Addicted To You (TO BE PUBLISHED)

51

There is a loud, obnoxious knocking at the door that I have been dreading getting up for. I needed to wake up anyways. I am sure I overslept this morning. I shuffle my feet downstairs wondering if anyone else is home, considering that I had to wake up and answer the door myself, I take that as a no.

At the door, Claudia stands with her bouncy golden curls, expensive handbag, and her shades at the top of her head. I could be dreaming, but I would not be surprised if this were real. Her eyes wandered the exterior of the house curiously. How the hell did she find me? 

"Do you know the trouble I went through this morning to find you?" She comes into the house with quick feet while I rub my temples. "I went to the Apartment that I'm still paying for just to be informed that you moved out to live with some guy named Trevor. Then I go to Trevor's house just to be sent to this place by a pregnant chick. What the hell, Amelia!" She slams her purse on the bed. "What are you doing living with strangers and not telling me?"

"Why are you here?" I question.

"Really? That is how you want to answer me. Where is your phone? Did you lose it again?" She looks around the house. "Care to explain why you haven't been answering my text or phone calls?"

"I've been going through a lot Claudia." I cross my arms over my chest and break contact. I still feel ashamed to face her.

"Oh yes, like what? Because the last time I came here, you seemed like you were doing simply fine. Also, who is that boy Nolan came back home crying about? Is it that guy Chase?"

"Crying?" I ridicule in disbelief.

Her brows move inward, problematized. "You could at least be sensitive about his feelings. So what did you and that boy do?"

"We kissed!" My arms fling up. I am tired of her asking. I know she will not stop unless I say it. "We kissed, then we kissed some more, and I liked it. A lot, I still do."

"You're with him?" The way she said it seemed more menacing.

"Does it matter? At least I wasn't the one that was sleeping with their partner's cousin behind their back." I say to backfire Nolan. God he made it seem like I was the only horrible person. I don't care how the situation played out anymore. And if I am honest, I wouldn't change a thing. Maybe being humiliated rubbed me the wrong way, but then again, I wouldn't have gotten out of the apartment fast enough.

Her face is blank, meaning she did not know. "Nolan nor Ellie didn't tell you, huh? But he wasn't hesitant to tell you about Chase. He and Ellie have been sleeping together since she's been back and they basically dated each other before Ellie left."

I did not shed a tear because I do not care anymore. I have a new life to start. Nolan will not be a part of that. She sits on the bed with her mouth gaped slightly open. "I didn't know." I sit next to her. "I'm sorry." She holds on to me. "You used to tell me everything. Why couldn't you just tell me? I hated knowing about you and that boy through Nolan."

"I didn't tell you because I was afraid of how you'll see me."

"No matter what, I'll always see you as my own child. Just please, please do not talk to that guy anymore. I can see right through that devil."

"He's not a devil Claudia. He is a sweet guy when you really get to know him. He just has a hard shell."

A really-really hard shell.

"Either way, he's no good for you. I don't want you around him anymore. If I hear you two are associating. I'll treat you like any other strict parent and cut off your allowance for living. You'll be on your own rent and all."