Weight of The Untold

Chapter 10

I walked slowly through the schoolyard, the late-afternoon chill matching the quiet ache in my chest. I missed my mother, and today, for some reason, her high school story—the one she only told me once—was playing clearly in my mind, every word still sharp after all these years.

Flashback

"Mom, can you tell me a bedtime story?" My seven-year-old self asked.

"Kyla, you know all the bedtime stories I'd tell you. You read so many books." I giggled, knowing how true that was.

"Okay, how about you tell me about your school life?" She sighed and sat down on the bed with me.

"Honey, Mommy wasn't a good kid in high school. I don't want you to learn those mistakes from me." Now I was curious.

"Don't worry, I know what's right and wrong. You've taught me that." I grinned until she finally spoke.

"Okay, well, Mommy was more of the chaotic teenager. I always told myself nobody could tell me anything. I had a bunch of friends, and we'd always go to parties, drink alcohol, and do nasty stuff. I'm not proud of who I was. One day I snuck out at night to see my boyfriend, little did I know he was using me as bait so I could be caught by the police in a suspect area of selling drugs.

"Well, I got arrested that night because of him. He denied knowing me or even having anything to do with me."

"What? He really did that?" She nodded.

"Honey, some boys are not good, so that's why you need to stay away from them. If you notice that he uses you for most things that are not good, takes you to dangerous places, or doesn't respect your decisions, then stay away from him. Please promise me you will, baby." She looked so worried, I was scared, too.

"I promise, Mom."

"Thank you, sweetie." She smiled, brushing my face.

"So, how did you get out of jail?"

"Well, I called him, and he hung up immediately he heard it was me. I called our friends, and they did the same; I guess he told them to do that. I stayed in the cell the whole night. I cried, and thought very hard if this was the life I really wanted to live. I regretted every bad thing I ever did. But then morning came, and I knew my parents already knew I was not home and were probably worried since my phone was off. The police had taken it along with my other stuff."

"They have the right to do that, Mommy?" She giggled and nodded.

"Yes, baby, they have every right to do that. So morning came, and I finally called Grandpa and Grandma. At first I didn't want your grandparents to find out I was arrested because they would be so disappointed, but I eventually called them, and they came to my rescue.

"Your grandfather was a known politician back in Australia, so my case was easily dismissed, and my boyfriend was arrested instead—but he was already on the run by that time. They destroyed any fingerprints taken so I could be free of any criminal record.

"So, honey, that's when my life started to change. I became a good girl. I graduated high school, then went to college. My parents started being so proud of me and the woman I had become, and that made Mommy really happy. The End."

"I'm also proud of you, Mom." She smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Thank you, honey. Now go to sleep. I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, Mom. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, honey." I closed my eyes, and sleep came over me immediately.

End of Flashback

I giggled, remembering the good days with my parents. "I miss you guys, but I hope you are in a better place now," I whispered to myself.