed her off.

By the time I was done maya was staring at me like I just finished narrating the plot of a crzxy ass enemies to lovers Netflix series.

“What the actual fuck tessa” she basically screamed “first off you're totally insane”

“I already established that already”

“You told an actual living being aside your parents or me that you loved them??”

“I hate you right now” I dramatically shut my eyes.

“And then you kissed?” she continued, ignoring me. “And then you SLEPT OVER?!”

“Okay, when you say it like that—”

“How else am I supposed to say it, Tessa?!”

I covered my face. “It just… happened.”

She stared at me for a second.

“Was it good?”

I slowly removed my hands and looked at her. “Maya.”

“What? I’m asking the real questions here and i am genuinely curious, was it?”

I tried to stay serious but my lips rememebered and then my whole body and my cheeks flushed instantly.

Maya gasped dramatically.

“Oh my God it was good.”

“Shut up.”

“It was GOOD good.”

“SHUT UP.”

She burst out laughing and I joined cheeks still flushed in embarrassment.

“But you were really out of line you know” she said and I looked at her “with your mom”

I put a hand on my forehead “I know, I'm so stupid”

“She was really worried”

Maya and I sat down for a while planning to beg and kiss at my mom's feet when she arrived. That was basically the only way she would let us in.

Let me back in.

After a three hours of bickering about God knows what, the gate clicked open and we both stood up immediately ready to graze my mom's feet with kisses and pleas.

I heard the footsteps getting closer but it didn't sound like my mom’s. It was heavier and calculated.

My heart twisted with my lungs.

The footsteps were familiar and I wanted to beat myself up for knowing excatly Who it was.

Klaus.