An Inconvenient Bet

Chapter Four

There was a gentle knock on my door and as I looked up, my mum's head poked around the door frame and into the room. She looked at the books surrounding my lap and made her way towards me, sitting on the corner of my bed.

I could smell her perfume from here, subtle lemongrass and cedarwood, she smelt like a candle. She brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, that was her tell. I knew she was about to bring up the fact that I'd been sent to the principal's office; no doubt Mark had told her, but I was ready to counter argue, no matter how long it might take me to convince her it was not my fault.

I was about to speak, but she beat me to it.

"Mark told me what happened," she started.

I rolled my eyes. Mark talked too much for his own good. It was handy him and my mum being friends, because I definitely got away with more, but sometimes I wished I didn't know him because mum always knew everything about my school life, and it drove me insane.

"He's only looking out for you because he cares," she added.

I sighed, "I know," I muttered.

"You're a bright and beautiful girl Sophie and I just want the best for you, I don't want you to throw your future away because of what your dad did to us," she started.

I slammed my book shut giving myself a minute to breathe so I didn't bite her head off. It wasn't her fault, I know she was only being protective, but I was getting sick and tired of him being mentioned.

"He's not my dad anymore," I said.

"Maybe we should talk about it?" she suggested.

My mum had never wanted to talk about it. Ever since he up and left and mum had fallen apart, we hadn't spoken about him. Between Noah and I, we pretended he never existed, just as he had done to us and I wasn't about to change that.

"There's nothing to talk about, he made his decision and we're better off without him," I said.

Mum nodded, not saying anything and I knew she understood my resentment.

"How are the college applications going?" she asked, changing the subject.

I smiled; I knew she was trying. "They're going, I'm trying to finish my essay for the submission for Russleton, but I'm nearly there. I just want to get out of this stupid town," I sighed.

She pulled me into her as her arms wrapped automatically around me, "I know baby, I know and you will," she replied.

"Have you thought about applying anywhere else, other than Russleton?" she asked.

I shot her a look, "Noah and I have been wanting to go there for as long as I can remember!" I replied and she knew that.

Noah and I had been planning on going there since we were kids. We had been flicking through brochures and simultaneously pointed at that one and promised we would go. It had never crossed my mind to apply anywhere else and the more we had read up on the college, the more we had wanted to go. It had every sporty facility you could think of, which was perfect for Noah and the English department was perfect for me.

I still wasn't one hundred percent sure what I wanted to major in, but I knew it would be something to do with English or at least American literature.

"There are plenty of other colleges baby, all near Russleton," she explained and handed me a pack of leaflets. "Just take a look you might surprise yourself, there's a few near the beach and some of them you might even be able to apply for a scholarship, it's just a suggestion," she said and patted my back lightly.