Love Online

Alive

~10:35 AM~

Blinking awake to the blinding rays of the sun through my windows. Slowly turning my body to face my alarm clock only to be struck with the harsh realization that I had slept in. "Shit!" Frantically pulling jeans out of my drawers as well as shirts to find my work clothes, only to find them on the ground in a pile next to a small note. 

"Daniel,
Sweetheart, you're probably not reading this till noon-ish but at least you'll eventually find this. Don't worry about coming into work or school today, you looked so exhausted last night and this morning so I talked with your father and we agreed that you could take a day or two if needed off if you decided to. Anyway, there's money on your dresser for lunch as well as gas to pick up Kyle and Rachel. Stay Safe!
xoxo love, Sydney"

She means well, always has, always has. Surprisingly, it made me smile, maybe this day was going to be good. I believed that until I looked at my phone and notice a text message from Kate. My stomach instantly dropped, my heart rate increasing as I opened the app to look at the message. 

From Kate; "Daniel. Meet me at Starbucks at noon. No later. We need to talk."

Some distant part of my heart shattered. I really didn't want to go see my mum, I didn't want to meet up with her but then again she is my mother and she did raise me for a good half of my life. My eyes looked back down at the screen as I sighed and grabbed my keys. 

~12 PM~
~Starbucks~

Slowly, I took a deep breath before pushing the door to the famous store open, my eyes glanced around the room until I found who I was looking for. I gotta be honest, for a woman who isn't very good at being a mother, she sure cleans up nice to go out in public. Hesitantly I made my way towards the table, I didn't say anything, I just sat down across from her. "Afternoon Daniel," her tone was soft but mixed with disappointment. When I didn't reply she scoffed and shook her head, "won't even say 'hello' to your own mother? Though I raised you better."

"How are you mot-Kate?" I hated responding, I knew she just wanted an argument but I also knew she wouldn't ever make a seen in public.

Her face tensed up as her smile faded, "Daniel. James. Howell-Deterson, you don't-"

"It's. Just. Howell."

"What?" Her emotions changed to a mixture of sadness and pure rage. 

Panic set into place as the small realization that I hadn't told my mother that I had legally taken my father's name. I sighed, averting my eyes from her's, "It's just Howell... I-I legally took D-Dad's name two years-years ago..." My voice shook. I felt my heart ache, I never wanted to tell her this, nor did I ever want to be in the situation I was in with her. "Mot-Kate," I sighed and shook my head before my eyes met hers, "I want y-you to give up custody of me..." 

The look in her eyes was overflowing with horrible anger as well as utter pain and sorrow, however, that small bit of emotion seemed to fade quickly as her reply was spitting with venom. "Haha no."

My heart froze, "What? Why not?" I felt my voice rising in rage and grief. 

"Because Daniel, if I go and say that I want to give up custody of you it makes me look like an unfit mother and that asshole with his whore of a wife will smile and tell me that 'they told me so' and that's not happening." The gleam of hatred in her eyes sent shivers down my spine. "Besides Daniel, after what happened the other night between you and me, I have little to no hope that you won't go to the police or social services on me and honestly, I'm not taking the risk. No bloody way I'm giving up custody of you. End of discussion." 

Hatred, pain and utter sadness started to boil over my skin as my mouth began spitting venom past my teeth. "WHY NOT!? WHY DON'T YOU WANT ME TO BE HAPPY!? I DON'T NEED TO BE IN DAD'S CUSTODY TO RAT ON YOU, YOU HORRIBLE BITCH! YOU HAVE NEVER CARED ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF AND ADRIAN! NEVER ANYONE ELSE! I'M YOUR SON FOR CHRISTS SAKE! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY MOTHER! YOU'RE HARDLY EVEN A PERSON TO ME KATE! IF YOU WON'T FILE FOR DIVORCE BY THE END OF THE MONTH YOU CAN BET YOUR ASS THAT I'LL GO TO THE POLICE ON YOU!"

Her eyes burned through my soul like a forest fire, teeth gritting together as the wheels in her mind turned. My eyes toured the store, nearly everyone was staring at us, eyes filled with horror, I didn't care, why would I? Without any words Kate slowly grabbed her purse and her coat before standing up to be eye to eye with me, you could practically cut the tension between us with a knife. A small sick smile formed through her lips, "I'll see you at the end of the month then." the sarcasm in her voice was evident and sickening. With those harshly quiet and scarcely calm words, she strolled off and out of the store into the busy streets, leaving me standing in the middle of the shop, heart racing and blood pumping as my mind flooded with hatred for the woman.