Love Takes Flight

Chapter 8

When I got home, I started down the corridor, when Mom called out to me. I could still feel my heart racing, but I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself.

"Yes, Mom?" I turned around to see her glowering at me.

"Where have you just been?" she asked.

"With Navi..." I said, breath catching in my throat.

"Then how come I saw you with a random boy, going into that club gathering?" She crossed her arms, angrily.

"Mom, I can—" I started. She cut me off.

"I thought I could trust you, Madi," she said. "But you've been lying to my face. Don't think you'll be going anywhereafter this."

"Please, let me—" I was blabbering, but Mom wouldn't hear it.

"Go," she said. "I don't want to speak about anything else right now." I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it. There was no point aggravating her even more.

"Okay," I said. Then I made my way down the corridor to my room.

Later that night, when I was trying to get to sleep, I couldn't stop thinking about what Mom said. She probably was never going to let me out of her sight again. When did she see me? No, more importantly, what was she doing out at the same time as me? I rolled over in my bed. I knew she wouldn't let me reason with her, because she wasn't that type of person. She'd never gotten this angry with me before, but I'd really done it this time. What if I never came out of my room again? That sounded like a good option. I tried to think about what had happened between me and Miles instead, but it felt wrong. I was upset with Mom, and it was hard to think about boys when that was the case.

The next morning, I found myself halfway off the bed. Opening my eyes completely, I sighed. Climbing out from under the covers, I paused by my bedroom door. I'd had a rough night and I knew my day was just about to get rougher. C'mon, Madi, it's just your mom. I opened the door. When I got to the end of the corridor, I saw Mom in the kitchen. She was making herself breakfast. Not enough for the both of us. She was obviously still annoyed at me. I leant on the counter.

"What'cha making?" I asked.

"Eggs," she said, not giving me any eye contact. Ouch. She knew they were my least favourite food.

"Am I gonna have to eat them?"

"I don't know, you're making your own breakfast this morning," she said. I bit my lip, forlorn. If I just asked her to talk this out with me, would she? I rounded the kitchen counter and pulled out a piece of bread from the bag. Would she ever forgive me? I glanced up to look at her, but she had her back to me.

"We'll talk about your little escapade after school today," she said, disappearing into the loungeroom.

At school, I sat at the back of every class, leaning my elbow on the desk, thinking about my lecture I was going to get at the end of the day. At lunch, Navi could tell something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"I lied to Mom and told her I was hanging out with you, even though I was actually with Miles," I said. I couldn't be bothered hiding things from people anymore. Getting up from the table, I walked away.

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After the last bell, I went out to the steps at the front of the school. Navi met me there.

"Hey, you could've told me you were going through this earlier," she said. "I might've been able to help you somehow."

"Really?" I asked. "I don't think so." I felt my shoulders sag.