My Life, My Rules

Chapter 3

Freen entered the house on her tiptoe, not wanting to draw the attention on her. She prayed to all the Gods and spirits for her mother not to be home. Usually, her mother is touring this period of the year, so she won't have to lie her mother. She never lied to her, and she was a terrible liar. Suddenly, Demi comes from the kitchen and bumps into her daughter.
"Hey, Freenie! How are you?" Demi said, smiling to her daughter.
"I'm fine, mom! I..gotta go and change my clothes." She rushed on stairs, praying that her mother won't stop her.
"You know, Freen... I was wondering if you would like to watch a movie together, tonight. I really need to spend time with you..." Demi said making Freen stop walking.
"Mhm.. Sure.. Let me have a quick shower and I will join you... Just order some pizza." Freen said continuing climbing the stairs.
Freen was rushing in the shower, brushing her teeth and spraying a lot of perfume on her, as fast as she could. There is no way she will break her mother's trust by letting her discover that she started smoking. About her decision on acting, she couldn't even think to break the news now.
She joined her mother on the sofa. Ever since she lost her aunt, and her mother lost her sister, Demi kept on trying create a bond with her daughter, and now Freen couldn't think about breaking it. She always craved for her mother's love.
"Oh! You are already here! Let's see, pumpkin! You should pick a movie." Her mother messes up with her hair.
"Mooom! Stop treating me like I'm 2 years old!! And I was thinking.. What about your first movie?" Freen starting doing puppy faces.
"No way! Feen! I won't watch Camp Rock with you!" Demi started laughing.
"Pleaseee!!" She hugged her mother.
"Mhm... Ok.."
The movie started, and Freen kept paying attention on her mother's acting technique. She also noticed her father's. She kept thinking what role she will play, and how will she be able to be a great actress.
"Mom! What is the difference between a bad actor and a good actor?" Freen asked her mother.
"Well.. A good actor makes you live the scene yourself. You are able to understand the actions and reactions. For example, did I make you upset when I cried in that scene with your father?"
"Nope. Does it mean you are a bad actress, mom?" She teased her mother.
"Oh, you, silly monkey!" Demi laughed and started to tickle Freen.
Those moments are everything that Freen wanted. In the background, there were some tv news, and now they were talking about the celebrities. One of the news included Taylor Swift.  Demi stopped tickling Freen.
"yes, Ladies and gents! Taylor's daughter will get to play in a new movie. Her mother confirmed the news." The reporter stated and now Freen focused on her mother expression.
"I am honored that my daughter got to play the leading role of the movie. I heard they also found her a partner. As a mother, I couldn't be prouder than this." Taylor smiled.
"What an idiot! Don't care about you and your child." Demi said.
"Mom! Why are you saying this?" Freen looked at her mother.
"Freen! I'm very happy that you listened to me and avoided this type of circus." Demi said softly
"Well.. maybe you should appreciate how supportive she is to her child." Freen said angrily and rushed to her room. Demi followed her and caught by her hand. She wasn't aware of the cause of her daughter's angry reaction.
"Freen, baby, what's wrong?" Demi asked her daughter.
"Everything. Everything is wrong!" She bursted into tears.
"Freen Sarocha Jonas, tell me what is happening, right now!" Demi shakes her daughter and whipped her tears.
"I..." Before saying anything, her phone called. It was Hailee announcing they both took the casting and they will play in the movie.

After a week, Freen received a phone call to go and sign the contract. She was extremely nervous. Normally, she should have gone to the contract signing with her mother, but she is almost a lawyer, so she could technically be able to say if a contract is well enough or not. At the first reading, the contract was very good. She could negotiate the working hours, which means that she could study and work at the same time. She read carefully everything...
"Ugh... I'm sorry! While completing my registration form, I forgot to write my last name..." She awkwardly say to the lady in front of her..
"Oh! I understand! Please tell me your full name, miss!"
"I'm Freen Sarocha Jonas." She shyly said.
"Alright! Just a minute!"

After signing the contract, Freen kept thinking about how to drop the news to her family. She dialed her father's number. Obviously, he didn't answer. So there is no escape, she needs to talk this with her mother.
Demi was enjoying herself playing the piano and kept writing on some music sheets. That's when her daughter stormed in. She kiss her mother's forehead and hugged her from behind. At least, after dropping the news, she will have to save it in her memory this moment of closure.
"Freen, what happened, baby?" Demi said smiling.
"Mom! Please don't be mad at me!" She closed her eyes in fear.
"Freen! Don't scare me! Just tell me already!" Demi snapped.
"I... I went to a casting and I took it. I'm a leading actress." She said it pretty fast with her eyes closed.
"You, what? Freen? Last time I checked today is not April's fools... so, can you.."
"It's true... " she suddenly fell on her knees in front of her mother...
"Freen!!! Tell me it's not true!!" Demi yelled at her daughter.
"Mom! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to break your trust! I swear..." Freen started crying..
"You!!!" Demi started throwing her fists into the piano keyboard and throw the music sheets. "I don't want to see you anymore!!" Demi stormed into the kitchen and suddenly there was a yelling and sound like a breaking glass.
"Mom!! Are you alright??" Freen went to check on her mother who was now bleeding.
"Leave me alone, Freen! Get out of my face!" Demi yelled crying.
As much as she hated leaving her mother like this, Freen went to her room and started crying until she fell asleep. She hated that she lied to her mother and made her suffer like this. She would have sacrificed her happiness instead of her mother.
The next day, Demi went to her daughter's room. She checked on her and saw that she was sleeping in the same clothes as yesterday. She hated this situation. No matter what, she was her daughter. Suddenly, Freen wake up, and she was surprised to see her mother next to her.
"Mom? Why are you here?" Freen said rubbing her eyes.
"You know, Freen.. When I got to see you for the first time, I cried out of happiness. I promised to myself that I would not allow anyone to harm you..."
"Mom! I'm really sorry!" Freen started to tear up.
"Let me talk. I started acting at the age of 10. Since than, I was homeschooled. No more friends, no more hangouts... I was always working.. in my teenage years, I was raped.. then, I read a lot of negative comments about me.. I started hating on my body. I started self-harming. I was abused by managers.. I started doing drugs. I have been 3 times in rehab. A lot of people pretended they are my friends, and they stabbed me in the back with the first occasion they had. I had to leave you and go to rehab with the excuse that your mother is working in another country. I almost died twice...." Demi said sobbing and caressing her daughter.
"Mom! Stop it! Please!" Freen cried..
"Freen.. mommy loves you the most... I don't want to see you in pain, just like I did. I want you safe. My Freenie is a sensitive child. She is not ready for this cruel world."
"Mom! I understand it. But... My Grand-grandpa always told you to have a normal job, but..."
"True... And how could I have raised you alone? I wanted you to have everything. Stupid me chose a passion instead of a stable life. I barely saw you growing up. That's the thing I hate the most about myself."
"Mom... I want to be an artist just like you. I always wanted to be just like you. I wanted as to have mother and daughter moments not only in the house. I wanted to see you at every life event. These are things that matters to me. I don't want the brand new iPhone, I want a walk in the park with my mother, enjoying some ice cream and sunbathing... nothing expensive! I wanted my mother! You and dad are pretty similar. You both are throwing some money in a random bank account... I am 24 and never went with my mother somewhere outside the house..." Freen complained to her mother.
"Freen.. I'm so sorry.."
"Mom..If I have you by my side, I will succeed in everything. If you were by my side, nothing bad would happen to me. I'm sorry I broke your trust..." she hugged her mother while sobbing.
"Tell me the agency you are working with. I won't let my daughter in everyone's hands..." Demi said closing her eyes, while hugging her daughter.
"Really? Mom!!! You are the best!!!" Freen jumped and hugged and kissed her mother.
"I love you more, baby girl... If that's the thing you wanted the most, I'll support this decision of yours. But... Promise me that you will always come to me when you have a problem and you will be very open with me." Demi took her daughter's head in her hands and rubbed her cheeks with her thumbs.
"Promise!!" Freen said smiling brightly at her mother and hugging her tightly.

... To be continued...
Author's note: Stay tuned! FreenBecky are meeting in the next chapter. As soon as I finish it, I'll upload it.