MIXED EMOTIONS

12. SOMETHING NEW

I got home around seven-thirty or so and I was drained! But it was a successful shopping spree. I decided to change up my style a little this school year, so I had to get close to a whole new wardrobe since I'd have to do some closet cleaning.

I brought all my supplies. Pencils, binder, unnecessary expensive calculator, etc. It was amazing of how much I get done in a couple hours without a parent, which I was getting use to anyway.

So I wouldn't have to worry about school for another month. I was one of those early buyers, I guess. I hated doing anything last minute. I was struggling with the shopping bags and glad my mother came out and helped me bring them inside.

I went up the stairs and into my room and my mother followed. She looked at the shopping bags on my bed. "That's a lot of clothes. School isn't for another month, Chanel."

"I know. Thought I'll get everything done early." I said riffling through the bags.

She let out a chuckle. "I never thought anyone could shop as much as you." This conversation was giving me that same uneasy feeling like the conversation we had this morning. "So, what'd you buy?" This was so unlike my mother, so I knew something was up.

"What's going on?" I asked. She frowned.

"I know something's going, mom. So tell me." I continued, hoping she'll just spill it. She sat on the edge of my bed and stared straight ahead.

"Nothing's going on, Chanel." She said. But I wasn't buying it. When I didn't respond, she continued. "I know we've been ignoring each other-"

"I wonder why." I snapped. She turned to face me, opened her mouth to say something, but I spoke up before anything came out. "No, seriously. Why are we ignoring each other?" I knew my answer, I just wanted to hear hers.

She stood up. "Charles got a part-time job we can rely on for now." She said not answering my question. "I thought maybe-"

I cut her off again. "So this is about Charles?" I rolled my eyes.

"No, this is about us."

"No, it's not! You only care about Charles, when he can't do anything for us. Now that he has a job and now you're 'Mom of the year' ?" I was enraged and hurt. Hurt of how she was only acting like some sort of mother because Charles got a part-time job. Which he's going to lose anyway. And we'll be back to where we started from. Like always.

We looked at each other long and hard with glassy eyes.

"Dinner's on the table, if you're hungry." She stood, turned her back on me and left the room.