Confessions

Chapter 28

I woke suddenly to my phone going off. I grumbled as I rummaged through my pockets. I hurriedly turned off the alarm, glancing at my phone. It was seven-fifty, I had thirty minutes to get home from Jess's. I wiped the saliva from the corners of my mouth, groaning in pain. I slowly pushed myself up, tripping as I walked down the hallway. I realized Alex never came back down stairs and knew I didn't have time to check on him. I bolted out of the front door, running from the kitchen. I hustled up to the main house. I punched the code into the glass door, running and grabbing my purse off the island. I fixed my smeared makeup, pouring mouthwash that was in the downstairs guest bathroom in a tiny Dixie cup. I  gargled and spit, wiping the excess liquid from my mouth. I hurried through the main house front door, closing it behind me. My car was parked behind Jess's, I squinted as the sun beamed down on me. I unlocked my car, sliding in and turning it on. I pulled the car in reverse, peeling out of the driveway. I peeled out of Jess's neighborhood, towards my house.

As I turned into my neighborhood, fifteen minutes early, I glanced in the mirror. My make-up was smeared still around my eyes. My hair in an array, frizzed mess, sticking up everywhere. I pulled up to the curb in front of my house, pushing my car in park. I got out and ran up to the door, fumbling with my keys. I opened the door, grabbing the heel, trying to pull it off. My mother emerged from her office, disgust covered her face. She glanced at the clock, it was a few minutes after eight.

"Are you drunk?" She said, taking a few steps closer. I stepped back, not even trying for my heel again. I took a few steps up the stairs, looking over at her, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"No, I just woke up late. I got here before your stupid deadline." I sneered, stumbling on the stairs. "I'm going to shower and go back. I forgot my math book there, I let Jess borrow it." I lied. She shook her head, walking to the foyer, standing fifteen feet from me.

"You smell like a sewer, if you were drinking I swear.." I cut her off.

"No mom! I wasn't drinking, I just didn't shower yesterday at all." I lied again, trying to rub the leftover make-up off my face. She took another step, as I bolted for the upstairs bathroom, stumbling up a few more stairs. I ran into my brother as he came out, shoving the door closed. I sat on the toilet, putting my head in my hands briefly. A sudden pounding at the door, sent my heart into spasm.

"Aubrey Grace! Open this door right now!" She yelled, pounding on the door again. I hurriedly looked around the bathroom for something to mask my breath again. I knew my breath smelled like alcohol. I grabbed the mouthwash off the shelf, fumbling with the cap. I swished it around in my mouth, spitting it in the sink. She barged in, as I grabbed the soap from the sink, scrubbing my hands.

"What the fuck! Can I get any privacy!" I yelled, grabbing a towel from the rack above the toilet.

"No, we were talking about why you smell like a bar!" She yelled, yanking the towel from my hand. "Mouthwash isn't going to cover up the odor coming from your pores! I cannot believe you would engage in that kind of reckless behavior! Then drive home and risk other's lives!" She screamed, her mocha skin reddening.  I sighed, admitting defeat.

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to make it home before your ridiculous fucking ultimatium! I am not drunk mom, I swear!" I snapped back, shutting the toilet lid and sitting down again. I tried running my hands through my matted hair, sighing again.

"No! I am done, sorry doesn't cut it this time. The past six months you've been so disrespectful and destructive. Fighting at school, your participation slipping, constantly out with 'that boy'." She paused, taking in a breath. The way she said "that boy" made my heart sink. I knew she was sending me to New York now there was no way I was getting out of it. How am I going to tell him? "You're going, end of story." She said, calming her breathing, her fists bawled at her side.