Gone

Chapter 7.

{Author's note: I'm going try to list a theme song for every chapter. The main theme so far is Girl Next Door - Emblem3 ☺}

When I got home, I noticed Liam's car wasn't parked in the driveway. I'm such a terrible person. I shunned him after he said I was his only friend, after he made it obvious he wanted me. I shouldn't feel guilty because this is just how things have to be. I was foolish to even start a friendship with him when I knew we couldn't be seen together.

I walked inside my house to see my mom sitting at the kitchen island, looking at a magazine, lazily dragging her eyes down the pages. She had her black curls pulled away from her face in a messy bun. And her glasses sat on the edge of her freckled cover nose. I didn't know why she felt the need to wear glasses, she looked 29 without them.

She looked up from her glasses and gave me a warm smile. "Hello, sweetie. How was your first day of school?"

"It was okay. Zayn made it a point to show me off." I said casually as I sat across from her. This was me and my mom, always open and honest. She was basically a teenage girl on the inside anyway.

"He is quite the looker, sweetie. I'd be happy he's showing you off. He should be letting everyone know he's taken."

I rolled my eyes at her, "Thats not the point to Zayn. He doesn't care if everyone knows *he's* taken. He only cares if everyone knows *I'm* taken." I still had mixed feelings about Zayn and I couldn't shake the feeling I got after he said I'd be 'begging for more'.

"Well all that matters to me is that he is treating you with respect. I still don't like the fact that we haven't formally met." I knew if she met him, she would shamelessly flirt with him so I was glad when Zayn said he didn't do the whole meeting the parents thing. But at the same time, it still was inconsiderate and rude.

"Mom I have to talk to you about my new.. friend." I said nervously but I needed advice on Liam. Hopefully, just talking about him would ease my guilt.

"Speaking of new.. I met our new neighbors today and I heard from Karen that you and her son have been getting along pretty well..That you've been hanging out a lot and you even went to her party yesterday.. Why didn't you tell me about this?" She looked at me with anxious eyes. I could tell she was happy about me making a new friend. Especially one that didn't ride street bikes. She was happy at the beginning of the summer when I joined them but she constantly complained about my absence. She was used to me staying in every night and going everywhere with her but once I was with them, I was hardly home all summer.

We got into a couple arguments when I came home with alcohol on my breath or when she found out I snuck out at 3am the next day. But I knew deep inside she was happy I was finally acting like a normal teenager, like how she used to act.

"Hello? Isabella? Tell me about that.." My mother snapped her fingers in front of me, breaking my train of thought.

"Yeah. They're really nice." I didn't want to get her hopes up when there would no more of me and Liam. I should have asked for advice but I already knew what she was going say and I can't do it.

"Yeah.. They are.. And they're British, which I find odd. I didn't think British people would want to live in Virginia, its boring here compared to all the other states. Anyway, I guess her son had a terrible first day and came back home before first hour was even finished.. Did you see him at all?" I ruined his first day. It was all my fault. This talk was amplifying my guilt by the second.

"Um.. I.. I don't think so," I lied. "Do you know where he is now?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she eyed me suspiciously. "His mom said he went somewhere to relieve his stress." I didn't understand where that place could be when he barely knew how to get around town. But that didn't stop me from grabbing the car keys and rushing out the door to try to find him.