𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗔𝗚𝗘

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 - CRUELTY

Mother was in her room when I had walked outside to grab whatever Etsuko left — I was surprised to see her there as well, she hadn't been staying around, and for an odd reason seemed to be avoiding me. Maybe I was more roughed up than I thought — that moment of fear making me insecure, but she didn't seem interested in me anymore.

"Hey (Y/N)." She smiled to me with a paper in hand, a nervous look on her face told me she was aware of her lack of appearance to me, communication too, I hadn't texted her in a while. "Er... this is the notes for logic and proofs — I figured you'd want 'em." She held out the pages and I grabbed t them from her hand calmly. "You... you doing alright?" I blinked a few times at her question, seemingly lost in though for a moment. "Me? Yeah, yeah... I'm just tired. I woke up a little early."

"Huh... well uh, the teachers wish you a good recovery, mentally and physically." I felt pressured to smile back at her — or maybe just pressure in general. I don't understand where the sudden awkwardness arose from but it created almost a barrier between us. A thick ink black line drew us apart and emphasized our differences and how much time we lost together. It had only been a few days now but it almost felt like forever...

"Get well soon..." She mumbled before turning her back to me. "Hey, Etsuko — " I paused both my sentence and her steps the girl turning to look at me with a raised brow. "Get home safe."

"Will do."

I nodded a little at her before closing the door shut and locking it. I remained still replaying the recent interaction in my head. She seemed... a little distant. I didn't want to question it, overthinking was a bad quality of mine, but I couldn't help but feel insecure about our friendship — had we not spent that much time together since the incident or am I doubting myself too much?

I vowed to push those thoughts aside for the time being and actually glance at the opera she handed me. I was hoping to see Etsukos legible but scattered handwriting, but instead found the notes personally made by the teacher — she hadn't even lended me her own notes.

I let out a sigh and walked back to the dining table, placing the papers down with a blank look. I'd sort out homework later, right now I don't necessarily mind doing chores — as long as I can get my mind off of everything. Including the anomalous pressure I have had to succumb to since I got home.

————

"I'm just gonna grab... my — oh." I looked up to my mother, her usual nursing attire contrasted from the plain walls with a dark blue. I watched her search through her purse before eventually letting out a huff unable to find whatever she'd been searching for. "I think my wallets upstairs..." She muttered out before turning away from the door and heading to the back of the house. I sat in silence shrugging off whatever she was doing to continue filling up my water.

As the liquid filled to the rim I studied the countertops in silence, nothing interesting was left on top of them, mail scattered and empty coffee cups littered the tops of the light counter. I let out a sigh before shutting off the water, the sound of the back door closing had alarmed into looking up. "Mom?" I called out after a silence. Without a response to my voice I looked around the corner and called out again. "Mom...?" This time I dragged out the vowels as iff complaining softly about her absence.

I furrowed my brows at the faint ringing in my ears and looked aside to the window at the front of the house. Her car remained quietly in the driveway as the sun fell behind the horizon just above it. "Have you checked the car — "

I felt a sudden shock wash over me, fear draining my colour and stopping my breath. I let the cup fall from my hand with a shocked shudder and my body fell to the ground. So quickly I had been put into fright.