Professor Hiddleston [1]

8: Hide Away

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As soon as I entered the dorm, I called my mom. I felt guilty for ignoring her call and made sure to brace myself for a stern talking to. Hope's voice emerged from the bathroom, "Back so early? I'll be out in a few!" She yelled from the shower. I wanted to tell her to take her time, but I was halted when my phone stopped ringing.

"Hello?" Mom answered in a weary voice.

"Hey mom, it's Cam. I'm sorry I couldn't call back earlier." I wandered over to my bed and sat down. "Is everything alright?"

"What? Oh, Cam! Yeah everything is fine." Mom perked up, but it was hard to ignore the disappointment in her voice. "There is...there is something I should tell you though. The hospital let me go." As much as I tried to conceal it, I gasped. My mom had been a nurse for as long as I could remember. I recalled how I would visit her from time to time, laughing with her coworkers who seemed to adore her and her passion for medicine. To say this was a surprise would be an understatement. 

"What? Why so sudden? Do I need to come home?" The thought of going back home wasn't very appealing, but I would do anything in my power to make sure my mom was taken care of. 

"No, no, you need to stay in New York. I want you in school, but I just don't know if I can keep paying for your dorm. As for the why? Turns out rumors are a nasty thing. You go out and try your best, but sometimes people will stab you in the back." Mom sighed.

I bit at my nails, feeling sick to my stomach. How on earth would I be able to pay for everything by myself?

Hope stepped out of the bathroom with a brush in her hand. She mouthed a Who's that? and began to brush her hair out. My mom, I mouthed back.

"You don't have to worry about me. I can get a job or something. I just want to know that you're okay." I assured her, having about a million questions that I kept to myself.

• • •

Class the following week was absolute torture. On top of the money issue, I had a colossal amount of studying to do. There was an exam the following Monday, and even though I had passed, my anxiety was still through the roof afterwards. It always lingered, following me wherever I went like a dark cloud from a kids cartoon. I hated every minute of it.