Motherless

43

Talia

Three weeks.

That's how long it had been since everything exploded in the hallway. Since my fists moved before my brain, and I finally let all the things I swallowed down come pouring out in the ugliest way possible.

I still couldn't believe I'd done it.

Mandatory counseling twice a week. Two weeks of in-school suspension that felt like forever. Teachers checking in more often. Mom checking in even more than that. Honestly? I didn't even hate it. Because it meant I didn't have to pretend with her anymore.

I started talking more. Not everything, not yet but more. Enough that I saw the relief in her eyes every time I opened my mouth instead of shutting her out. That made me want to keep trying.

Now I was back in the regular school routine. The halls felt different. Quieter when I walked past. People who used to snicker or whisper suddenly stopped. A few even said hey like we were friends. I knew better. They didn't want to be my friend. They just didn't want to be on the wrong side of my fists.

Still, it was easier than before.

Even Becca... She didn't look away anymore. She didn't glare, didn't smirk. She just walked past me like I didn't exist. And I let her. I didn't need her fear or her attention. I just needed her silence.

I tightened my backpack strap and headed to the library. Hector was waiting for me there.

He was the only friend I'd ever really had. The only person who knew the parts of me I was still terrified to say out loud. Well him and Mom. But Mom was Mom. Hector was different.

When I pushed open the library door, he was already at our usual table, math book open, pencil spinning between his fingers. He looked up when he saw me, smiling that crooked smile that always made my chest feel weird.

"Finally," he said. "I thought you were ditching me for cooler people now that you're famous."

I rolled my eyes, dropping into the seat across from him. "Oh, please. You're the only one who'd survive being my friend."

He grinned wider, and I couldn't help it I laughed.

Then he pushed his book toward me like he actually wanted me to help with math, which was hilarious because Hector was way better at numbers than I'd ever be.

We scribbled problems, traded answers, made stupid jokes about how "x" clearly didn't want to be found, so maybe we should just leave it alone. I laughed harder than I meant to, loud enough that the librarian gave us her death glare.

Hector leaned closer after a while, voice dropping lower so no one else could hear.
"So... uh... random question."

I raised an eyebrow. "That already sounds suspicious."

He smirked but kept going. "Do you maybe... want to hang out sometime? Like... not here. After school. Or maybe this weekend?"

For a second, my brain froze. Me? Hang out? Like a normal person?

I tried to play it cool. "What, like... studying?"

"Nah." His eyes crinkled a little, like he was holding back a laugh. "Like actual hanging out. Maybe the park, or arcade, or just... wherever. You pick."

I fiddled with my pencil, heat crawling up my neck. Nobody had ever asked me that before. Not seriously. Not like he meant it.

"Um..." My voice cracked, so I cleared my throat.
"Yeah. Okay. That sounds... cool."

His smile spread slow, but real. "Cool."

We both went back to our books like nothing happened, but I couldn't stop the stupid little flutter in my chest. For the first time, it didn't feel so impossible to picture myself having a friend.