I'm NOT A Baby Anymore

Chapter 17: Confused

   Pink couldn't believe her mom was shutting down an orphanage. How could she do that like it was nothing? Pink's admiration for her family began to crumble further at the newfound information.

  She'd ran straight up to her room the minute the car had pulled up to their house, too hurt and uncertain to talk anymore with her mother.

   Now here she laid completely confused and dismayed. Her mom talks about trust and ruining reputations when she's shutting down orphanages for kicks. Pink knew for a fact that her mom could afford to help them. White Diamond was not struggling for money, she had a successful design company as well as realtor business that was booming.

    Why wouldn't she help them? Why shut them down? Pink wished she still had her phone, so she could search her mother's name or at least her companies. But sadly she likely wouldn't be seeing her phone for a very long time.

    "Pink come downstairs for lunch," her mom called up the stairs loudly, making the teen startle slightly at the sound of her voice.

   Begrudgingly, only because she knew her mom was definitely not in the mood for any sort of attitude, Pink trudged from her room and tiredly descended the stairs.   Her brain felt so scrambled, everything was so incredibly confusing, she didn't understand anything anymore.

   As she absentmindedly stumbled into the kitchen, her mom was setting a plate of macaroni and cheese with chicken nuggets and carrots on the table, Pink eyed the woman she once admired, with her whole heart, skeptically.

   "Starlight, come eat something." Her mom ordered as the teen moved past her to sit, she tugged Pink close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sit, I'd like to talk once you're done okay." She held Pink close for a few brief moments more before she released her and moved towards the kitchen door.

   "Okay mama, do you want me to come to your office when I'm finished?" Pink asked softly, crafting her sentence to sound more childish so her mom wouldn't assume she was giving her attitude. White paused on her exit and studied Pink for a moment.
    "Mm...yes darling, but only once you're finished." She instructed and with a wave of her hand she disappeared around the corner. Pink watched the empty space she'd previously occupied for a few moments, before she tediously began forcing the food into her own mouth. She knew she had to clear the plate even if her stomach was in knots and the last thing she wanted was to eat. 
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   Slowly she stood after eating at least half of her lunch, carefully she scrapped the rest into the garbage, skillfully dropping napkins and various other garbage on top to keep her mom from knowing she hadn't eaten everything. Pink rubbed her eyes tiredly and took a few deep breaths to steel herself to go talk with her mother..though it was likely Pink wouldn't get to do much of the talking as that was how their usual conversations went down.

   Might as well rip the band-aid off and get this over with.

   Pink quickly made her way to her mom's office and hesitantly knocked on the door. She took a few more deep breaths, as butterflies skittered and flew all over the insides of her stomach.

   "Come in Pink." Her mom called from inside and reluctantly Pink obliged, pushing the door open to enter her mom's personal space.  Her mom sat at her desk, hands folded in front of herself and gaze unreadable.
   "You wanted to talk?" Pink questioned somewhat nervous as her mom gestured towards the seat that was placed in front of her desk. Quickly the teen sat and hesitantly met her mom's gaze.

   "Pink, I'd like to know what you are thinking right now? You've been awfully quiet?" Her mom whispered catching Pink completely by surprise.

  This had to be a set up. Her mom hardly ever asked for her opinion on anything, unless it was something stupid like watching a movie or what book she was reading. But her mom gave her an inquiring look and so Pink threw caution to the wind.

   Maybe her mom did want her opinion! Maybe she actually wanted to hear what she had to say!!

   "Well, I'm just confused about why you're shutting down the orphanage, I mean so many kids will be without homes or families...I just think we could help them..." Pink trailed off when her mom stood up from her desk slowly.

   "Oh baby, I'm so sorry for worrying you about my business." She whispered softly as she approached Pink and kneeled down to meet her eyes. "I think you're too young to be thinking about all of these things, I've given you too much to think about." Pink frowned confused at what her mom meant by her words.

   "No, I'm just thinking.." Pink wasn't surprised when her mom interrupted, putting a finger to her lips.
   "No I think all this thinking and rebelling started when I put you in public school.  You're feeling neglected because mama has been so busy and so you'll finish out this semester and next I think it's best we go back to homeschooling where I can keep a better eye on you." Her mom whispered as horror clawed up Pink's spine and her body stiffened.

    "No! Mama please! I'll be good! I'll do anything! Don't take school away...please!" Pink's voice rose with each syllable as she frantically tried to salvage her fragments of freedom she had left. Her mom studied her hysteria calmly as she stood slowly and tilted her head idly.

   "Perhaps you should have thought about that earlier darling. Maybe we'll try again next year when you're not quite as immature hmmm?" Her mom grabbed her arm tugging her to her feet as Pink's world began to crumble around her.

   "Mama please, I'm so sorry...I'll be better! I promise!" Pink pleaded further practically shaking with hysterical fear. Her mom cupped her face in her hands and tisked softly at her pleas.
   "Pink you're getting yourself all worked up over something that is meaningless,"  her mom cooed running her thumb against Pink's plump cheek.

   "No, you're not even... You never listen! why do you hate me?! Why?" Pink wretched herself from her mom's grip, shaking with rage as tears started pooling in her dark brown eyes. White scoffed at the statement.

  "I'm doing this because I love you! I don't want to lose you to some hooligan who has no concern whatsoever about my baby's wellbeing. You're too young and too naive to throw your life away like this!" White snapped sharply and Pink shook her head because of course her mom would blow up something about her having a boyfriend and of course she wouldn't take her pleas to save the orphanage seriously.

   "I just wanted to be happy." Pink whispered dejectedly under her breath, a few tears managed to escape her eyes as she met her mother's gaze brokenly.

   "That's what I want too, you're too young to understand that now, but that's all I want."

To be continued...

So Pink's and White's relationship is straining further!! How long before it breaks!? Thanks for reading!!!