Becoming the Bad Girl

Chapter 4

"What on earth were you thinking?" my mother screeched when Raiden was out of sight.

"My car wouldn't startup." I told her honestly, "He gave me a ride home. That was all."

The slap was unexpected and it stung. I looked up at my mother in shock. Her face gave away her rage as she looked down on me. "I told you before you were not allowed to spend any time with him outside of tutoring. That should have implied getting a ride home from him. And on a motorcycle of all things! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" she ranted.

I didn't bother to answer because she would only think I was talking back. Jesse walked over with just a slight hint of a smirk on his face.

"Mother," he cooed, "I warned you something like this would happen. She's just acting out. Many girls her age do."

She placed a hand on his shoulder with the slightest hint of tears in her eyes, "Yes you did. I should have listened to you. I had just hoped she would be like you and be a good child."

How nice of them to talk about me as if I wasn't standing right in front of them. I knew this would happen. Jesse just had to wait for the perfect opportunity to pounce. Apparently this was it.

"I should have listened to you when you told me she wasn't ready to leave the hospital." She went on, "Maybe we should send her back."

"What?" I gasped as my eyes grew big, "Mother no!" I begged.

She looked at me harshly, "This is my only choice, Scarlett. You brought this upon yourself." She stated. "First it was your grades, then you go and tutor this criminal and now he is giving you rides on his motorcycle! No Scarlett, you are not thinking straight; you're obviously still sick. It must be the medication they have you-" she gasped and looked at me, "You've stopped taking them haven't you?" she concluded. "That's why you have been acting out of sorts! You've stopped taking them. That is it! That is the last straw. We are taking you back to the hospital tonight! They'll get you back on your meds and you'll get better."

She looked pleased with this solution she created. Jesse looked satisfied with his work as he looked at my mother with the fakest worried look I had ever seen.

"Please! I don't want to go back there!" I pleaded.

"Don't." she said firmly, "This conversation is done. We are taking you tonight. You can pack a few things, but after dinner, we're leaving." She said turning.

'You need to stand up for yourself.' My aunt's words floated around in my head. She was right, I had to fight. I wasn't going to go back there. I was desperate. I didn't want to sit in a fully white room as doctors analyzed me day and night. I didn't want to take pills that made me feel like nothing. I didn't want to go through life without experiencing it.

"I'm not going back, mother!" I yelled suddenly. She whipped around and stared at me. Even Jesse had a look of shock on his face as they stared at me. "I refuse to go back to that place," I said only loud enough for them to hear.

"How dare you question my authority." My mother sneered at me. Suddenly all my confidence was gone and I questioned everything that would happen from my outburst.

"I'm sorry I-" I started to say as tears welled in my eyes, but she cut me off.

"Go inside and pack some things. I'm not going to argue with you. You're going and that's final." She said pointing to the house.

"But-"

"Go!" she ordered not sparing a single glance at me.

That was it. It was too late. She had already made up her mind. I was being sent back to the mental hospital. I ran towards the house before either of them could see my tears fall down my face.