Faded ✓

Chapter 6 || Willow

After some of our classes ended and lunch was due, I drove Mona to one of my favorite cafes. The Café was, in my opinion, the best coffee and pastries joint in all of LA. But I might be wrong, considering I've never really traveled anywhere else.

"You're kidding!"

I shake my head. "No. I used to live in Seattle, but um.. stuff happened."

Mona raised a brow. "Stuff?"

"It's personal."

Mona shrugged and glued her eye to her cup. The tension in the air was thick. Neither I nor Mona said anything, though I think we both wanted to. For some reason, I really wanted to tell her about my parent's divorce. I thought maybe it'd be easier to spill cause she was kind of a stranger.

"I lost my mom when I was nine."

I froze. Ever so slowly, I turned to Mona. She looked aloof and unbothered, like she'd repeated that line so much it became clockwork.

"Something tells me you're over it ."

Mona smiled at me, her plump cheeks rounding. "Kind of. We caught the obsessed nut job that killed her. But it's okay. I always tell myself it's better than being willingly abandoned. That would be the epitome of fucked up."

I tensed beside her. And holy crap, she noticed. "Willow, I-"

"Nothing! I'm fine."

Mona scooted closer to me and grabbed my hand. "No, Willow. I'm sorry. I was so insensitive, I.. I can't imagine what you've been through."

My vision got watery suddenly. What the fu-?! Am I.. crying?!

Mona grabbed and hugged me so tight, I felt my boobs squish underneath my dress. Before I could will my mind and heart to keep calm, tears burst out of me like an exploding pipe. The pressure was too much. I couldn't take it all, and Mona hugging me with such tenderness and concern made me realize I desperately needed a friend.