Let Me Explain

T W E N T Y

"WHY are you still sitting here?"

My mom walked into the living and stood right in front of me. Her blonde hair was curled and dangled in front of her shoulders.

The old Chanel checkered dress and black heels she wore was clearly worn to impress her parents that she hadn't seen in months.

Her eyes took in my appearance. "I thought I told you to be ready."

I sat on the couch with my phone in my hand, texting. "I am ready. My things are in the car."

"Then why aren't you?"

"Because no one else was ready when I was."

My mom disliked the way I had responded or the tone I used. She leaned over and snatched my phone out of my hand.

I pressed my lips together and looked up to her. It was always something with her.

She held my phone in her hand. "Are you texting him?"

"Texting who?" I asked. "My boyfriend?"

"I don't really get why he asked you that when he doesn't even treat you right."

"He's working on it," I defended Easton, not liking the way she always talked down on him when she married a guy like him. "Not all relationships are perfect."

My mom smiled, nodding her head too. "You think you got it all figured out."

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to laugh when you think about this teen relationship someday." She started to get frustrated with me even though I hadn't done anything at all. "I've given you advice several times and you still choose to do your own thing."

"I have taken your advice, but I decided to do what I thought was best."

"Your a kid." My mom stated. Her tone was condescending. "How do you know what's best?"

I chose not to respond to her, already knowing that it was going to be an ongoing battle like it always had been.

"Why do you even keep going back to him?"

The room was already tense but the words that kept trailing out of her mouth continuously added fuel to the fire. The atmosphere was changing from her imperious mood and tone.

I met her gaze. "Because I think he's going to change."

"He already showed you he isn't. I don't know why you keep giving him chance after chance," She shook her head at me, clearly disappointed. "You're starting to make me mad."

"Make you mad?" I repeated, surprised by her sudden confession. "How do you think I feel?"

"I think you should feel stupid," My mom immediately answered in a clipped tone. "If you had any self respect, you'd leave him."

My tongue poked the side of my mouth while I glanced away from her for a brief second. Her words were cutting deeper than a knife. I was used to her demeaning tone and her several attempts to upset me.

But she knew the exact words to say to get a reaction out of me.

She was too well at it.

"Why the fuck do you want that for yourself?" She genuinely questioned, arms crossed while she waited for an answer. "Do you just enjoy the thrill of sharing a guy?"

I silently shook my head, wishing that I hadn't talked to her at all today. I had my head turned to the side, focusing my gaze on anything else except her.