Look After You (ON HOLD)

Look After You  

Chapter 3

"Did you have fun?" Carter asked as soon as I opened the door.

"Yeah. I did." I replied, ruffling Courtney's hair.

"How long was I there?" I asked, pulling out my phone.

"Three hours." He shrugged.

I was there a whole three hours? It didn't feel like it at all. I looked out the window and watched as we passed my school and a couple of other businesses.

"I'm hungry." Courtney whined. I looked at Carter and he sighed and shook his head.

"Burger King or McDonalds?"

"McDonalds!" Courtney and I chorused.

Carter pulled in and up to the window. "Erm, what do you want?"

I stared at the giant menu and picked my favorite thing, "Cherry Berry Chiller and a number 5."

"Combo?" He asked.

"Combo." I smiled, "I'm a fatty."

Carter rolled his eyes and looked down at Courtney, "What do you want?"

"Fwies. And milkshake." She grinned, wryly.

"Chocolate or vanilla?"

"Nilla!" She giggled. Carter smiled and ordered.

"Didn't want anything?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. He shook his head. I pulled out 10 dollars, handing it to him.

We pulled up at the front window and he pulled out his wallet.

"Carter?" I asked, waving my money around. He ignored me and paid the teenage girl.

"Dude. What the heck?" I asked, leaning over Courtney and hitting the back of his head.

"It was on me." He winced, rubbing it.

"No! Take my money." I demanded, throwing it at him.

"No, Chanel. I'm not taking your money."

"Take the money." I said, through gritted teeth.

"No." He scowled.

"Carter."

"Chanel."

"Aww. Look at the cute little couple bickering." The girl gushed.

"Oh. We're not a couple." I said, shaking my head.

"We're not? Chanel! Is there something you're not telling me?" He gasped, feining hurt.

I rolled my eyes, "Pull up to the next window."

Carter grinned and did as I told him. "You know next time it's on me?"

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Nell. Whatever makes you sleep."

We all hopped out the car. We carefully got Courtney out and climbed the ramp to my small house.

I pulled out my key and stuck it in the hole. "Damn key." I muttered, shaking it.

"Let me do it." Carter smiled, putting his hand over mine and turning the lock.

"Thanks." I mumbled, embarrassed.

I walked in the house, furrowing my eyebrows when I smelled something burning. My head snapped to the kitchen. I bolted towards it and swung open the door. I looked around, seeing nobody in here. I glanced at the stove to see it turned on and water boiling over. What the hell? I walked over to it and turned it off. I turned around and looked around the room and saw a foot. I walked to the other side of the counter and saw my mom sitting on the floor.

"Mom?" I asked, walking towards her.

"Mom." I called again, snapping my fingers.

"Mom!" I yelled, shaking her.

She looked up at me, eyes glassy and face as pale as a ghost.

"Mom! What happened?" I begged, shaking her shoulders again.

"I got fired." She admitted.

The kitchen went silent. You could hear a pin drop. I didn't make a sound and neither did my mom. We just stared at each other for a while. Out of nowhere she burst out into tears.

"Mom!" I yelled, pulling her close.

"It's going to be okay." I soothed, rubbing her back.

"No. No it won't." She sobbed. I've never seen my mom cry before. It broke my heart to watch her shatter like this.

"Hey. I'll help you find a job." I smiled, pulling away to face her.

I didn't understand her expression but I knew she was hiding something from me. Whatever it was, it could wait till a later date. I'm just focused on finding her a job.

For her old job, she was a teacher at an elementary school. I don't know why she could've possibly gotten fired.

I stood up and held a hand out to my mom. She shakily took it and stood up. "Um. Exactly why did you get fired?" I asked.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Because your father's wife is now the principal."

*

"There has to be some jobs out here. You don't understand." I said to the lady on the phone.

"I'm sorry." She started, "But-"

"No. You aren't sorry. You don't care at all! All you care about is your damn self and all the money you are getting from your job!" I yelled, slamming the phone down on my desk.