TIFFIN

69

Hey everyone!! Can't believe I hit 11k already. You are all amazing <3 <3
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Like nothing had happened at all, everyone in the group began chattering amongst themselves and started swigging from the Vodka once more.

I backed up against a futon burying my face in my knees. I peeked up a few times in the hope that I would see Hero walking down the stairs, but all I saw were sweating bodies of strangers.

The music may have been bumping and students may have been dancing erratically, but I was stuck in my own bubble, feeling everything coming at me, like an unexpected wrecking ball. Time was frozen, while I sobbed, wondering where everything went wrong.

First, I fell for a boy that made it clear he didn't give a crap whether I sank or swam. Second, my grades were plummeting to a terrifying degree. And third, my mother and I were filing a restraining order against a man who wasn't my father. Could anything else go wrong in my life?

I was shocked when my phone went off. Seeing the familiar number, I picked up.

"Mother?" I covered my phone speaker with a hand, heading away from the group.

What was she doing calling so late? How was she calling so late?

"Kristina."

Her tone sounded different than it had only days ago. Less fragile, more controlled. She sounded like her old, disapproving self.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Did you have to sneak into the enterprise building again?"

"Oh no, I got in here just fine. Been working all day."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe my mother had the upper hand on things. It was possible she owned some of the assets.

"Well, good. So, did you get the paperwork together? What do I need to do? I might have to talk to the college so I can make it to the courthouse-"

"Oh, that won't be necessary." My mother responded.

"Oh?" I urged. "is everything already sorted out?"

"Indeed it is," My mother replied, "I did a lot of thinking and I've decided to get back together with your father."

I gasped at this revelation. Wait- what?

"I'm confused," I said.

My mother scoffed dispassionately. "What is there to be confused about?"

"For one, that man is not my father, you made that quite clear. What happened to him being abusive? I thought he was considered dangerous."

"Kristina," My mother began, "There's some things in this life, you can't begin to understand. Like anyone else, your father has his challenges. Despite all this, I love him. I'm willing to work things out with him."

I huffed. "If you're willing to get back together so quickly, what was so bad about keeping in contact with him?"

My question seemed to have upset her.

"Your place isn't to question me. Things are about to change young lady. The conversation you and I had at lunch never happened. You are to never see that boy again and are not going to travel around town. To ensure none of this happens, I'm going to take your father's advice and pull you out of college."

"What, no!" I screamed, earning a few worried glances from people. "You two think you can just dictate what I'm going to do. Didn't I explain myself clearly last time? I don't care what you do; I am finishing this semester!"