𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐚 |𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭|

★ 8

𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘, 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 wasn't a one-time thing for [name].

Her lateness ended up becoming even more frequent the past week following the parent-teacher conference; it led to a series of rushed entrances and stacked detention slips.

The cause? Her mother, of course.

"Mom?"

[name] had risen early in the morning—around six a.m., to be exact—determined to end her streak of lateness by avoiding the very reason for her so-called tardiness.

She carefully made her way downstairs, avoiding every creaky step and squeaky floorboard before finally placing a step on the first floor.

Taking a cautious peak from the wall, [name] scanned the living room for a familiar presence, internally cheering when she noticed the area to be empty.

She carefully avoided the stack of empty glass bottles, weaving through the obstacles on her tippy-toes.

The door was only but a centimeter away, and she reached out a triumphant hand—

—crash!

Startled, [name] quickly retracted her hand, brows furrowed as she rushed toward the source of the sound.

"What..." Another concerning plethora of empty bottles greeted her at the foot of the kitchen, a familiar figure slumped on the floor. "Mom."

[name] rushed forward towards her mother, quickly taking her pulse and inspecting her body for any injuries. Her lips pressed to a thin line once she placed a hand on her forehead, feeling a dangerous warmth emitting from the skin.

"You're kidding." [name] mumbled. Her mother was sick, that was for sure.

She carefully scooped up her mother's body in her arms, doing her best to carry her through the house and to her bedroom.

I'll have to clean this up later.

She placed her mother on the bed with a sigh. Perhaps the universe was against her—destined to be late, no matter how much she tried—or giving her a sign of the inevitable.