Finding myself in you

7.

Leighton Adams -

As I stepped off of the elevator into my livingroom, I could already feel the daggers that are being stared into me from my mother.

"Where in the hell were you last night?" She snapped at me as I sat on a bar stool in the kitchen. She was sitting in the living room, her hair still tightly pulled back.

"I needed to get out of here. Dad knew I was safe, I just wasn't going to stay here and listen to you try to control my life mother." I stated, my chest heavy. God, I wish she was a normal mom. I wish she cared about my happiness rather than just her image.

"You have a boyfriend Leighton, one who loves you. And you have friends, you don't need some depressed boy from queens to make you happy!" She snapped at me again. I laughed. as the rage started to bubble up further inside of me.

"Bryson? All he wants is in my pants, to control me just as bad as you do, and to take daddy's money. Adrianna is only my friend for an ego boost mom. The only reason I have relations with them is because of you.." I shook my head. "Because I never want to disappoint you! All you ever think about is how you can achieve the picture perfect family and how I can fit into that, how my relationships fit into that. I grew up in Queens too, Mom! Because you left me there when you were too busy traveling with daddy maintaining image! You introduced me to them and you don't get to take them away!" I shouted back at her, the tears burning my eyes as they tried to escape.
"And you're right, Beckett is depressed. His brother was murdered and his little sister is sick with cancer mom. He doesn't have it easy, and he needs a friend. And honestly, so do I. You have made my life hell since the accident with his brother.. and I'm tired of it. Stop trying to control who I have relations with and please, give me my phone back." I breathed out slowly, trying to calm myself down. 

"You're just like your f***ing father. You couldn't care less about the image our family must uphold!" She cried out. I rolled my eyes as the words left her mouth.

"I'm almost 18 mom. I don't care about an image. I care about the boy I love, whom I've loved since I was ten years old. I do not want him to take his own life because you're too freaking selfish to let me spend time with him in order to fix us both." I laughed emotionlessly as I stood up.

"Here's your phone." She said as she handed it to me and receded into her office. I let out a long sigh as I went upstairs to my room. I sat on my bed and turned my phone on, first message popping up was from Beckett. It was a picture from my notebook. And a message from him.

"You forgot this here. I was curious and I started to read. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I sent back. Then I remembered I have a eulogy for him written in there..
"Please don't ready anymore though. That's very personal..."

"You got it, Leigh."

"Thank you. I'll pick it up tomorrow." 
My phone screen then filled with a picture of Beckett as he called. I answered

"How'd it go when you got home?" He asked immediately.

"Mom was pissed. We got into it, she's now in her office and I'm in my room." I shrugged as I spoke.

"That's stupid. I'm sorry, Leigh." He said, his voice laced with sadness. I shook my head

"It's not your fault becks. She brought up the dumb family image sh*t again. She said that I'm just like my dad, but I'd rather be like him than her any day of the week. I just wish she was my mom again, not some power hungry stranger." I spoke as the anger began to be replaced by sadness. 

"Our door is always open Leighton, Ma and SaraBeth will always let you in." He spoke slowly as I heard the ding of the register. 

"I know Becks, I just don't want to screw things up. We are literally just starting to talk again and I really don't want that to change." I spoke quickly as I began picking at the ends of my hair.