Maddening

Ch. 1

"Fuck. Fuck, fuck. Fuck!" Camille leaned forward, dramatically pressing her forehead against her steering wheel.

Her car had been parked outside of the deans office for about twenty minutes now. As she sat alone in the parking lot, the twenty-one year old former college student was only able to get one word out.

"Fuuck," she groaned before whipping her head back up. Sniffling as she wiped angrily at her red eyes, she gripped her phone. Rubbing at her mouth, she clicked who she wanted to call and as it rang she looked at her packed up dorm room shoved into the backseats.

"Cariño," her mothers sweet voice sang over the line. "I was just thinking about you-!"

"Mama," Camille's words came out in a jumble. "I'm going to be home tonight. Siento que sea tan de última hora..."

I'm sorry it's so last minute...

Her accented words were mumbled as she tried to rush through her purposefully vague explanation. Camille dreaded this conversation. She could hear her moms breath hitch.

"Baby! What's wrong? Cami you're crying- it's a two hour drive," her mom too now sounded panicked after hearing her daughter so upset. Her daughter who typically avoids crying like the plague.

In the background of the call, Camille winced when she heard her father in the background.

"Cryin'?" His rumbly voice nearly croaked in equal shock but it was quick to turn to anger.

"Honey, no calm down-" Her mom was cut off when her father gripped the phone. Camille could hear him huffing and puffing.

"Sweetheart what the fuck? Did I hear ya right? You ain't drivin' all the way down here that upset. I'll come get ya."

"No! No," Camille quickly cut him off.

"The hell do ya mean no-" He scoffed. "What's wrong?"

Camille squeezed her eyes shut tight, feeling the hot tears streak down her tawny skin. "I want to do the drive just to clear my head. I-I'm okay... not hurt or anythin'."

She spared a sheepish glance down to her split, torn up knuckles. "I don't wanna talk about it over the phone- or maybe ever- but whatever. I'll explain okay when I get home?"

Sighing roughly, her father grunted as he thought. She could hear the whispers between her parents.

For a moment her heart ached, she craved the love that her parents shared right at this moment. No judgement and endless support, she saw it as she grew up and she looked for it every passing day of her life.

But obviously, as she sat in her car alone after getting kicked out of university there wasn't any such luck.

Camille would always have her family back home though, back home where she should have never left to this fuck ass college town.

"Okay, baby," her dad finally relented. "Yer mother and I are worried. You're room is ready here."

Hiccuping as another wave of emotion hit her, she nodded even though they couldn't see her. "Thank you daddy," she swallowed down the lump in her throat. "Can mom hear me? I love you mom, love you both. I'll be home soon."

They both returned the sentiment, demanding she drove safely before they hung up.

Turning her phone off, she wondered how she would tell her parents and two younger brothers that she'd been kicked out of school.

I mean really- who else does this happen to? Groaning in frustration, she raked her hands through her deep, reddish brown hair. The auburn locks were wild anyway, strewn around with fly aways pointing up to the car ceiling.