Nerd

XIX

XIX.

THE WEEK SPENT WITH AMANDA went by quicker than I would have liked, either way, it was nice to get away from all the problems back at home. The dread had already set in place for my return to the one known as mother. Inside I already knew what was coming my way. She had already rung my phone enough times to know she was beyond pissed off, and at this point, I honestly could not have cared less she could be the cherry on top of my shit cake.

When we left the cabin, neither of us rushed to make it back home while I tried to drag the day out when we made it back in the late evening. When I dropped Amanda home, she told me to ring her if I needed her before giving me a final kiss goodbye and wishing me luck, even though I needed a miracle to avoid my mum. I swear she can smell fear from a mile away, hunting me out like prey.

The wounds on my face have finally started to heal, the bruising turning from black to a blue-purple colour, taking a few days to come out, making me look like I was hit in the face with a baseball bat. When we would go out, I had a few people staring my way since the bruising was a little hard to make unnoticeable... note the sarcasm. The moment my mother sees me is going to be a toss between her asking what happened or her shouting at me for taking my possessions back.

I am leaning more to the side of shouting at me.

The final drive to get to the house was a quiet one. No music for background noise, just me alone with my inner narrative as I drove down the dark back roads, just wanting to go to bed. Too tired to do anything else for the rest of the evening. Part of me was hoping that she wouldn't be home but I knew she was and she made it very clear that she was, with the numerous text messages she had sent my way and the missed calls that I had ignored proved she was back. Usually, when she is away on a business call I wouldn't hear anything from her other than to ask how the fucking house is. That question always made me want to burn it down to the ground.

When I finally pulled into the driveway as I let out a long exhale I clambered out of the car, slamming the door a little harder than necessary. Once I walked through the front door I didn't say a word, the only noise coming from me was when I pushed the door shut and made my way to my bedroom, falling flat on my bed with my eyes closed.

Hearing the sound of footsteps walking across the landing, I drew in a steady breath through my nose as my stomach flipped when I heard the door creak open, lifting my forearm enough to see that it was my mum who stood in the doorway.

"What do you want?" the tone of my voice holding no emotion, too tired to argue.

"What happened to your face," the sound of concern when she walked in towards me to get a better look, feeling her hand touch my wrist to reveal a black eye and bruises along my jaw and my upper lip still stitched up.

"Nothing." Lifting my arms to shrug as I dropped them back down beside me.

"I am not messing around Rebec-" she began to say when I sat up to interrupt her.

"And you seem to think I am? You fucked off, remember. You do not get to pretend that you care suddenly." Pulling her up on her poor parenting skills, her face turned to the usual stone structure it is.

I don't remember the last time I had seen a smile on her lips, it felt like looking at a marble figure, cold with no emotion. The mother I had when I was a child has disappeared.

"Watch your mouth, I am your mother." She snapped as she stabbed her finger at me like I was a naughty child.

"And I am your daughter, this has been going on for months, for years. This hasn't the first time and probably will not be the last." My voice raised as I got up from the bed to stand eye-to-eye with her.