Linger

S E V E N

"There you are!"

I looked up to see my mom rushing up to me as I walked through the front door. "Mom. Hi." I gave her a small smile. "What's up?"

"What's up?!?" she repeated. "Madison, I've been worried sick about you! Where in this cruel world have you been??"

I let out a small laugh. "School." I walked past her, putting my bag down. "It's not even that late." I nodded toward the window where the sun was just beginning to set outside. 

"It's too late to pick up your sister from practice."

I immediately froze in my tracks.

"We did agree that you were going to pick up Katie from practice today," she continued. "Right?"

I bit down on my lip hard. 

No. No. No. No. Noooooo. 

I completely forgot. How could I forget? 

"Oh my gosh . . . Mom! I--I'm so sorry!!" I scrambled to pick up my bag, rushing to the door. "I'll be--"

"Don't worry about it," she said, stopping me in my tracks. 

I held my breath as I slowly turned to face her.

"She got a ride back. Katie's here, safe." 

I swallowed hard, a huge wave of guilt crashing over me. "Mom, I'm so sorry." I took a step towards her. "I really am." 

A combination of concern and confusion on her beautiful features as she stepped up to me. "Are you sure you're alright, sweetie?" She brushed her hand gently through my hair. "This isn't like you to forget things like this."

"I know. I just--" I let out an annoyed sigh, mostly aimed at myself and my dumb mistake. How could I forget??

Never mind. I knew exactly how I forgot . . . 

. . . he even asked me if I had anything to do after school.

Ugh, how did I not remember?!?!

 "Senior year. Got a lot going on." I shrugged, lifting my eyes up to my mom.

Like what? my conscience spoke up with a snark. Hooking up with your History teacher?

I swallowed hard, ignoring the way my heart weighed heavily in my chest. 

She nodded. "They don't seem to make it easy on you kids these days. Sasha told me you had a lot of studying to do." 

I paused, my mind reeling with confusion. "What?"

"After trying to call you, like, a hundred times, I called her," she explained simply.

"You called?" I dropped my bag to retrieve my phone. I hadn't had a chance to check it since taking photos of the study guide . . . a small smile made its way onto my face at just the thought of being with him.

"Katie called you too," my mom's voice snapped me out of my daydream.

"What . . . ?" I said faintly, shaking my head and forcing myself to focus on the screen. 

And just as she said, countless of missed calls and texts from my mom and sister filled my screen, along with several texts and calls from Alice, Chelsea, and Sasha . . .

My heart plummeted. I clamped my hand over my mouth, not taking my eyes off the screen, nothing but guilt filling my chest, making it hard to breathe. "Ugh, I can't believe I forgot. Mom, I'm so sorry!" 

"All that matters is that you're here and Katie's here and you're both fine," my mom's voice brought me back to reality.

"Mom, I'm so sorry," I apologized for the millionth time. "I'll make it up. I promise."