Miss Independent [Completed]

Chapter Sixteen

The next few days were different.

But not in a good way either.

Miss Dawson didn't show up any of those days since that day in her classroom and I started getting a little worried.

I tried not letting it get to me but it was hard as the days went on and she still wasn't at school.

I remember that day in her classroom and when I didn't say anything back from what she told me, I could tell it hurt her a little.

I didn't know how to respond to that situation.

Never did I think I'd be put in a situation where a teacher confessed her liking towards me, so I was stuck.

Rose asked about her cause she wasn't around school, but I shrugged cause I didn't really know what was going on.

I've been taking Paisley to school and she seemed a little out of it. I didn't ask any questions cause she wasn't looking over at me or speaking to me, so we rode to school in silence.

It's been like that for days.

Between Miss Dawson not showing up and Paisley acting weird, I didn't know what was going on.

I couldn't get Paisley to talk to me in the mornings that I took her to school, so I wasn't sure what was effecting her mood.

"This week has been weird as hell." Rose said as we walked to the parking lot after school was over.

It was Friday and Miss Dawson didn't show up the whole week.

Rose definitely knew something was up and asked if it had anything with Miss Dawson being out for the rest of the week.

I told her no.

We both left the parking lot and I drove home with so many thoughts on my mind. I couldn't concentrate in any of my classes and my mind was racing a million miles for minute.

Thankfully I didn't have work tonight cause my boss texted me earlier today.

I was just going to go home and sleep.

Sleep for the rest of the night and all weekend long.

When I made it home, I parked then shut off the engine before sitting there for a moment. I sigh before grabbing my backpack and getting out, pushing the garage door button on my keychain and watching it close.

As it was closing, I heard something then saw Paisley running in the garage, ducking underneath it before standing up and looking at me. I furrow my eyebrows as she was standing there before she walks towards me and I saw tears in her eyes

"Paisley, what's wrong?" I ask as she was wiping her eyes and I wrap my arm around her shoulder before looking at her. "Paisley."

She broke down crying and I walked to my door before unlocking it and we both walk inside towards the kitchen after I hung my keys up.

When we got into the kitchen, I turned on the lights and we walked to the table before sitting down. I saw her wipe her eyes as she was sniffing, making me watch her carefully as I was waiting for her to speak.

"Paisley."

She looks at me with tears in her eyes and I saw her face red. "My mom is drinking again." She broke down crying and I stared at her for a moment before walking to her and crouching next to her.

I listened as she was crying her eyes out as I was waiting patiently for her to stop.

After a moment, she stops crying and looks at me as I held out a napkin towards her. She wipes her eyes and blew her nose before placing the napkin on the table.

"What happened?"

She sighs. "My mom hasn't been talking to me this week. She hasn't came by to see me or pick me up for school. I tried calling her but she never answered, then I video chatted her yesterday and she was... drinking."

My heart was hurting by listening to Paisley cry over her mom. I couldn't stand listening to her cry her eyes out and tell me that her mom was drinking again.

"I thought she was doing better." She cried.

I comforted Paisley as she was crying over her mom and after a while, she stopped crying and was sitting there staring at the floor.

"Can I stay the night?"

The question caught me off guard cause Paisley never stayed the night. I never had her stay the night, not even once, since I've been here.

"Sure." I smile as she softly smiles, which broke my heart. "Do you want dinner?" I ask as I was trying to figure out what to cook.

She got up and stood at the counter with me, asking if she could help. I couldn't help but smile as we were both cooking dinner together, talking about random things.

But never once mentioned her mom.

I made sure that conversation stayed out cause I didn't want her crying again. I could tell she was broken by her mom's actions again and it made me angry.

After dinner was done, Paisley walks over to her grandparents house to grab some clothes before coming back. I watch as she was making herself at home and I smiled at that.

As the night came, I was trying to figure out where she would sleep. I didn't want her staying in the living room alone and that spare bedroom didn't have a bed in it.

"I can sleep in your room. Maybe on the floor? With blankets and pillows." She asks, and I agreed to that. "How come you don't have an extra room?"

"I do." I said as we were walking to my room. "But it doesn't have a bed and it's mostly for storage."

"What if a girl comes over?"

Looking at her, she sat on my bed and looked back at me. "Well.. she'll sleep in my room.. I guess." I chuckle. "But there will be no girls coming over. Besides you."

"Why don't you want a girlfriend?"

I shrug as I started placing pillows and blankets down on the floor. I had a few extra ones in the spare room that was in the closet, so I grabbed them and used it to make Paisley's little bed.

"I just.. like my space and alone time. I don't like anyone being in my way."

"So.. you won't ever get married?"

Looking at her, I shrug after placing the last pillow down. "I'm still young and in high school. I don't think about that right now."

We continued to talk until she made herself comfortable on my bed, which made me laugh. She said I could take the floor and she'd take the bed.

When I told her I had Netflix, she got excited and I made sure to bring snacks to the room when it was time t0 settle down.

I tried keep her mind off of her mom and it worked throughout the night.

We cooked together, ate and talked while laughing about random shit. I watched her favorite movies while eating junk food until midnight.

No matter what, Paisley will have a special place in my heart cause I love her like a sister. I never want her heart broken over things in life but sometimes you can't prevent things from breaking your heart.

Her mom was someone who was suppose to be there for her. Support her and love her unconditionally without a doubt or second thoughts.

I believe her mom loved her but she was choosing the wrong paths that doesn't include her daughter.

Sometimes things get hard and I want to see from her mom's point of view that she's drinking over things she has no control over or maybe she's going through something that results in drinking.

But no matter what, she should put her daughter first before anything and anyone.

Paisley loved her mom more than I've seen anyone else love their parents and I can tell by her mood changes that it's affecting her.

But we fell asleep that Friday night and I wasn't sure what was coming for this weekend or next week, but whatever it was..

I knew I wouldn't be ready for it.