Daffodil Sprouts🌼

Ch. 29 ' Nostalgic Cookies.

By the time I get home, it's 8:00 PM, and Phillip and Mom are sitting on the porch. Apprehension builds in me as Rahman slowly brings the car to a halt.
Why are they home? When did they get here?

"Stop looking like you're about to cry."

"Look," I tell him, nudging my head towards the porch.

He whistles when he sees them. "Looks like someone's in trouble," he sings.

I glare at him. "What's funny?"

I turn back to see Mom walking towards us, and I end up fighting with the doorknob to get down.

"Careful," Rahman cautions.

I hiss, grabbing my bag and jumping down from the car to meet her. I have no idea what to say. I'm ordinarily not a good liar —that's Felicie's thing— and now I've been caught unawares. If I had known she would be home, I would've at least thought of something, I had all the time to.

"M—"

She walks right past me, towards the car. She looks inside and maintains eye contact with Rahman for a good number of seconds before turning to me. "Who is he?"

"Nobody," I spit, then quickly correct myself. "A . . . A friend."

She looks at him again before talking. "Where were you? Why was your number not going through?"

My mouth flies open. I put off my phone when I was in class, then I forgot to put it on after I got back my hoodie. I dip my hand into the pocket and bring it out.

"Sorry, I . . . I put it off."

I wish I can come up with something that would wipe the glare off her face, I really do. She's angry; a first, and I don't even know what to do that can calm her.

"I'm s—"

"Answer the first question."

Rebooting takes a moment. "Uhm . . . A park, and then—" I spot Rahman mouthing, 'bye', and I wave at him.

"Stop it!" Mom yells, and I jump back.

She swirls to face Rahman. "What are you still doing here? Get lost!"

Rahman lowers his head twice and babbles, "Sure, Goodnight. Sorry." Then he reverses as fast as he can and drives out of the compound.

Mom turns back to me, sighing heavily. I look at the porch in a bid to avoid her harsh gaze. Mr Philip is standing, staring at us from the distance. I wish he would come to save me from his wife.

"You were saying something," Mom says steely.

I stumble back as she comes closer. I don't remember getting beaten up by her as a child, but I'm not willing to take chances. "To a park, a beautiful park. Then I wanted to know how it feels like to enter a train."

"You're telling me you skipped school to mess around."

My eyes enlarge as I look up at her. She knows.

I look down again. "Something happened, and I just had to get my mind off it."

"What happened?" She comes closer as she talks, dragging 'happened'. Her tone is sarcastic. "What did you need to get your mind off? The fact that you were caught in the locker room with a boy?"

I gasp. Jason is such a tattletale! "It's not like that!"

"How is it like then?" she shouts. "How?"

I'm rooted at the spot, too shaken and pained to move. Or even talk.

"I am embarrassed and ashamed of you. So ashamed."