Whatever it takes

15. She's Back

September 8, 8:47 pm
Dream POV.

Today was off. Dad was quiet ok the drive to school, not even talking to my older sister about anything. Quackity was now dating Schlatt apparently, hate Schlatt but good for Q I guess. And to top it all off practice actually looked fun today. I was so confused. Plus practice actually ended on time, what?

I sat in the car as Dad drove us home, absolute silence between us. He wasn't complaining or talking shit about the team, he wasn't nagging at me, and he wasn't himself. Something had to be up.

Ideas of what could be going on ran through me head. What if he's started dating again? What if he got a new job and we're moving? What if he's dying? All possibilities that could be real.

As we pulled into our neighborhood and near our house I saw a familiar car. It was a blue Toyota Carola, moms car. I started smiling. Mom was back. She must've driven here instead of flying. She was back. She was finally back.

Dad parked the car and gave me what looked like a smile. I unbuckled the seatbelt and swung the car door open almost tripping and falling out of the vehicle. I sprinted thirds the door swinging it open and promptly running through the house until I saw her in the kitchen with my sisters.

Mom looked up at me and smiled. She walked towards me with open arms. "Hello Dream." She said as we hugged. I didn't want to let go. "Hey mom." "I got us and Air B&B for the week. I already packed some of your clothes and if it's not what you wanted you can always come back to pick some things up alright." I nodded, trying to blink the tears from my eyes. I hadn't seen my mother in a few months, every time she would try and come over something for her work would come up.

We walked out fo the house, passing my dad who looked like he was still smiling.

We were finally sat in the car and driving away before she started asking questions. "So how's the team this year? You still friends with Karl and Quackity. I mean you've known them for so long. And Sapnap! Forgot about him for a second there, sorry."
"Nah it's fine. Teams great. As you can see I have a broken arm. Techno, you know Wilbur's younger brother," "Yeah," "he's the one who broke it. Plus I have a concussion and I can't play for two weeks. Other than that we won yesterday's game against Endale."

She nodded. "Any new additions to the team?" "Yeah! His name's George and he's one of our forwards. He's great. He's from London, moved here over the summer. He's pretty funny. He lives next to Quackity too." I was happy to talk about George, I like talking about George, or to George.

"You're smiling. D'you like him?" She asked giving me the side eye. "Like what?" I was confused. "Like like Dream. You talk about him like I used to talk about your father before we got together." Love the connection made. "Dream, you know I will always love and support you no matter what. And if you go like George like that then go get him. Be happy."

"I don't like him like that. We're just friends." I said defensively. She let out a sigh, not believing me. "Anything new within your little friend group then?" "Quackity started dating Schlatt apparently. Happened at a party we went to on Friday. Oh, got into a fight with Wilbur too. He just came up to me and punched me." I said.

"What happened to you and him being friends? You played on the same team for years together and then the moment you're at different schools you're not that anymore. What happened?" She asked, pulling into the driveway of an older looking house. "I don't know." I replied. I grabbed the bag she had packed for me and walked to the front door where she was waiting. "We just kind of drifted apart. I guess going to completely different schools does that to you." "It just sucks that you two used to be so close and now you're not." I didn't respond.

"What about your father? Anything different with him at all. Puffy? Drista?" She asked, sitting down on an orange chair.  "Same thing with them. Dad won't stop nagging to me about how I could do better. He's been nicer to me since I got injured though. Maybe I should be injured all the time. Puffy and I barely interact at this point and Drista and I stopped working on footwork months ago. She left me for dad. It always happens. I do somethings dm dad has to swoop in and take it away from me." I put my hands to cover my face.

"Hey. How bout I talk to him about that? Maybe he'll lay off and let you go back to helping her. I'm sure that she's appreciate it." Mom said. I shook my head no. "He'd just ask you why and it would be embarrassing for me to explain that. Like 'hey dad can I go back to spending time ugh my sister you took over and now I'm sad and mad at you,' like, I'm not going to do that."

"You're going to have to at some point. He's not going to lay off until you tell him to stop. He listens when you tell him that unlike a lot of men. He wouldn't make fun of you. I'm sure he just wanted to spend time with you. Seems like since we got divorced you haven't wanted to be around him as much." "Why wouldn't I? He's the reason you two aren't together anymore." I stated. "It's not anyone fault but ours Dream, we fell out of love okay? You know this. And if you want to act like that then you can just go to sleep."

There was an uncomfortable silence filling the room. "Fine." I replied, walking down the hallway and up the stairs until I found a room that I could sleep in. Her visit felt different. It was way too off.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Word count. 1054

When it's chapter 15 and it's still early September: whoops