They Said My Life Was Perfect - Book 1

Chapter 13 - Rayna

She's not sleeping, I can tell. Her eyes keep flickering and limbs twitch every so often. I don't acknowledge this and slam the door shut when I enter the room causing her to jerk into a sitting position, glaring at me from the sofa where she had been resting.

'Rayna! What the heck is your problem?' She snaps and I instantly notice a change in her appearance. Even though she hadn't been sleeping she appeared to be completely exhausted, dark shadows concealing the underneaths of her eyes and a pale palour staining her complexion. I felt a little bad for alarming her even though I know she was aware of my presence.

She raises a hand to her eyes. Perfect nail polish, as always.

'Sorry,'

'You know I work late so let me doze whilst I can!'

'Was Evander late today?' I ask, ignoring her statement. She groans, lying backwards but doesn't say another word which instantly makes me suspicious.

'Mum...' I press but she stands and walks away from me. I follow after her and worry filled me. Was he okay? Did something happen.

'Mum! What happened with Evander!' I cry and she spins round to face me.

'He's fine!' She cries before lowering the pitch of her voice, 'he's fine it's just...'

'Just?'

'I didn't take him to school today,' she sighs and I stare at her, finding this hard to believe.

'What do you mean?' I hiss but she glares at me.

'I expected you to take him! You should've known!'

'I did know!' I yell. This isn't the first time she's done this, 'He was ready to go but in case you forgot, I have college and I can't take him!'

'You don't do anything around here to help! You do realise that I need some support whilst I work my hardest to provide for my two ungrateful kids!'

I can't even believe the words that are coming out of her mouth and my mind takes a while to process them.

'Ungrateful? Are you kidding!' A harsh laugh escapes my lips, 'I try my hardest to look after Evander as much as I possibly can. I clean, I cook him meals when you aren't around! You are in no position to tell me I'm ungrateful,'

'Don't you dare,'

'Dare what? Tell you that you are no mother. Tell you that you're a pathetic excuse for a parent?'

'DON'T YOU DARE!' She steps forwards, fury igniting in her pupils like hell fire. She takes a hold of my shoulders and shoves me backwards where my arm collides with the wall. I know she doesn't mean to do it especially when she raises a hand to cover her mouth in shock, but doesn't hurt with my adrenaline running high and I simply brush it off.

'Seems to me like you can't handle the truth,' I say, 'Evander is your son, not mine and whilst I am happy to help with him, that doesn't mean I do everything,'

'You do nothing,' She says shakily before regaining her composture, 'Oh poor you, do you have to make breakfast for him every morning? Aw I'm sorry,' She turns and begins collecting things, shoving them in her bag.

'Have you forgotten about everything else? Everything else I do for the kid that you don't have 'time' for? You're hardly ever there for him, skipping plays, assemblies, appointments and you know who has to deal with them? Me. Kyle sometimes but he shouldn't have to considering it's not his son nor is he mine,'

She whirls around and jabs my arm harshly.

'You need to change your attitude,'

'You can't even admit you're in the wrong,' A laugh escapes my lips, devoid of any humour.