I Missed U... (An LPS Story)

Chapter 4

"IS THIS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ALL DAY?!"

The voice seemed to pierce Pepper's ears. She looked up.

Uh oh,

Mom....

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS...PLACE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SCHOOL, AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WITH A BOY?!"

"Mom please, just stop yelling,"

"GET UP, PEPPER. LEAVE THIS RAT HERE!" Her Mom picked her up and nearly threw her in the car.

"Mom! Ow!"

Pepper was crammed into the backseat filled with Mom's work supplies.

Ow! Ow! OW!

If being crammed didn't hurt, try being crammed in a car and be bouncing up and down.

Every time that happened, Pepper landed on something sharp.

Ow.

She felt almost numb on her butt now.

Finally Mom spoke;

"What were you thinking, Pepper? I thought someone took you, or even killed you!"

"Mom,"

"And you know better than to sneak out of school."

"I didn't sneak."

"Oh, really?" Her Mom said in a sassy tone. She turned and looked sharply at Pepper.

"Mom, the road,"

"Humph." Her Mom turned back to the road.

Pepper kept bouncing up and down. Up and down, up and down, over and over again. It didn't hurt much anymore.

They pulled into the garage of their small house.

"Get out."

Pepper was shoved out and into the house. Her Mom was clearly using all her strength.

"You're staying in your room for the rest of the weekend. No phone, no tv, no games, just sit on your bed until I come up to get you supper."

Pepper had forgotten it was Friday. She loved Friday, it was the day when she could get out of her crazy school.

Pepper sat on her bed. The bright purple room suddenly seemed dark.

Sorry, Mom.

Pepper drifted off to sleep.
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Pepper woke up to banging on her door.

"Come down and eat some dinner." Her Mom called.

Pepper felt like she couldn't walk. Her legs had been crammed in the car, and were now very sore.

She stumbled down the steps. Her mother was waiting for her down there.

"Sit and eat."

I KNOW GET OFF MY BACK YOU MUTT. Pepper wanted to shout at her Mom.

Pepper ate the vegetables and the steak, then slumped upstairs.

She sat back down on her bed. She was still in her soaking wet clothes.

She changed into her favorite blue pajamas.

She lay down on the bed, staring into space. She could hear Mom grumbling downstairs, and she heard her name over and over again.

She decided to think about that time with Justin.

It felt more like a distant dream than a memory, and if it was, it seemed ancient.

I wonder what he's up to now, she thought.

Just then, a little buzz noise came from her phone. She went over to a small hamper in the corner of her room.

Her phone was still in the back pocket of her skirt.

She fished it out.

I am so glad I have a waterproof case.

She looked at her notifications. One said:

Text from Justin.

She opened it up quickly. It said;

Maybe I should stay away.

What? No! Ur ok! U don't have to stay away from me.

Pepper tried to make him stay. She typed furiously, trying to get him to stay.

He texted back:

No, I'm sorry, I can't.

Pepper felt burning in her eyes. Tears slid down her cheeks.

"NO!!! IM NOT GONNA LOSE YOU AGAIN!!!!!"

She threw her phone against the wall, it shattered.

Pepper shrieked in mental agony. Tears were like waterfalls. She screamed as her mother threw open the door.

Her mother ran over and held onto her, trying to comfort her.

Pepper ran, she bit her Mom and ran. She tripped over the broken phone and landed in glass.

She slipped backward and she hit her head. Her nose bled, her eyes watered, she saw stars, she heard a crack, she finally blacked out saying:

"I missed u."