The Fear of Letting Go (BoyXBoy)

Chapter Seventeen; Hit Her with the Hose

I curled my lip irritably, snuggling as close to West as I possibly could as I attempted to ignore the incessant ringing of my phone behind me. It had been ringing and ringing and ringing for the past, like, ten minutes. West hadn't stirred in the slightest, but I could not be more annoyed. Who the fuck calls this early in the morning?

After the ringing stopped once again and it seemed like whoever it was had given up, I sighed in relief. I could feel my body starting to actually relax again and the possibly of falling back asleep is climbing higher and higher- Never mind, it's ringing again. Resisting the urge to scream, I reached behind me, fumbling for my phone. When I finally found it, I opened one eye ever so slightly to peak at the caller ID. I cursed before ultimately deciding to answer.

"What the fuck is your problem? It's, like, seven o'clock in the fucking morning-," I groaned, but I was quickly interrupted. I managed to pull myself up into sitting position, reaching up to rub at my eyes. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, slow down, Blake. What did my mom do?"

"I think she's having a mental breakdown or something," Blake repeated with a sigh. "And it's almost noon, you bum."

I pulled away from the phone slightly, glancing at the time in the corner. I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. What makes you think she's having a mental breakdown?"

"We've been trying to get her up since eight, but she won't budge," He explained, sucking in a breath. I squinted as a ray of light trickled into the room from between West's black out curtains, right into my face. "She holed up in your room and she just... keeps crying. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was awesome the way West put her in her place but now that there are actual consequences... I'm not really having fun anymore."

I hesitated, honestly surprised. I don't think I've ever actually seen my mom sad. I didn't even know she had that emotion. I always kind of thought she just had two. Disappointment and contempt. I don't really know how I feel about this. I pursed my lips.

"What am I supposed to do about it?" I breathed, picking at my nails. I glanced over as West began to stir, turning over so that he was facing me. Reaching out, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. A smile began to tug at my lips as he buried his face in my hip, sighing contently. Moving the phone to my other ear, I reached down to play with a lock of his hair.

"I don't know, but I'm running out of options. She's your mom," Blake huffed, understandably annoyed. I could hear commotion behind him, two female voices arguing back and forth. "You get her out."

I sucked at my teeth, tossing my head back as I weighed my options.

On the one hand, this really isn't the Clary's problem to deal with and I do kind of owe them for taking me in and everything. I kind of just brought them into the middle of my drama with my mother and if I left them to deal with her now, what does that say about my character?

But on the other hand... that woman has given me nothing but tears and resentment my entire life. So, why should I help her now? Am I just supposed to go over there, kiss her ass, forgive her, and allow her to think that the way that she's treated me all these years is okay? That I should just give in and let her send me away somewhere, so that she can forget about me, again? Despite what I'm sure she thinks, I don't owe her anything. Maybe this is good for her. Maybe West humbled her a little bit and she's finally seeing the error of her ways. I'd be lying if I said I didn't kind of enjoy the fact that she's experiencing a little bit of what she's been dishing out all these years. I guess I was quiet for a bit because Blake spoke up again.

"Liam? Are you there?"

"Hold on," I muttered, my head lolling forward. I peeked down at West, pushing his hair back. "I'm thinking."