On the outside, Alorah is a simple, diligent, and caring 17-year-old girl who only sees the good in people. Yet, behind all that is someone who has worries of her own. A strong worry that keeps her heart racing every time she lies in bed at night, r...
Alorah Reagen "Mom, I'm home," I called as I changed out of my shoes for slippers. The sound of thudding was growing closer, and when I glanced up from where I stood, I saw a half of Mom's body popping out of the dining room with a big smile on her face.
"Welcome home, Alorah! How was school today?" She asked, walking towards me. I placed my bag on the floor before going in for a kiss on the cheek.
"Tiring, but alright," I said, pressing my lips together and biting my inner flesh. I was still fuming from what happened earlier, and the heaviness in my body was still there.
Mom squinted her eyes before standing upright and crossing her arms under her chest. I know what this means.
"Spill the tea," she said, and I obliged as I didn't have the energy to protest to her.
We head to the dining area, and my smile widens, seeing several desserts on the table.
"I see someone has been busy preparing what to include on the menu," I teased, earning a pinch on the cheek.
"Yes, yes. And you will be helping me taste-test these creations. I wouldn't want your poor father giving up on me halfway," she joked before sitting down. I pulled a chair across from hers, sat down, and rubbed my hands together. A way to cure tiredness is with sweets!
I was about to grab the blueberry shortcake in front of me when I felt a smack on my hand.
"Ow! Mom!" I yelled, rubbing the spot where she hit me. Mom pulled all the desserts close to her and waved her forefinger at me.
"Nuh-uh. You have to earn it, Missy. Spill. The. Tea."
Oh, I had a few words that I could use as a comeback, but I didn't see how I could benefit from them besides having these desserts hidden in plain sight.
"Alright, alright. I'll talk," I sighed while Mom smiled in victory. There were times I wondered who was the adult between the two of us.
My finger began to tap on the table as I considered where to begin. Should I tell Mom what happened today or tell her the whole story? I wonder what she'll think if I mention a guy out of the blue. Will she question me about his background? His nationality and whether his family is financially stable or not? Will she wonder if there was a motive as to why he had gotten close to me?
No. If I knew Mom very well, which I do, she wouldn't care about these things. Mom and I are similar in a way. We were similar in our thinking, personalities, and appearance.
And what was the point in considering these types of things for a friend?
"School has been great so far. We're currently planning a bazaar for our final requirement to graduate, and everything is going smoothly. That's why our storage room is filled with different boxes since we're doing this bazaar both online and face-to-face. I got to engage more with a couple of my classmates, and I had a few... character developments," I trailed off, remembering all those times I acted differently than usual, and it started when I met a certain someone.
"There's a guy in my class who made quite an impression," I stare at the empty spot in front of me. Even though we've been classmates for years, I think that was the first time our eyes connected. "Mom, on the day you came home, did you notice anything unusual with my appearance?"
I glanced up, wondering what expression she'd make when I told her. That was when Mom came home and the start of our... friendship?
"Hmm... I think your hair was a bit... crusty? I'm not sure how to describe it, but it did look odd," Mom said, trying to recall what happened that day.
I slowly nodded as I continued to stare at her, my fingers closing together like I was the principal ready to give life advice to a student.
"I changed out of my attire that day to a new one, and my hair was looking off because Julian poured orange Fanta on my head," her eyes widened, her mouth parted, yet no words came out. "Yet I wasn't angry at him or anything. Even if rumors say he's a bad influence, I didn't believe any of it. I know there was a good reason why he did it. When he was lectured by one of our professors for being caught in an empty room with a girl and cigarettes on the table, I didn't consider listening to those accusations and instead confronted him. I barely knew him besides being my classmate, but something in me urged me to have faith in him."
The atmosphere in the room started shifting as I slowly got lost in my world. I heard the sound of something scraping against the table and looked down to see the blueberry shortcake I was eyeing in front of me. I grabbed a fork nearby and lightly poked at the cake before sinking into it.
"Did you guys become closer after that?" Mom asked, and I looked up to see a smile on her face.
"Yes. I think we did," I responded with my own smile. We haven't established our relationship, and I wasn't sure what Julian meant by strengthening our bond. However, one thing is for sure: there has definitely been an improvement.
It became quiet after that as I noticed Mom thinking deeply about something. I used that time to finish the blueberry shortcake and give her a few comments about the taste and texture. Mom responded by nodding at me before zoning out again. By the time I grabbed the third plate of dessert, Mom spoke up.
"Alorah, you are a kind person to everyone around you, and I hope you won't encounter people who will abuse that kindness of yours. That boy... Julian? If you believe he wasn't as bad as people think, I hope you can be there for him when he needs you."
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