She is Not Who You Thought She Was

Chapter 92/Stupid Rule

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault 18+

Supreme pizza isn't one I would pick willingly although I told her whatever she wanted. You have to make it just right for me to thoroughly enjoy it, but this one isn't so bad.

"How's work going?" I asked trying to subtly bring up her weirdness.

"Oh, you know." My mom sipped on her diet cola drink. I waited for a moment to see if she'd continue as I finished chewing my last bite before gnawing on the crust.

"No. I don't actually." I stated bluntly. "You haven't talked about it since before your spa trip." She didn't answer. She brushed the crumbs off her hands and on top of the unfinished slice of pizza set on a paper plate.

"Not much to tell Scarlett it's just work." I was about to start trying to read her expression and body language when I remembered she could tell when I was doing it.

"Is it worse than it was before?" I watched her for her reaction. She paused all her movements. I pushed my lips together already knowing the answer. I set my half-eaten crust onto the flimsy paper plate and finished my water.

"It's not the work it's the environment." She finally spoke.

"What do you mean the environment I thought you were the manager the- the boss-" I stopped.

The boss. Brandon Chase. What could have happened with him to make my mother act this way?

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Honey, please." She stood taking her plate to the trash.

"Mom I want you to tell me if someone is bullying you at work."

"Come on Scarlett, I'm an adult I don't need your help with mere bullies." Her back was to me but I knew she was rolling her eyes.

"No mom you don't, but I'm also an adult and you should be able to talk to me about these type of things." I rose.

"You are my daughter Scarlett Isobel. Not my friend." Blair stated clearly.

"You don't have any friends to talk to about this stuff. I'm the best you got and you know it." I told her with no empathy even though I could empathize more than anyone else.

"You're right. I don't have any friends, but just like you Scarlett I will move on leaving everyone and everything behind like you have done ever since you were thirteen years old."

I didn't have any other choice. I could never create roots and I knew that early on...maybe that's why I started this little charade in the first place. To help cope with the fact that I can never stay in the same place and that meant I could never stay the same.

Could that have been the real reason my mother wanted to divorce my dad? She was sick of it. She was tired of having to start over everywhere we went.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore." I finally answered her. "This town won't ever be in our rearview mirror, it will always be staring right back at us."

***

Rock still hadn't called, and it was Monday morning. I was starting to feel a little used and honestly humiliated. He said he'd call me, right? There must be a reason he hasn't. Should I...should I call him? No. That's a bad idea. For one, he said he would call me, and two, why should I call him? We don't really have anything to talk about—at least I don't think so.

The feeling of the door not opening pulled me out of my thoughts.

"What the hell?" I mumbled.