You're Not Enough

Chapter 77

"How was your session?" My mom asks as I hop into the car.

"Good."

She gives me a warm smile and then pulls off. As we drive down the street, I think back to what Rachel said. There's a reason for everything.

What reason could there be for my parents to abandon me? Maybe there is no reason at all.

Perhaps the simple fact is that my parents are just workaholics. They love work more than me.

No, that's not it; I mean, they're still working now; they work all day. But now they have switched their schedules around so that they can be home so that they can be around more. They did it pretty easily, which means that they most likely could do it before, so why didn't they? That's why I know it had to be me; they stayed away from me. But why?

I look over to my mom, whose eyes are focused on the road. Her right-hand rubs her stomach while her left-hand steers. Maybe I should ask her now. I would rather ask her first than my dad. My mom has always been easier to talk to; she understands me more than him. "Mom?"

"Yes," she says with her eyes still on the road.

"Um... I um." Just spit it out.

"Are you okay?" she asks as she removes her hand from her stomach and reaches over, placing it on my leg.

"Yeah, I just... I..." Forget it. "What toppings do you want?"

...

We pull into the Pizza Shack driveway. My mother parks the car and reaches into the back seat, and grabs her purse. I open the car door and shiver a little; it's chiller outside now that the sun is going down.

I'm glad it's almost winter; I'm definitely a winter person; it gives me an excuse to wear my hoodies. People won't look at me wondering why I'm wearing a hoodie or a long sleeve shirt in 80, 90-degree weather.

"Here." My mom says. I reach and grab the money out of her hand.

"You're not coming in?" I ask.

"No, I don't feel so well. I'll just sit here and wait for you."

"Alright." I close the car door and walk into the shack. Soon as I open the door, I am hit by the smell of greasy pizza. I'm surprised my mom agreed to have pizza for dinner. She doesn't like food like this, then again, I'm not surprised; my parents pretty much say yes to everything I ask for now—anything to keep me happy.

There are three people in line. I stand in line behind a guy; he has on a light brown jacket and jeans. He turns around and gives me a quick smile. I give him one back and then look around the place. It isn't too crowded in here, I'm glad.

Everyone from school mostly hangs out at the diner. I rock back and forth from my heels to my toes. I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I turn around. "Jessica." I freeze and stare with wide eyes.

"Hey," she says softly. Now that she's closer to me, I notice the tiny brown freckles on her face light-skin face. Her eyes are red, has she been crying? Under her eyes, there are bags; she looks like she hasn't slept.

"Hey," I say back.

"I um, I was sitting over there, and I saw you," she says. She pushes her curly brown hair behind her ear; I notice a tiny tattoo she has on the side of her thumb. It's an A.

"Okay."

"I never got the chance... to um.. say thank you." she fidgets with the bracelets on her wrist. "For.. the um, whole thing with Ashely."

"Oh, um, it's not a big deal," I tell her.

"It was.. to me." She stammers. "Nobody has ever stood up to her before, but you did. And we aren't even friends,"