Tutoring Mr. "Bad" boy.

Chapter 13

So a few minutes later we're up in my room staring at each other, the tension heightening by the second. I can feel the room suddenly become hotter.
I'd just told mom everything that happened and she's still in shock.
Mom usually responds to shocking news by first remaining quiet for about five minutes before giving any kind of reaction.
Probably processing the whole situation I guess.
She's always been this way ever since we were kids.
I remember, once Miranda and I broke the TV screen while throwing stuff around in the living room. Mom came in and just stood still for a long time before finally going off on us....she's pretty much like a ticking bomb.
It's the same right now. It's only a matter of time before she explodes!

The calm before the storm, I guess.

But the storm never came!
It's just silence.

I watch her face intently, waiting for her to say something....to yell! Or scream, or something!
Anything at all!....but she doesn't!
Then I notice tears begin to slowly roll down her cheek.
"Did he touch you?" She finally speaks up, her faint voice quivering with fear and probably anger.
I instantly shake my head.
"No, mom. Goodness, no!"
"Are you sure?" She attempts to steady her voice but only ends up choking on her tears.
"I swear it mom, nothing happened. He didn't touch me. I didn't let him get-"
"Shh." She silences me. "Come here," she whispers softly, opening her arms wide.
I rush into her arms which immediately fold me in tightly. I feel the rapid beating of her heart as she sobs against my shoulder.

"Mom. Really, I-"
"Shh! Mandy." she silences me.
"You don't have to say anything else. I believe you. I'm just sorry...." She breaks off, sobbing even louder.
I start to soothingly rub her back as we just stay there in silence.
"I'm just so so so sorry you had to go through that," she continues after a while, still sobbing.
I feel her arms tighten around me and I bury myself deeper in her arms.

"I know, mom. I know. But I'm okay. I swear, I really am," I try to assure her to no avail. She's now sobbing very loudly.
And could anyone blame her?
This was a tough thing to process.
I just allow her cry her heart out.

After a while she calms down, and I feel her rapid heartbeat slowly return to normal.
I release a sigh of relief.
She sniffles and pulls away, then cupping my cheeks to face her, says in a very serious tone, "He'll pay for this, baby. I swear, he will."

Her words send instant chills down my spine.
Immediately, the gun she keeps hidden under her bed comes to mind.

As a single mother taking care of two teenagers, mom thought it a precautionary measure to get a registered gun for emergency purposes after we got robbed a few years back. Luckily, none of us where home at the time of the robbery, but what if we actually were home? What would've happened then?
There surely would've been a struggle and we'd probably have been disadvantaged, seeing as it's an all female house.

So far, we really haven't had the need for the gun, but mom's "threat" really has me wondering whether today's the day we get to bring it out.

"I promise you, baby," she adds, wiping her face.
She stands and proceeds to pace around the room.
After a while, she pauses. "This won't do. Mandy?"

"Mom..."

"Get dressed! We're going over to Greg's right now!" She barks and storms out of the room.

Yup!....that's my mom.

I hurriedly change into something a bit more comfortable and join her downstairs.
We meet Miranda at the door.

"Where are you two headed?" She asks, clearly confused.
"There's no time to explain, hunny. Just get in the car," Mom brushes her off.