The whole world was against me. Even my own mother betrayed me, going through my stuff just because of something my stupid-ass boyfriend said. She didn't trust me. She didn't care about me. She didn't even ask me anything... she just told me this, and told me that... Who did she think she was anyways?
The night was long and cold. The rain slashed against the window, begging me to let it in. The lightning lit up the sky every couple seconds. With each strike, a new memory flashed before me... but as soon as it came, it vanished again. The thunder rolled throughout the sky, creeping past my walls and into my head. It loomed there, no longer frightening as it'd once been when I was younger. I could deal with it now... just like I could deal with so many other things my mother wouldn't trust me with.
I just knew she was hiding something... there was no other explanation! How did she know Elijah's name? I was positive I hadn't said it... why would I? That would give her power... some form to identify him by. Surely, I wouldn't have let something so pertinent slip, even in my fit of anger. No, there was some secret... could she read my thoughts? No, that was crazy... but then again, everything else happening was crazy.
No, wait, I told myself, shaking the unnerving thought of my mother reading my mind. Think of another logical reason... I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind of all other worries, and just focus on the mystery of my mother.
I eventually came to her past... It had to be something about her past! She must have known Elijah... No, I thought, bursting my own bubble, Elijah is my age... how could she possibly know him from her past?... My mind spun relentlessly. There was no answer to be found... only a mystery.
I hardly knew anything about my mother's past. She never liked to talk about it. List of things I did know:
1) She got pregnant with me when she was seventeen
2) She never talked to any of her family asides from her father... now that he's passed, I have no interaction with my grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, or any other form of family from her past.
3) Apparently, she left my father... contrary to what I've believed for my entire life. And it had something to do with my safety...?
That was about it... and as anyone could plainly see, most of this was discovered by deductive reasoning, not by her talking to me or actually explaining anything along the way.
The rain slowly depreciated into a slight drizzle, droplets racing each other down my window. The lightning slowed with the first sign of daylight. Alas, the night was over. The time for thinking was over... and the time for a short amount of sleep was upon me. I rolled over, closed my eyes, and before I knew it an alarm blared in my ears.
I reached to turn it off, not caring about school, my day, my activities, my mother, or anything other than sleep. Ten minutes later, I heard the door to my bedroom slowly creak open. I kept my eyes closed and pretended not to notice.
“Melissa, I know you're awake,” my mother said, shaking my foot just to be sure. “I called you in sick at school. After what happened yesterday, I don't think you should go out. I'm leaving for work now and I will be calling in to check on you periodically throughout the day. I expect you to pick up.” I wondered how long this was going to go on for? I was annoyed my mother had called me in sick... Heather, the head cheerleader and my best friend, sure wouldn't be thrilled with me. But, I supposed there was nothing I could do about it now.
