Chapter 12: My Secret!

"Are you ready to go home?" I heard Ari say as she walked over to me. I look up at her to pass her a smile.

"No. Ma is coming to pick me up now. She wants me home today." I said, referring to the text she sent me a few minutes ago. The smile on Ari's face vanished just as quickly as it came.

"So we can't have a movie night tonight? I wanted to do something for you today, even though I know you don't wish to celebrate it." She said, disappointment evident in her expression. I gave her a look, letting her know I don't appreciate it. I didn't even know they have been planning to celebrate it. They know I forbade it. "Okay, okay. But tomorrow is a Saturday, can't she let you come?"

"Nah. Ma's pretty pissed that I stayed over at your place last night." She linked her arms with mine as we walked to the school's entrance. We finished practice before the football team. The other girls chose to stay back and watch the guys. They need to 'cheer them on' since that's their responsibility.

"I'm sorry to say this, Thea. But your mom is pretty mean. She can't do something like that and act like everything is okay a day after." I smiled as I leaned on her car.

"Welcome to my world, baby!" I said solemnly with a fake, cheerful voice as she pulled me in for a hug.

"Mady and I will always be here for you, no matter what happens." I nodded as I hugged her back.

"Thank you!" I said after we pulled away from each other. She placed her bag in the car before sitting beside me on the hood. "Ashton is still coming tonight?"

"Yeah, he was excited when I told him we were having a sleepover. You know, especially since he didn't like that you banned it. He'll be disappointed if he finds out you ain't coming." I smiled as I took the carrot she passed me.

"I'll be there for the next one, I promise." I saw my mom's car from a distance, and suddenly a sense of deja vu overwhelmed me. It's my dad that usually comes to pick me up from school since I can remember. I turned my head from the approaching car as I didn't want to think about him.

"Are you going to watch the guys practice?" I asked her as I jumped off the hood of the car.

"Hell no! I'm not a horny teenager." I laughed just as Mom packed her car beside us. "Looks like your mom is here. I'll call you later, okay?"

I nodded as I hugged her again. I carried my bag as I walked to the car. Mom was already out of the vehicle as she held open the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Brown." Ari greeted. My mom nodded with her lips set in a straight line, and her eyes filled with disgust.

"Get into the car now, Athena." I knew better than to argue with her when she's angry, except I don't know who she is mad at now. I obliged her request and got into the car quietly. She slammed the door in anger, making my heart jump into my mouth.

I watched as my mom approached Ari. She started waving her hands in different directions, trying to get her message across. I strained my ear, trying to pick one or two words from their conversation, but they were talking in whispers. I couldn't pick anything from their facial expressions from here too.

I saw Ari nod at something she said before making her way to her car. She drove out of the school premises without even glancing at me. My mom slammed her door as she started driving, going in the opposite direction Ari went.

"What was that about, Ma? What did you say to her?" No response. I looked at her to see her hands clenching the wheel tightly. Why is she so angry? I let out a sigh before leaning my head to the window.

I pulled out my phone to text Arianna. At least, I know she'll answer me, and I needed to be sure this woman hasn't ruined me.

'Hey, Ari. Your home already? What was my mom discussing with you? I tried asking her, but she's really pissed.'

The silence in the car is so choking and suffocating. I reached out to turn on the radio when a voice stopped me.

"Don't you dare touch my radio." I retracted my hand before leaning back to my seat. She drove through the gates of the house, bringing the car to a park at the garage. She turned around to get her bag from the backseat, still not saying a word.

"Get out of the car and meet me inside." She slammed the door, making me jump. Geez!! Is she trying to remove the door from its hinges? I reached to get out of the car when my phone dinged with an incoming notification. I immediately pulled it out, knowing that it was from Ari.

'Your mother thinks I'm a bad influence on you. I'm sorry she thinks that. I did everything I did because I only wanted to be there for you, to be a good friend considering I was once in your shoes. I think she's mad because I said I wouldn't stop being your friend. Haha. Good luck trying to calm her down.

I stared at my phone in disbelief. I didn't even know I had tears in my eyes until a drop fell on my screen. This woman is hell-bent on destroying my life. I felt anger coursed through my veins, making my blood boil. I ran into the house, ignoring the staffs that were greeting me.

"Mom!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Levi called for me, but I didn't answer him. I ran towards the kitchen, where I saw her pressing her phone and a cup of orange juice placed on the counter. I walked towards her, my steps calculated and my breaths heavy. She raised her brows as if asking me if I was okay.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked as I clenched my hands tightly to calm myself down.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said as she brought her attention back to her phone.

"Why'd you tell Ari that she's a bad influence on me?"

"Was I lying? I was clearly stating the facts. You only started talking back at me after you got close to that girl. If she were a good friend, she would've told you to come home last night."

"That's it, Ma? That's the reason you said that to her?" I shook my head as I let out a small laugh. "You have never been there for me as a mother should. You weren't there for me when Dad died. You weren't there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on. You weren't there when I was grieving. It was only Ari and her mother that helped me with my grief. Now, you call her a terrible friend?"

The night of my birthday, when my mom came to my room in the middle of the night, she came to tell me that my dad drank himself into a stupor and got into an accident when he was driving. At first, I found it really absurd because I only spoke to him minutes before, and he sounded okay. It was all so confusing because I know my dad wasn't a drunkard, but when mom showed me his car that was involved in the accident, I knew it wasn't a lie.

Since that day, I have vowed to stop celebrating my birthday because I didn't see the point of celebrating it. What would I be celebrating anyway? His death and the day I was born all together? That's messed up.

"It was because I don't understand the point of your grieving or mourning. You forbade anyone from mentioning your birthday all because of a dead man that can't even do anything from the grave."

"He was my father!"

"AND I WAS HIS WIFE!" She let out a breath before running her hands through her hair. "I have said my bit about that girl. My friend, Eva, has beautiful kids your age that you could befriend. One of them would be attending Harvard in the fall, I would like you to get close to that one."

Is she serious? "Now you want to start dictating who I can and can't be friends with? You only say Ari is a bad friend. You are the worst mother and wife, Ma." I said as hot tears streamed down my face. "I hate being your daughter."

"HOW DARE YOU!" She raised her hand, ready to slap me when Levi intervened.

"Leah! Stop." He said. "I've had enough of you treating her like this. She's not an object. She has blood in her veins which makes her a human like you."

"She's my daughter. You have no--"

"That gives you no right to treat her like that. She can easily be taken from you if you keep this up." Her eyes are now red in anger as she clenched her jaw tight. She released her hand from his grip as she walked up the stairs but not before saying.

"Eva will be here with her kids later for dinner. YOU MUST BE THERE."

My tears are flowing down my cheeks freely as I watched her go up the stairs. What have I done to deserve this? The earlier I accept the fact that my mom doesn't care about my feelings, the faster I'll heal of the scars she's inflicted on me.

Levi pulled me closer to his chest as he rubbed my back, telling me everything will be fine.

At this point, I don't think that could happen.

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