Beautiful Mess

Chapter 16

 I eased the door shut, hitting talk on my phone. I knew what was coming and I was dreading it. Sam had probably gone to my mother, told her a different story than what had happened and made it a bigger ordeal than it was. As I put the phone to my ear, I wondered what my mother would think if I told her my side of the story. Like any other time, I don’t think she’d believe me.

 “Hello?” I answered. I could hear silence on the other line. I almost thought the call had dropped when I heard my mother on the other line cough.

 “Do you mind explaining to me what happened with your sister?” she demanded. I sighed, rolling my eyes. I was too good at prediciting what my mother would say.

 “What did she tell you happened?” I asked. My mother didn’t answer right away. I could hear her place the phone against her chest and mumble something to someone. I heard the phone being moved back to her ear.

 “She said that she came out there to see how you were doing. Then, she told you about Maddox and the tabloids and that’s when you ever so rudely ran out on her,” my mother explained. “Now, why would you run out on somebody that was coming to see how you were doing?”

 “One, she hadn’t have come to see how I was doing. Two, I’ve told you guys over and over again that Maddox and I are not dating and I never, ever want to date him again. Three, she told me Maddox was coming to see me tonight, which he did. And four, if you would take your head out of your ass, maybe you would see that your youngest daughter is trying to make you see what’s going on. But yet somehow, you find your little peepholes and turn this nightmare into a fantasy when in reality it’s like living in hell for me.” As soon as I said this, I wanted to take it all back. I knew that my mother was going to be furious. I heard deep breaths coming from the other end of the line. I took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, waiting for her to say something.

 “I’d watch that attitude young lady. Just because you’ve made a bad mistake with dating this Chase guy doesn’t mean you can take it out on us. You’re guilty, I get it. But there is no need for any of this bullshit,” my mother snapped. I clutched the phone tighter to my ear.

 “Mother. If you’d open your eyes for just one second, you’d see that I am telling you the truth. I’ve been--.”

 “No, you’re lying. I don’t understand why you want to hurt someone who geniuenly cares for you, Riley. He comes over and asks about you daily. When he saw that you and this Chase boy were together, he was devastated. He came over and just sat in your room for hours,” my mother interrupted. I waited until she was finished before I proceeded. The anger was rising at an increasing rate and I knew it was seconds before I just blew up.

 “It’s the damn tabloids. For the last time, Chase and I are not together. Maddox and I are not together. And if Chase and I were together, you would get over it because that would my choice. Not some choice that you decided was good for me. How ironic,” I said sarcastically. I found pleasure in the frigid intakes of breath that was heard on the other side of the line.

 “Riley, you better watch it,” my mother warned.

 “Oh, why? Because you said so?” I asked.

 “Yes because I said so. If you’re not careful, I’ll make sure that you come home and end that stupid tour of yours,” she yelled.