ethereal (k.l.)

•FOUR•

"So, when are you planning on asking Kian out?" Rachel asked me as we walked down the sidewalk. Mom had the car again.

"When I sprout wings and fly to Neptune." I answered and looked down at my shoes.

She scoffed, "No, you're going to ask him out. It's so obvious that he's into you." We turned a corner and saw our house down the street.

I shook my head, "I don't know, Selena said he rejects girls all the time." I said sadly.

"What makes you think he'll reject you?" She asked as we walked onto the porch, seeing the car in the driveway. Mom's home.

I shrugged, "He's him, the hottest guy in school. And I'm me, nerdy newbie."

She scoffed again and we walked into the house. "Stop thinking like that, you're more than some girl who reads." She said and we plopped down on the couch in the living room. "You're pretty, smart, imaginative, all good things." She said to me with a courteous smile.

I returned the smile, "Thanks, Rach."

"What are sisters for?" She asked playfully.

"Getting on each other's nerves and stealing clothes." My mom's voice interrupted our conversation. She was standing in the doorway, looking at us with a small smile. "Can I talk to your sister for a minute?" She asked Rachel and I immediately got nervous and curious as to what she was going to say to me. She was smiling and acting sweet, unlike weeks past.

Rachel nodded, "Sure." She began to walk out of the room and I wanted to beg her to stay and endure whatever was about to happen with me, but I stayed silent. My mom sat next to me on the couch.

"How was your first day?" She asked me, the calm before the storm, I suspected.

I shrugged, "It was good." Kian made it good. But I wasn't going to tell her about him. Not after what happened with the last boy.

"Did you make any friends?" So, the calm is going to last a little longer.

I nodded, "Yeah, I made a few."

"Good, good." She said. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, what's going on, Mom?" I asked her. I wanted to cut straight to the chase so this can be over with.

She sighed, "Look, Davina, I want to apologize. I know I've been acting like a bad mom for stupid reasons. I just don't know how to handle your situation."

I knew we were going to end up talking about that, but I didn't think she would apologize. I honestly thought she had a right to be upset with me. "It's okay, Mom." I said quietly.

She shook her head, "No, it's not. You needed me and I wasn't there for you."

"But you were, you just had to go through it as well." I said, knowing that what happened was difficult for her, too. She moved us to California because it had gotten so bad.

"God, your dad would've handled this so much better." She whispered mainly to herself. We haven't brought up Dad in so long, it surprised me that she did. It made me feel a sting of despair, but I ignored it. "I know it wasn't easy for you. That boy obviously didn't understand what he was doing,"

I nodded, "No, he didn't. He still doesn't."

"I know, sweetie." She said softly and ran her fingers through my hair. "You deserve more than that Grayson kid, you deserve a real Prince Charming."

I laughed lightly, "Thanks, Mom."

"I love you, Davina." She kissed my forehead.

"I love you, too." I said back.