I Was Saved... by the Jerkface

Curses! Foiled Again...

{Annabelle}

I tip-toed from the elevator to my apartment door, hoping my parents were asleep - it was after eleven at night, after all. There was no way they would be waiting up for-

My internal rant was cut short as I tried to ease open the door silently, and found my mother standing on the other side. Damn it!

She didn't say anything for a minute or two, but she'd caught me sneaking in - there was no excuse I could make. It was obvious I wasn't expecting her to be standing right there.

Finally, she spoke, but she didn't yell as I'd expected her to. No, her voice was a deathly quiet whisper that I feared more than if she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Where have you been, Annabelle?"

I cleared my throat nervously. "I've... been hanging out at Blake's house," I admitted, my voice cracking in several places.

My mom nodded as if she understood, for whatever reason. "And you couldn't find it in you to call me? Or at the very least text me? Oh, never mind. Let me guess: you lost your phone somehow and it was impossible to get ahold of me, and that's why you didn't let me know where you were?"

I stared at the floor as I shook my head that no, I hadn't lost my phone. In fact, it was in my pocket.

"Oh, I see," she said, clearly meaning she was disappointed. Her voice hadn't raised all that much, but she was talking in a normal tone now. "Tell me, Annabelle, what is it about this boy that makes you completely forget about your mother and father and your home?"

"I didn't forget," I protested. "Well, yes, I forgot to call you, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten you."

I quickly reprimanded myself for being a smartass. It wasn't necessary.

"But you still haven't answered my question. Why is this boy so special to you? What about him causes you to run off with him at random times, and not let me know where you're going or what you're doing?"

"I... I don't know. I'm sorry, I just forget. He's really not the problem, I swear, it's me! There's nothing wrong with being around him," I insisted, wishing she would leave Blake out of this. It wasn't anything he was doing!

"Oh but he is the problem. I've never had to deal with you this way before he came along, Annabelle," she told me, her voice darkening, taking on a threatening tone. I'm not going to lie, it frightened me a little.

"I promise I won't forget to call you again," I quickly inserted, fearing the worst. "We were just watching some movies and eating, and it slipped my mind."

She sighed as if she were weary of this conversation. "I allow you more freedom than most teenagers, young lady. You would do well not to take advantage of that."

I nodded my understanding, and my mom turned on her heel to return to her bedroom, where I assumed my dad was sleeping. Over her shoulder, she said, "I'm not to hear of you seeing that boy again outside of school, is that clear?"

I instantly flared up. "What! That's not fair!"

She spun around to face me once more, her expression furious. "Is. That. Clear?"

I was silent for a moment, but nodded once, curtly. I would tell her I understood now, but who was she to stop me from seeing him? She was crazy if she thought I'd just drop Blake like that. She didn't know the kind of relationship we had. I literally went insane last time I was away from him! I hastily wiped my smarting eyes so that no tears would leak out.

My mom went back to her room, and I sank onto the couch exhaustedly, shucking off my jacket in the process. I pulled out my phone, randomly clicking through the apps for something to take my mind off the current situation.