It All Started With A Ride

8. Trouble in "paradise"

"I'm home!" I yelled, scooping Piper into my arms at the entrance of my apartment before starting to go to my room.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Madison- from the small kitchen island that sat in the kitchen said in a sing-song voice.

I gave her a look of confusion- but before I knew it, my mom was appearing- her face red with what I think was anger, "where were you?" She asked in a calm tone.

"I just went to study after school at a friend's house" I lied and bent down to put Piper on the living room's light brown carpeting.

"Studying, hm?" Mom crossed her arms, "With what friend?"

My heart began to pound- I looked back at Madison.

Maybe I should've listened to her.

"No" Mom snapped her fingers in front of my face and moved my chin so I was facing her again, "Don't look at Maddy, look at me- what friend?"

I sucked in a breath of air and looked into my mom's blue eyes, "Layla" I lied again. Damn. I was on a roll.

"Okay," she said in almost a whisper with a nod of her head. She bit the inside of her cheek, "Maxine Michelle Parker- the fact that you can look me in the eyes and lie to me- makes this so much worse".

At that moment my heart dropped. She knew I was lying? Shit.

I'm fucked.

Madison was thinking the same thing since she took her usual evening snack- with consisted of yogurt and granola along with some fruit- and sneakily walked past my Mom and me, and into our room.

"Maxine, tell me the truth," Mom said calmly, "did you- or did you not, skip school?"

My heart began to pound. I looked down, "I did".

There was no point in lying. The school probably called her.

"Okay," she said in a pissed tone to nobody in particular, "and did you not just say you went to school?"

"I uhm-" I didn't exactly say I went to school- I said I studied with a friend after school-

But there was no use in saying that.

Because to my Mom, I had just said I was at school.

"Yeah," I said softly and looked anywhere but my Mom's face.

"Maxine Parker I gave everything for you to be in that school and you're doing shit like this? You know you're on a scholarship what were you thinking?" She practically yelled- but not yelled, she just said it in a loud voice.

My eyes stung with tears- because I hate being yelled at.

"Seriously- I wanna know, what in your right mind made you skip school?" She shook her head, "what?" She repeated.

"Nothing" my voice cracked.

"No. You weren't crying when you were skipping so I want you to stop crying now- look at me and tell me what in your right mind caused you to skip?" What made this much worse- was her voice being so calm- calmer than usual.

My mom gets off of work at Six thirty every day- which means some days I don't see her when she does- but I could tell she had got back from work not even ten minutes ago.

She still had on her usual salon uniform so...

Was she being so "calm" a part of lecturing me?

"I don't know" I replied- which was a lie.

"Okay well- since you don't know, you're grounded" she sighed while my eyes widened.

I was grounded??

I haven't been grounded since...

"But-" I began.

She shook her head and folded her arms over her chest, "no butts" she said, "Seriously Maxine- whoever this new girl you're hanging out with is- I don't want you around her especially if she's that bad of an influence-"

"But it wasn't her idea!" I lied in defense of Tabitha, "And we're not even friends so you don't have to worry about it okay?" I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed, "It was my idea.."

"But why?" Mom bit the inside of her cheek, "why would you risk your scholarship like that? Why would you worry Layla like that- she texted me worried about you and-"

Wait. Did she just, say Layla?

Oh my gosh.

Layla texted my mom that I skipped! What the actual fuck?!?

After all the times I've covered for her whenever she snuck out for parties or to make out with her dumb boy toys? And now she was snitching on me?

What the hell!

Leaving me in the rain to possibly catch a cold was one thing but telling my mom I skipped??

Which also meant...

Layla knew I was with Tabitha- well not like with her with her like a date but like sort of friendly with her if that makes any sense at all.

Still, I couldn't believe the girl I had covered for so many times- my so-called best friend, had told on me, for doing something she'd done a thousand times.

I tilted my head and tried my hardest not to show I was mad, "I'm sorry Mom. It won't happen again".

"You're goddamn right it won't. I want your phone, now" she said, I nodded and reached into my purse to give her my phone.

"Dairy Queen and school for a week, no friends, no phones, just studying- you got it?"

"Yes Mom" I nodded.

And with that, I went to Madison and I's room.

"Don't you dare" I said through gritted teeth upon entering.

"Wasn't even going to try" she sighed in response.
. . .
Oop- Maxine getting in trouble because of Layla is a canon event- therefore, I cannot interfere- but I can make it worse :)
. . .