The Bet [COMPLETED]

Chapter 3: A solemn promise

I placed the grocery bags onto the kitchen table. Mom woke up from the smell of fresh pancakes a few minutes later and dragged her lifeless soul to the kitchen.

“Why aren’t you at school?” she asked slowly, her voice oozing with sleep.

“I’m not going today,” I said simply.

“Ah, fine, fine,” she replied, waving her hand sideways in the air; a sign showing she really didn’t give a shit, “What did you buy? Are you making breakfast?”

“Don’t I always? And you’re asking way too many questions for someone that just woke up.”

She smiled and gave me a hug. She clung to me like a child clinging to her lollipop, my arm being squished between her breasts. “Just leave breakfast to me.”

“We’re not eating out again, Mom.”

Mom paused for a while. “I’ll cook myself.”

“You know you can’t cook.”

She pouted. “You’d never know.”

I smirked. “I think I know too well…”

She finally pulled away from me. “Fine, be like that!” She looked at me as I flipped the finished pancake onto a plate. “That one’s mine.”

“Take it then,” I told her, shoving it at her, “I’m not even hungry.”

This caught her attention. Food was one of my Mom’s weaknesses. If she would ever be left alone on a deserted island without food, she’d die in two minutes. Yet she didn’t like to eat healthy at all. She eats mostly fast food when I’m not around, but I always find out about it anyway. Did I mention she was the complete opposite of a neat freak?

“What’s wrong? Why didn’t you go to school exactly?” she asked acting all serious and professional all of a sudden.

I took my apron off –why yes, that’s another secret of mine that I wouldn’t want anyone to know about– and slumped down on my chair. “What makes you think-”

“Believe me,” she interrupted me, “I know. Now spill it.” She took the seat across from me.

I sighed. “Well… There’s this girl I… I like,” even if it’s Mom, she wouldn’t have approved if I had told her the real truth, “But I caught her and her boyfriend making out yesterday…”

She gasped sharply. “You’re in love?! Why didn’t you tell me?!?”

“I’m telling you now, am I not?”

She ignored that. “So who’s the lucky winner?”

Her name’s Robin. She plays hard to get, but I don’t think she hates me. I’m guessing she acts like that because she has a boyfriend. John told me guys kiss her feet every few days. And on Valentine’s Day her locker gets stuffed with all kinds of stuff.”

“Sounds a lot like you,” Mom replied to this, smiling.

“The only difference is that I don’t push them away from me. I’m not tied to anyone so I don’t have a reason to do that.”

She nodded. She then poked her pancake without taking a bite. It was obvious that she still wanted to talk some more. It’s been a while since we’ve talked for this long. “And… how’s school going? You know, in general. You’re doing your best, right?”

“It’s alright,” I answered, “A bit boring, but alright.”

She nodded again, not really knowing what else to say. I smiled and told her to eat her pancake.