Pure Dumb Luck

Chapter 2: Spontaneous Mall Trip

      It was about 10:30 when I heard my alarm blaring next to my ear. I picked up my phone and turned it off. Usually I try to sleep in more on my days off but today I couldn't. Too many thoughts were keeping me awake. I sat up in my bed and immediately regretted it. The heat doesn't get into my room very well so being in a tank top wasn't ideal. I shivered and rubbed my arms. I'm definitely awake now. I mentally prepare myself and throw the duvet off my bare legs. I quickly step onto the cold floor and try to find warm clothes. I put on a fuzzy pull over and some baggy sweatpants that are on a chair in the corner of my room. I open my top drawer and find a soft pair of socks and sigh in relief when I'm completely shielded from the harsh cold. I make my way into my bathroom and do my business. I wash my hands, brush my hair and teeth, put on deodorant, and finally put on a spritz of perfume.  I don't put on any make up as I don't plan on going out today. It's Friday today, laundry day. I grab my hamper and picked up the stray clothes on my floor. I walk out of my room and into the hallway. Our washer and dryer are in an indent in our hallway wall. I throw two Tide pods into the drum of the washer and start putting my clothes in, fixing inside-out clothes and checking all my pockets. I find some loose change and a pair of headphones I've been looking for. So that't where I put them. After all of my dirty clothes are in the washer I close the door and turn it on. I put my hamper back in my room and made my way downstairs into the dining room. My mom works from home so I'm not surprised to see her there on a conference call, her laptop open in front of her with whatever they were discussing displayed on the screen. She gave me a smile smile and waved, I returned both and made my way into the kitchen looking for something to eat. I opened the fridge and saw my mom got eggnog, my favorite! I pour myself a glass and take my birth control pill with it. Before you ask, no I don't have a boyfriend, I take it to regulate my cycle. Besides, my last relationship didn't end well. I shake my head at the thought and grab a banana from the counter. There's three left and they're starting to brown, I can make banana bread! I eat the banana and look around. I don't see my dad anywhere which is weird for a Friday. He doesn't go into work til noon on Friday. I poke my head in the dining room to see my mom had finished her conference call. I decide to ask her about my dad's absence.

   "Hey mom? Where's dad? I thought he didn't start work until noon on Friday's?" I ask. She looks down and sighed.

   "Your dad is going to be living at his brother's for a bit. Just until we figure everything out." She replies with a sad look in her eyes. Great. Now I really know why they're divorcing now. Her alcoholism. Why didn't I realize this before. She's been an addict for a while, I don't even know when she started.

     "Oh, okay." I said. I started to feel distaste toward my mother. I've always had a problem with my mom because of her addiction, but now that it's going to cause a huge shift in our lives, my anger towards her only doubled. She seemed to sense that I was growing irritated with her and tried to lighten the mood.

   "Nothing is going to happen until after your birthday. Your father and I agreed that we should hold the heavy stuff off until nothing big is going on." She said as if that would make me feel better. It didn't. I didn't reply, I just huffed and made my way back upstairs. Guess I will be leaving the house today. I don't want to be in a house alone with my mother all day. I'm far too pissed at her right now.

    I walked into my still freezing room and looked in my closet, deciding what to wear. I find a pair of skinny jeans and start looking through my drawers for a shirt and bra. I find a cute black shirt with a slightly open back. I grab a cute lace-y date bra so the design would show through the small opening on my back. I take off the warm clothes I threw on and put on the cute outfit. I threw my galaxy Vans on and grabbed my purse. I walked downstairs and threw my winter coat on. I walk out the door without another word to my mom. She didn't need to know where I was going. I walked to my car and got into the cold vehicle. I turned key and turned on my heat, full blast. I put the car into reverse and saw my mom in the doorway before looking behind me, backing out of my driveway. I see her jogging to my car and I throw it into drive before nearly peeling out. I know there will be hell to pay when I get home but I don't care. When I get to the bottom of my street I plug my phone into the aux cord and found a good playlist. I hit shuffle and Twenty One Pilots' Lane Boy starts playing. I bob my head to the beat as I make my way to the one place I like going when I need to waste a day somewhere. The mall.