Down For Me ENGLISH

Chapter 5 - Chloe's POV

September

My eyes refused to open; it was impossible to wake up after the difficult night I had. Besides taking a long time to fall asleep, I had a restless dream. But it was a new day, and I was prepared for whatever would happen.

I stepped into the shower; it was very quick since I had washed my hair the night before. I got out of the shower and put on any clothes. Cute outfits are only for important days; since it wasn't the first day of school anymore, I could wear anything. So, I grabbed a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, recognizing it as the shirt Josh had left at my house last time he slept over. I looked at myself in the mirror and shrugged.

I went downstairs to have breakfast, and this time only my mom and my brother were at the table.

"Good morning, family!" I said, leaving my backpack on the couch in the living room. "Where's dad?"

"He had to leave early; it seems he's going to have to travel," James replied.

I kissed my mom on the head and messed up James' hair, making him grumpy.

"You know how long it took to get this hair looking like this?" I looked at James, expecting a response. "All night!" The three of us laughed.

"Does that mean you didn't comb your hair, son?" Mom was the one laughing the most.

"Exactly, Mom!" James got up and grabbed his backpack.

"Aren't you coming with me today?" I asked when he was almost at the door.

"No... Uh, today I'm taking the bus." James left, leaving me alone with my mom.

We sat in silence for a while, me eating my cereal and Mom looking at something on her phone.

"You seemed a bit down yesterday, did something happen at school?" Charlotte spoke, breaking the silence.

"Nothing, well, Josh asked to get back together, we kissed, but I can't go back to him," I said without looking at her.

"Why not? You're not dating anyone, and you still like him, don't you?" She shrugged.

"I do, I guess, but..." I stopped talking; saying it out loud would sound so silly.

"But what, Chloe?" I looked at her; her gaze was so maternal, I loved my mom.

"But it's just that, remember Matt?"

"Oh no, Chloe, the boy's in Canada, it's not because of him that you won't take Josh back, for heaven's sake, honey!" She set her phone aside.

"Exactly, that's the problem, Mom. Matt isn't in Canada anymore; Matt is in Atlanta, and he's studying at my school, in my class. Which happens to be the same class as Josh." Charlotte was stunned and didn't say anything. "Do you see why I can't go back to Josh?"

"I understand, it's tough, you need to think about what's best for you." I nodded.

"I don't want to hurt anyone, Mom." She smiled at me.

"Just stick to your guns, and everything will work out. Explain to Josh that right now, you can't get back together with him, but make it clear to Matt that maybe nothing will happen between you two. After all, you can't throw a year and a half of a relationship away for a summer fling."

"You're right. I told Josh I wouldn't get back with him now, and Matt also said we won't enter a relationship." Charlotte smiled.

"You seem to have everything figured out already, I don't understand why you're feeling down," I shrugged.

"I like them both. I'm afraid of hurting them or getting hurt myself in some way," she took a deep breath. "But my life can't stop because of this, right?"