sounding of you,” I muttered.
She laughed, “I am a mom, I guess it shows in everything I say.” Sobering, she frowned, “I worry about you a lot, Tate.”
That made me feel bad. I didn’t want Rowan worrying about me. I was fine. I forced a smile and told her, “Honestly, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Alright,” she sighed again, “I won’t bring it up anymore.”
I doubted that, but I didn’t say it out loud.
“Are you excited for spring break?” She asked, brushing breadcrumbs off her lap.
“Definitely,” I nodded, finishing my apple. “I’m ready to get away.”
I wasn’t sure what would happen to my mom while I was gone, and maybe it was selfish of me, but I couldn’t take being in that broken house for much longer. Besides, it wasn’t like I could live there forever. She needed to snap out of it, and maybe my dad could try being a concerned husband and actually take care of her for a change. Too much responsibility had been on my shoulders for too long. I guessed I was rebelling as an adult, not a teenager. It was bound to happen eventually—and maybe that made me a shitty person for giving up on my mom, but it had been seven long, hard years. I’d reached my limit and I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to stop making choices based on everyone else and start living my own life.
“I’m worried about leaving the kids, but I know Trent’s mom will take good care of them. It’s hard though. We rarely leave them,” she frowned.
Sometimes I really felt bad for Rowan and all the responsibility she had on her shoulders at such a young age, but she never, not once, complained about any of it. I admired her for that fact.
“They’ll be fine. Lily’s awesome,” I assured her. I’d only met Trent’s family on a few occasions but they were some of the nicest people I had ever met.
“You’re right, but it’s impossible not to worry,” she shrugged.
I stood, slinging my backpack on, and gathering my trash. “I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you later.”
“Are you going to the library tonight?” She asked before I could get away.
“No,” I answered, “but I think you already knew that.”
Since I was having dinner with Jude’s grandpa tonight, I only made enough dinner for my mom and dad—if he decided to come home tonight. He was gone more and more. I couldn’t even recall the last time I saw him.
I set the plate in front of my mom where I’d seated her at the kitchen table.
She stared at the food like she had no idea what it was. “Mom, it’s spaghetti. Your favorite.”
Her vacant green eyes that were the same shade as mine, peered up at me. “Please, eat,” I begged.
Her head lowered to look at the food once more.
I wanted to take the plate and smash it against the floor. I wanted to yell and scream and pull my hair. I wanted to cause a scene. I’d only ever done it once, but it had done no good, and I knew now would be no different.
My mom was gone and she was never coming back. All I had left was this shell.
I groaned and muttered, “Whatever. I don’t care anymore.”
With my words still lingering in the air, I left the kitchen and headed upstairs to my room. I changed my clothes, but kept it simple in jeans and a loose gray sweatshirt. I pulled my hair to the side and braided it before sweeping a pale pink gloss across my lips. I wasn’t trying to look nice for Jude, I wasn’t even getting that dressed up, but for once I wanted to feel like a normal girl going out for a while instead of the hermit I’d become. Life had been passing me by for far too long and it was time for me to take control again. I held the reigns of my future and I was doing an about-face. It was time for me and everyone else to discover the real Tatum O’Connor.
My phone beeped from my pocket and I pulled it out to see a text from Jude telling me he was waiting outside. I bound down the steps and to the front door. Just before I opened it, I
She laughed, “I am a mom, I guess it shows in everything I say.” Sobering, she frowned, “I worry about you a lot, Tate.”
That made me feel bad. I didn’t want Rowan worrying about me. I was fine. I forced a smile and told her, “Honestly, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Alright,” she sighed again, “I won’t bring it up anymore.”
I doubted that, but I didn’t say it out loud.
“Are you excited for spring break?” She asked, brushing breadcrumbs off her lap.
“Definitely,” I nodded, finishing my apple. “I’m ready to get away.”
I wasn’t sure what would happen to my mom while I was gone, and maybe it was selfish of me, but I couldn’t take being in that broken house for much longer. Besides, it wasn’t like I could live there forever. She needed to snap out of it, and maybe my dad could try being a concerned husband and actually take care of her for a change. Too much responsibility had been on my shoulders for too long. I guessed I was rebelling as an adult, not a teenager. It was bound to happen eventually—and maybe that made me a shitty person for giving up on my mom, but it had been seven long, hard years. I’d reached my limit and I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to stop making choices based on everyone else and start living my own life.
“I’m worried about leaving the kids, but I know Trent’s mom will take good care of them. It’s hard though. We rarely leave them,” she frowned.
Sometimes I really felt bad for Rowan and all the responsibility she had on her shoulders at such a young age, but she never, not once, complained about any of it. I admired her for that fact.
“They’ll be fine. Lily’s awesome,” I assured her. I’d only met Trent’s family on a few occasions but they were some of the nicest people I had ever met.
“You’re right, but it’s impossible not to worry,” she shrugged.
I stood, slinging my backpack on, and gathering my trash. “I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you later.”
“Are you going to the library tonight?” She asked before I could get away.
“No,” I answered, “but I think you already knew that.”
Since I was having dinner with Jude’s grandpa tonight, I only made enough dinner for my mom and dad—if he decided to come home tonight. He was gone more and more. I couldn’t even recall the last time I saw him.
I set the plate in front of my mom where I’d seated her at the kitchen table.
She stared at the food like she had no idea what it was. “Mom, it’s spaghetti. Your favorite.”
Her vacant green eyes that were the same shade as mine, peered up at me. “Please, eat,” I begged.
Her head lowered to look at the food once more.
I wanted to take the plate and smash it against the floor. I wanted to yell and scream and pull my hair. I wanted to cause a scene. I’d only ever done it once, but it had done no good, and I knew now would be no different.
My mom was gone and she was never coming back. All I had left was this shell.
I groaned and muttered, “Whatever. I don’t care anymore.”
With my words still lingering in the air, I left the kitchen and headed upstairs to my room. I changed my clothes, but kept it simple in jeans and a loose gray sweatshirt. I pulled my hair to the side and braided it before sweeping a pale pink gloss across my lips. I wasn’t trying to look nice for Jude, I wasn’t even getting that dressed up, but for once I wanted to feel like a normal girl going out for a while instead of the hermit I’d become. Life had been passing me by for far too long and it was time for me to take control again. I held the reigns of my future and I was doing an about-face. It was time for me and everyone else to discover the real Tatum O’Connor.
My phone beeped from my pocket and I pulled it out to see a text from Jude telling me he was waiting outside. I bound down the steps and to the front door. Just before I opened it, I
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