PUPPY

CHAPTER 20

A week has passed since Christmas. There wasn't a Christmas tree, lights, or presents in our apartments even though the streets were over-decorated. We spend the day normally like nothing special was marked on the calendar. I even put in a lot of effort to hide the present that Laura gave me and I gave her.

And for the record, we celebrated New Year's Eve the same as Christmas, as if it was inexistent.

I'm thankful that holidays exist. A little bit of snow was enough for the principal to extend the Christmas holidays for one week.

Today I feel like doing nothing. At the moment, I was laying on Neil's couch, watching a boring rom-com. Neil was in his studio typing on the computer, as always. I noticed that he's a bit of a workaholic and a night owl.

All of a sudden, my phone rang.

"Hi, Amalia speaking."

"Hey, honey. I'm finally in this town forgotten by god. The weather here is terrible. Three's snow everywhere. Since you have the holidays, I thought that I'd pay you a surprise visit in the evening. Even your brother came, he misses you so much."

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

"Wait, what do you mean you're here?"

"Oh, I guess that you can't hear me well. I'll text you." Before I could stop her, she ended the call.

I threw the phone on the other side of the couch. I cupped my face with my hands and looked down.

This can't be happening!

Not now that I'm happy.

Not now that everything fell into place.

Not now!

My mother can't come here. She can't see Neil!

I cannot cry.

I'm okay!

I'm okay!

I'm okay!

I'm-

"Who was it?" I quickly looked up to see Neil.

"Nobody."

I quickly got up and started walking away, but I didn't make it far. He gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him.

"Puppy, don't lie to me."

I covered my teary eyes with my forearm and said: "My mother."

He pulled me into a hug. "Oh, Puppy. Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying."

He cupped my cheek with his hand and said: "Then why are there tears in your eyes?"

"I-I"

He kissed my forehead before saying: "Want to talk about it?"

"N-no."

He hugged me tightly. "Okay."

He wouldn't understand how much power my mother has over me. I'm happy that he understands me in a way. But now that I think about the talk that I had with Laura a while ago. Maybe if I open up to him, he'll do the same. No! He doesn't have to know how broken I am because of my mother. My family and Neil are two words that mustn't collide in any way shape or form.

~⭒< ☾ >⭒~

Now I was in my apartment, it was already evening. I told Neil that I wanted to clean up my apartment and that I wanted to do it alone.

I know that he doesn't like lies, but this is a white lie. I did clean my apartment, not because it needed it, but because of my mother.

She said that she'll come by in the evening and she will.