The G(r)ay Area

Part Thirteen

Part Thirteen.

Lucas kissed me, his hands holding mine. "I'll be over tomorrow."

"Instead of school?"

He laughed. "I wish."

I squeezed his hands before I let go and opened the front door to my house. "Thanks for tonight. It was a lot of fun."

Lucas winked at me before he practically skipped over to his house.

I sighed and walked inside, the biggest smile on my face.

"How was your evening with Lucas?"

I stopped in the door way, not sure what to do. Mom and I hadn't talked in a full day, which was weird for us. Then again, we didn't talk about anything serious. We hadn't for a long time.

"Fine."

"Is everything okay with you two?"

"Just fine."

"Aiden, come in here. We need to talk."

I groaned. "There's nothing to talk about, mom."

"There is."

I walked into the kitchen and mom was sitting at the table. The broom and dustpan leaned against the counter and the kitchen looked spotless. Whatever Lucas' mom had said to her must have stuck. Or made her motivated to be a mother again.

"Have a seat, Aiden."

"Mom, this is stupid. There's nothing to talk about."

"Is everything okay with you and Lucas?"

"We're fine, mom. Like always."

"You've been off lately. Like something's been bothering you."

"The only thing bothering me right now is this stupid interrogation."

"Why are you acting like this?"

"Like myself? I don't know what you're talking about, mom."

"Aiden, drop the attitude."

"I don't have an attitude."

"To me, you do. Why is that?"

"Maybe because you keep asking all these questions."

"I'm your mother, Aiden. I'm allowed to ask questions."

"Mom-"

"No, Aiden. I want to know. What's going on with you? Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because you won't talk to me. You won't tell me what's going on with you."

"I don't need to tell you-"

"No, you won't tell me. You won't tell me why you're so upset all the time or why you're so closed off. I can help you, mom. You can talk to me."

"You can't help me, Aiden. You can't fix things."

"What do you mean, I can't? What isn't fixable here?"

She sighed and got up from the table. "It's your father, Aiden."

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. Frustration was starting to set in. "Mom, he's dead. He's been dead for almost a year. Nothing's going to bring him back. I get that but I don't think you do."

"Aiden-"

"No, mom. You have to get it through your head."

Insteadof answering me or saying anything in return, she walked past me and headed upthe steps. Seconds later, her bedroom door slammed shut.