Mr. Horan »n.h«

TIME BOMB

There we stand. Me and my own mother. We stand in front of each other and she's just glaring at me.

"My god Sophie, I never even thought you would do something like this.." she shakes her head. "Mum. Let me explain-"

"No! It's to late to explain! Have you been sleeping with this man, this teacher..!?" She's yelling now and these tears brim my eyes but I refuse to let them out.

"Yes! Actually I have been! It's been the best fucking times of my life!! This man changed my life!!" I yell back and I see the fury in her eyes, and if it was possible her eyes would be glowing red.

"Sophie, you was perfect?! You was saving your virginity-"

"I was never perfect!! I wasn't even close to being normal! Niall cares about me! He actually cares, and I care about him--"

"You can't care about your teacher!"

"I do.. I do.. I do.. I care about him, mum.." I point to the door motioning to Niall but he ain't there. He's gone.

"I have to call the police or something or put you in the mental institution because I can't deal with this--"

"Don't you dare!" I rush to her and shove her not even thinking clearly but it only moves her a little.

"You put me in that place to get rid of me because I was an embarrassment! You put me in there because you wanted to hide me!! You wanted to lie to people and say that I was at a boarding school, when I was in a fucking mental institution that I didn't even need to go into!! Niall saw me, while everyone else didn't! He literally makes me feel beautiful and amazing and like I matter, and like I'm needed! If you call the cops and take him away from me I won't be the same! If you put him in jail, I'll never forgive you! I'm seventeen anyways! I'm turning eighteen!"

She's standing there in shock and I feel light headed.

"Mum.. We both know that's true.. I had enough time to think about it, during people trying to eat each other and kill each other in that place, I had time to think about it. I wish I could be different but I'm not, and he has changed me. I know it's weird and it don't even make since but he makes me happy..."

She looks down at her feet. Then back at me.

"Sophie. I never put you in there to get rid of you.. I did it because I was scared.. I knew that you being in there you couldn't hurt yourself..," and these tears brim her eyes.

"I knew that I failed you! That I lost you! Getting that call changed everything! What mother let's her daughter slip into the darkness and not think about pulling her out?! Not a good one! I'm not a good mother! And so when I see this? I think that it's wrong.. That I need to protect you so you don't fall back into that.."

Tears start to roll down her cheeks.

"Mum, he's the only light I've seen since I've been here.."