𝐄𝐍𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝟏𝟖+

21

"Love.." I look over at her to see a sympathetic, but concerned expression on her face. "I'm the one who told everyone to go easy on you."

"What? Why?" I tried my best not to get angry, but why would she do that? Everyone knows I can handle myself. She's just another name added to the list of people who think I'll break if something gets thrown my way.

"Because, honey. I'm scared." Her eyes water, and she turns off the engine.

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that you'll kill someone!" She blurts, making me wonder what the hell she's talking about.

Kill someone? Little old me? "Mom, I wouldn't go that far."

"Yes, Love. You would. We had to pry you off of Joshua and ship him off to a hospital. Baby, he was barely breathing. You wouldn't have stopped if it were just you two."

"That's why my fights are being supervised? Mom, he told me not to hold back, so I didn't. I wouldn't have fucking killed him! I can control myself." I sigh, "please just have a little faith in me!"

I don't know how I got the strength to curse at my very hispanic mother, but it was too late to take it back.

"Watch your mouth! I'm only looking out for you because I care about you. You're not letting anyone in."

"I'm not letting anyone in because no one understands, Mama. I'm fine. Trust me."

Truth is, I don't even trust myself. I know I would've killed Joshua. The face that was staring back at me wasn't his after I had him pinned to the mat, it was my own. I took my own self-loathing out on him. His face somehow blurred into my own. I can't tell her that, though. She'd worry, and that's the last thing I want.

"I love you, mi amor. I'm here for you, always." She leans in to kiss my forehead, then starts the engine.

Present day

"Mami? Papa?" I go in to hug them both, though I'm stunned as to why they showed up so late. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Your mother wanted to check in on you since we were in the neighborhood." Papa said, with his hands buried in his pockets.

"You expect me to believe you two were just 'in the neighborhood' this late during a storm?" I smiled.

"Yeah, can we come inside?" Mama said, leaning into the door, disregarding my comment.

"Actually, I have company. Can you come back tomorrow?"

"Is it a boy?" Mami teased, earning a stern look from Papa.

"It better not be a boy." He said, making the two of us laugh. "We brought donuts." Papa holds up a bag of Krispy Kreme, and I cave and let them inside.

Lorenzo was nowhere to be seen, so I was hoping he was hiding in the bathroom, avoiding conversation from my parents. "Love, this place is a mess." Mama began picking up the pillows from the floor, and neatly putting them back onto the couch.

"I wasn't expecting you," I said under my breath, "thirsty?"

"Beer?" Papa said, and I went into the kitchen to grab him one. Mami didn't hear me, she was too occupied fixing my apartment.

I brought it back to Papa, and Mami finally spoke. "So, where's the boy? He isn't hiding is he? Is it Killian? I saw the headlines." She started to gossip.

"Killian?" Papa asked, confused. "Who is this Killian, Mila?" His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at my Mom.

"Just a friend!" I interrupted, "and he is not here." As if on que, Lorenzo emerged from the bathroom, and takes all of our attention.