her darling

Chapter 20

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide, angst and sexual content.

Please do not read if this content could be potentially triggering to you, take care of yourself above everything else.
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Tick Tock.

The clock ticked slowly.

Today is the 17th of March.
It's my mother's birthday.

Tick Tock.

Or at least it would be, if she were alive.

Tick Tock.

It's also her death day today.
I've later come to find that she wasn't even that creative, people are 14% more likely to die on their birthday.

Weird.

Tick Tock.

I sighed heavily. I hated when this day came about. I lifted my hand and put it on the clock, waiting for my alarm to ring.

Do I really have to go to school today?

I clicked the button before the alarm even got to sound, staring at the ceiling blankly. I couldn't lift myself up and out of bed as my heart pounded inside of my chest.

The ticking of the clock was starting to annoy me.

I heard the door open and moved my head to see my dad peeking in. I smiled weakly as he offered me a small wave.

"You alright kiddo?" he spoke.
"Hm..." I looked back at the ceiling.
He walked over to me and kissed my forehead gently, "I know you miss her, you don't have to force yourself to do anything today okay?"
I nodded slowly before he left the room.

I sat quietly for a few seconds before groaning and getting up.
I appreciated my dad's offer for me to just take a break today but I didn't want to sit around and do nothing.
I couldn't let my thoughts consume me.

And so, that's what I did.
I pulled myself out of bed, ate breakfast in silence with my father and made my way to school.

Kennedy knew that I wouldn't want to talk much today, and I didn't get to see Reese, not that I minded.
More than anything, I wanted to be alone.

That fantasy didn't last long once I was called in by Mr.Campbell.

I went to his class where he stood with a test paper in his hands.
I remained silent although I was screaming internally, already dreading the conversation about to come.

"Marceline, I'm glad you could make it." Mr.Campbell said, his voice stern.

Not like I had much of a choice.

"Is something wrong, sir?"
Wow, we've exchanged two sentences and it feels like I've been here for an eternity.

"It's about Reese." he started.

Ah, fuck.

"Her English mark has been amazing since you started tutoring her, although on the previous class quiz, she got an F." he continued.

Okay, and? What am I supposed to do about that?

"A class quiz, sir? Is it really that important?" my voice was monotone.
"Marceline as her tutor, you have some responsibility over her." he commented.
"I'm not her mother." I shrugged.

Mr.Campbell eyed me curiously before putting the paper in my hands.
He could tell that I was acting out of character, but he didn't pry on it.
"Let her know her grade, and that she should take this more seriously, even if it only is a class quiz."