The Beats In Rift

chapter 8

Meadow

IT'S BEEN THREE months since me and Justin became an item and it's a special night. It's his last game of the season. We're skipping prom. I'm going to surprise him," I tell Maria, my closest girlfriend. We're not best friends but we both have boyfriends on the football team so we bonded a little.

"I love it. So, you're not going to the game?" She's doodling her name on her text book, ignoring the written work we're supposed to be doing. As it's the last day of school, no one is doing their work.

"No, it's an away game and I have to help Mom move our shit out before the landlord locks the house up with our stuff inside."

"Where is she moving to?"

I groan, hating to talk about my Mom. "Her boss, Drew, is putting her up for a while."

Maria just nods her head. Everyone knows what my Mom's like and I can't wait to be away from her. This will be my last deed for her and then I'll be gone with Justin to Florida State, hopefully never to return. She had become better over the last year, she wasn't seeing anyone and was making more effort at work but she still didn't really act like a parent. She had never been a loving mother and I only knew the difference of what a mother should be like towards her kids from when Josie was around. But even she left one of her sons. How can we be so easily discarded, not wanted, a hindrance to the people who made us, carried us in their bodies. Weren't Moms automatically programed to love their kids? I blamed it on the fact she was practically a kid herself when she had me and her maturity seemed to stay at sixteen. I didn't give Josie an excuse because I didn't know what she went through behind closed doors with that horrible man she called a husband. Her leaving weighed heavy on Justin's self-esteem though. They weren't really close but she was still his mother. She and Jared leaving with no contact left its scars.

After sending Justin a text to tell him I'll see him later tonight, I go home to help get Mom moved out. Luckily, Drew is helpful and we have her packed up and moved within three hours. I'm glad I took Maria up on skipping the rest of school after lunch and going for a spa treatment, consisting of a full body wax, including a painful bikini wax. We have a mani/pedi, and our hair washed and styled. My plan is to shower at Justin's then wait naked in his bed for him as his Dad is out of town.

When I arrive, I jolt to a stop, shocked to walk in the front door and straight into a wall of Mr Jacobs.

Stumbling back I mutter an apology. I try side stepping him, but he blocks my path and my heart rate doubles. The echo of his hands on my throat still effecting me after all this time. The choking representing more than just his violence, it was the day part of me died inside.

"You have a key now?" he asks, pinning me with an intolerable glare.

"Justin gave it to me. I'm supposed to meet him here," I croak, and hate myself for sounding weak.

"You're just like your whore of a mother. You thought you'd encourage Jared with the music crap, telling him he could make it big just so you could ride the success train, then when he dumped your ass, you moved on to better things with my Justin. Who did your Mom have to fuck to get you in to Florida State?"

I try to swallow but my mouth has completely dried of all saliva. "I worked hard to get a scholarship." I croak, he's so bitter and calls my Mom whore yet he was sleeping with her. I want to scream at him for being a hypocrite and an asshole, but my fear prevents me from being able to.