RAGE (BWWM)

23

"What's up with you?" My mom spoke up, promptly knocking me from my thoughts.

"Oh, nothing. Why?"

"You're doing that thing again where you get all quiet and zone out for a while," she said, taking a seat on the other side of the island.

"What's on your mind?" She asked next. I just shook my head, responding with a simple shrug.

"Oh, really?" She immediately pulled out her phone and slid it across the counter. I looked at it, confused by why she had her camera roll displayed on the screen. It wasn't until I looked at her most recent picture that I noticed an off-guard photo of me, and I smacked my teeth once I realized that the picture had been taken just moments ago.

"Really, mom?" I rolled my eyes. 

"When I walked into the kitchen about fifteen minutes ago, I noticed how your eyes were glazed over. I took the picture as a joke, but when I left to go do something and came back five minutes later, you were still in that same position."

I frowned at the image, completely unnerved by the fact that I hadn't noticed her taking a photo of me. And what made it worse was that she was merely a few feet away when she took it. Was I that deep in thought? 

"Send that to me," I told her, sliding the phone back into her hands.

"Sure, but you still haven't answered my question—what's up with you?"

"Why does something have to be up? I can't just sit quietly to myself?"

"No, not when you're acting strange. First, you show up unannounced, which was weird in itself because you never do that. Then you asked for an ice pack, of all things, and now you're daydreaming in my kitchen. So what's up?" She questioned, resting her elbows against the granite.

I guess I could see why she thought I was acting strange, especially when I currently had a bag of frozen peas squished between my thighs, but that was beside the point. As strange as she thought I seemed, why couldn't I act strange in peace?

"Hello??" She waved her hand to get my attention, and I sighed as I thought of a way to respond to her question.

"I just...I had a very interesting day yesterday," I shrugged. 

"Does interesting have anything to do with the way you've been walking?"

"Mom!" I inhaled sharply. Her insinuation was loud and clear.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't notice? I've been there, done that before," she laughed. "Your father and I used to—"

"Mom!!" I gasped even louder.

"Girl hush, I'm kidding," she smiled. I couldn't help but give her the side-eye. Her little comments were very unnecessary.

"Amira, stop stalling and tell me what's going on?"

"Okay, fine," I finally caved. "But just so you know, it's nothing major—I'm not dying or anything. Yesterday, I simply experienced adult things with an adult man, and now I can't stop thinking about it," I rushed out.

"And who is this man?" She leaned forward in her seat.

"His name is Rowan Steele," I answered.

"And how long have you known him?"

"Over a month," I stated.

"Well, what is he like? How did y'all meet?"

"Umm, the latter isn't really important, and I can't really say much about him because I still don't know him that well. I know surface-level stuff, but not anything other than what I've been told or what I've peeped for myself."