The Bite (Edited)

*Visit

I walked nervously into the prison and sat on the seat, across the screen was my mother. She was thinner, paler, but smiling. "Hello, Laina," she said. "How have you been?"

I smiled back. "I've been doing fine. Sorry, I haven't visited you recently, I've been really busy with school."

She chuckled warmly. "It's fine. Once a month is fine."

"Is the food good? I heard that jail food was absolutely horrible."

"Tolerable," she said honestly. "But I like my homemade meals better. And I miss your Tiramisu cakes."

"Maybe I could make you one and give it to you here. Am I allowed to?"

"I'll ask." We both sat there for a few seconds in silence. "How is it going with you and Liam?"

"Oh, it's been fine."

"Do you think that they'll let me out for your wedding?" She said with a chuckle.

"Mom!" I cried. "Even if there is a wedding and you can't make it, I'll take a lot of pictures and videotape the whole thing, that way I can show you it."

"Smart. How are the other two?"

"Tessa has a boyfriend and Ronnie...well, Ronnie is Ronnie. I mean, he owns Ryena's Gold and he's making some good money. So we're all doing fine."

"Have you been looking into your future?"

"I mean, I've been wanting to work in a martial arts place as a teacher."

"Have you ever thought of the science field?"

I shook my head. "Science is just something for fun, I'd get bored of it after a while."

"How about art?"

"Just a hobby. I mean, that can be a side job. I can sell a few pieces offline and make a few bucks. You know what I want to do, Mom?" I leaned on the table, resting my elbows on the table and my head in my hands.

"What?" She said, also leaning on the table.

"I want to buy two apartments. One for myself and rent the other one out. That will also make me some money."

"You're a smart one. Oh, did you sell the house like I told you to?"

I nodded. "I still have the money in the bank. When you come out, you can have a head start and-"

She shook her head. "I don't know how long I'll be in here. I might stay in here forever, Laina. You use it, okay- do not fight me on this!"

"Mom, really, it's fine. I don't-"

"Laina, do not fight me," She said firmly.

I sighed. "Okay. Well, now that I have the money, I can find a job at a martial arts place. I can use the money from the house to buy the two apartments. Thanks, mom."

"It was always going to be your money."

"Let's talk about you now. Have you made any friends?"

"I've talked to some people. There's this woman though, she used to be an Executor."

My eyes widened, sitting up from shock. "Really?"

"I haven't had a direct conversation with her but she doesn't seem nice."

"Maybe you should stay away from her. Or at least not tell her anything about your past life."

Mom smiled. "I know, Laina, I can take care of myself. This isn't the first time I've been in jail."

"You mean, you got sent to jail when you were younger?"

She nodded. "Both my parents died in a fire. And so I had to fend for myself on the streets. I stole and I got arrested."

"What started the fire?" I asked curiously.

"They said that one of my parents had accidentally dropped a cigarette."

"Something tells me you think it was something else."

"I am positive that neither of my parents smoke. They told me every day that smoking was bad and that I should never smoke."

"Did you tell them that?"

"I was a four-year-old girl that was traumatized, do you think that they would listen?"

"I guess. Did you try to look back and find out what really happened when you were older?"

She nodded. "Of course. But all I found were a bunch of dead ends which made it even more suspicious."

"Do you want me to look into it?" I offered. "I don't mind."

"No, it's fine," she said with a shake of her head. "This is my dark past, don't get your hands dirty. Besides, you have a whole future ahead of you, don't put that all on pause just for me. You deserve to fly too."

"Alright, if that's what you want."

Suddenly a man in a uniform came and touched my mom's shoulder. She nodded to him. "Time's up, Laina," she said sadly.

"I'll come back next month."

"Stay safe, Laina. Alright?"

I nodded. "Don't worry, you stay safe too."

"I will. Good-bye. I love you!" She said as she walked away.

"I love you too!" I replied as she smiled.

I walked out of the police station and found Liam waiting for me with a pair of sunglasses. He was leaning on his car, looking at some birds pecking at some crumbs.

I pulled his sunglasses off and put them on myself, grabbing his attention. "Laina!" He said with a grin, his facing lighting up.

"You look very interested in the birds over there," I said, grabbing the keys from his pocket. I had recently gotten my driver's license and I was proud of it.

"Well, what else could I look at? I mean, would you rather me look at a girl wearing a low-cut shirt?" He asked with a smirk, sitting inside the car.

I scoffed as I climbed in. "I bet you were until she drove away and the birds were your back up."

"Okay, that is not true," he said, his finger in the air as I turned the car on.

"Mmhm," I agreed sarcastically, throwing my bag onto his lap.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked, driving out of the parking lot.

"How do you turn everything I say against me?"

I glanced at him with a smile. "You're just a bit slow on your words."

"Are you calling me stupid?!"

"Maybe."