The Heart That's Meant to Love You

Chapter 7: Mother

For years, Naomi's mother had taught her to remain polite, even when extremely annoyed. That training didn't do her any good now, when she couldn't find a polite way to tell Claire to buzz off. 

Lunch had been one thing, but now Claire had followed her out into the open air. As if they were close. As if they had a friendship. No matter how much Naomi told her that she didn't do friends, Claire clung on. And they were fast approaching the time that Naomi's mother would arrive to collect her. 

Claire definitely didn't fit Ms. Rowe's Good Friend Criteria. 

"Are you going to stop following me?" Naomi asked testily. 

Claire laughed softly. "I would, but it's more fun to tag along." 

Had anyone ever told Claire how annoying she was? Naomi wouldn't be surprised if Claire had no friends because of her clinginess. What type of person couldn't take a hint? 

With few options left, Naomi chose to let Claire follow her. Claire would inevitably learn that she couldn't stick around. It wasn't an option in Naomi's world. Her mother would push Claire away on Naomi's behalf. 

"Are you always this quiet?" Claire asked. 

Naomi shrugged her shoulders. "There's no need to talk most of the time." 

"And why is that?" 

"The less I talk, the less people can misunderstand." 

"Well, that's a lie if I ever heard one." 

Naomi stopped in her tracks. A lie? Really? It had been her way of weeding through false friends since before she could remember. A habit that stuck with her and influenced her perspective on life. "What do you mean?" 

"Don't you think people misunderstand you anyway?" Claire folded her arms across her chest. "I mean... I've met at least three of them that think you're stuck up because of your actions, not your words. Shouldn't you try to clarify?" 

"In a few years they won't remember me, and for me they'll just be pieces of my past that are better forgotten." Naomi started walking again. 

She couldn't let it bother her. It had never bothered her before, so why did Claire's words suddenly make sense? Other people were meant to be used to build up her own career, not cared for or about. Naomi didn't have the time or energy for that. 

Claire clucked her tongue. "You need serious rehabilitation, don't you?" 

Rehabilitation? There was nothing wrong with her. "What are you talking about?"

Claire shrugged, and might have opened her mouth to say more, but a sleek black car pulled to a stop at the curb. The driver marched to the back passenger door and opened it. 

Out stepped a lean woman, all coifed hair and stern expression. She screamed professional, from the length of her skirt to the height of her heels. Not a hair out of place or a button hanging loose. 

Naomi stiffened her spine, prepared to take whatever might come at her. Her mother wasn't known for lenience or generosity, at least not where Naomi was concerned. 

"Naomi." Her mother folded her hands at her waist. "Who is this?" 

"A classmate." Naomi answered quickly, with the vaguest answer she could offer. The less she said about the girl beside her, the less her mother would lecture later. 

Naomi's mother lifted her chin and scanned Claire from head to foot. The brief twitch of her nose spoke enough disdain that Claire couldn't have missed it. Claire, however, didn't back down or look away. In fact, she smiled. Naomi would never understand Claire, but Claire's defiance resonated somewhere deep within her. If only she had the courage to face life like that.

"A classmate," Naomi's mother reiterated, then offered a world-bearing sigh. "Let's go, Naomi. Time is precious." 

"Yes, ma'am." Naomi skirted around her mother to slide into the backseat of the car. She didn't bother to say goodbye to Claire. That would only create more problems later. 

Naomi knew exactly what her mother saw when she looked at Claire. An undereducated, over-hormonal child who would drag Naomi down with her. A loose woman who hung out in places and with people that would only do harm to Naomi's future. Nothing worthwhile. Nothing at all. 

Naomi set her bag in her lap, looked out the window, and waited for her mother to slide in beside her. 

"Don't spend time with her," were the first words out of Naomi's mother's mouth. 

Naomi hadn't intended to spend time with Claire, but being told she couldn't changed her mind. "How crass should I appear to my classmates? Won't they all be part of the public opinion I'll need later?" 

Politics. All mind games and manipulation. A use of appearances to gain the position desired. Naomi never quite understood the need for dishonesty, but lately she had begun to see why it might be helpful. Appearances were, in fact, everything. College had taught her that early on. 

Naomi's mother smoothed her jacket as the car rolled forward. "You will never receive the good opinions from people like her. Leave her to ruin her own life." 

It must have been the outfit that set off her mother's temper. Her mother had always been persnickety about clothing. About how much skin was shown or not shown. About bright colors drawing the wrong kinds of attention. About... well... a lot of things. Claire somehow managed to fit into every single category that Naomi's mother deemed wrong. 

"She won't do anything to hurt me." 

"You say that now, but what about when I'm picking you up from the police station and your future career is ruined?" 

"She's just a classmate, mother." 

"A classmate that will pull you down into the muck and mire if you're not careful." Naomi's mother rested a hand on Naomi's shoulder. "We have a clear plan laid out. If you follow it, you'll succeed. It won't be long now." 

Yes. The Grand Plan. A plan that was finally close to fruition. How dare she ruin it now? If she followed through, everything would be okay. 

Naomi laid her head against the seat, facing away from her mother. She could argue if she really wanted to, but truth be told, Naomi was tired. Tired of arguing. Tired of pretending.

Her mother would never believe or understand her if she tried to explain the pressure weighing on her shoulders and her heart. They had planned this since Naomi's childhood. No backing out now, even if Naomi wanted to. 

She and her mother spent the remainder of the ride home in bitter and unfriendly silence.