Taking Chances (Official Second Draft)

Chapter 5

We arrive at school within minutes and we walk through the front doors.

    "Hey I have to stop at my locker and use the restroom so i'll see you in geometry?" Matt says as we are walking to my locker. I tried to hide the fear in my eyes, because in all honesty I didn't want him to leave me alone today.

    "Sure no problem, I'll text you if I need you." He nods his head and gives me a hug goodbye. I walk away to my locker and grab my psychology book. My thoughts feel like centipedes crawling in my mind as I think about seeing Tyler today. I try not to pay attention to them as I shut my locker door and slide down to the floor sighing. As I look through my phone I see a text from my mom that reads "Call me immediately" I panic and start dialing her number. While I was typing my mom's name pops up on the phone and I quickly answer it.       

    "Can you hear me Naiomie? Are you there?" My mother says.

    "Yes mom I can hear you. What's wrong?"

    "I need to tell you something and I need you to not freak out."

    "What's wrong? is it Lily?" panic fills my voice.

    "No it's not Lily, she's alright. I left your father last night. Things got bad and I just grabbed my stuff and some of yours while he was visiting Lily."

    "So you left when he wasn't there?"

    "Yeah, I know he is going to be dangerously angry. I need you to stay with Matt."

    "Mom we have to get the police involved. Listen I could go right now to the police in my school."

    "I'm already at the police station. They were mentioning a possibility of a safe house because they went looking for him last night but when they arrived at the house, it was wrecked and he was gone. They think he could be dangerous, he must be wracked with anger...maybe binge drinking...he took the last of my money that was at the house."

    "Are you saying he could actually try and hurt me?"

    "Honestly at this point I don't know what he is capable of. I'm so sorry Naiomie, I'm a terrible mother." I hear her begin crying.

    "No you're not a terrible mother. I don't blame you for any of this, so don't blame yourself either. This was his fault not yours" My voice chokes at the end as I get emotional. I hear her sniffle on the other end.

"What are we going to tell Lily?" I question

"Well I guess we don't tell her anything yet. If we told her should we be very confused, in fact even more confused than she is right now."

"I know, that's why I never did anything about this before. Will she have a police officer at the hospital?"

"Yes, he isn't allowed near any of us." She pauses "Also I put about five hundred dollars in your account, so you'll have enough for awhile."

"Where the hell did you get five hundred dollars?"

"I got it from emergency savings, took it out of the bank last night. Listen I have to go. I'll try to come visit you tonight at Matt's and bring you your stuff. I love you. I'm so sorry again..." she trails off.

"I love you too mom."

I hang up my phone and lay my head on the back of my locker in complete and utter shock. I eventually get up and begin walking to psychology.

I find my way to psychology and see David with Hunter. They motion me back to their desk.

    "Long time no see." Hunter says as I approach.