Whatever It Takes

Chapter- Nineteen

I flipped through another page of one of my many study guides. Mid-term exams were this week before winter break. I am stressing out so bad. I have talked to Oliver or anyone really since over a week ago. I've been looking over many of my notes. Some things did not make sense so I knew I had to study, study, study.

tap, tap, tap, tap, the sound of my pencil made as I tapped it on my paper. My mind started to drift.

"Daniella, get your butt down here now!" My mother shouted. Oh geez, what did I do now? I got up off my floor and dragged my tired body downstairs.

"Yes, mom?" I asked.

"Why do I have a court date for us?" She asked. Oh shit, I'm dead meat.

"I told you already. You don't have to attend. I can defend myself in the courtroom. IT is my problem, after all." I told her.

"I told you not to do this again." She said. anger started to boil inside of me.

"I did it before I told you. This is not my fault. I'm sick of you pinning this on me. I'm done taking your crap just because we don't have dad around. This is a serious matter and you think it's just a joke." I said roughly. She was taken back by my response. Her eyes were wide and were glossed. She walked from me. I let out a huff, like something had been lifted off of me. I picked up the piece of paper.

My trial will be on January third or next year, which is only a few more weeks away. I took in a long breath and then exhaled. I folded the paper and clipped it onto the refrigerator. I grabbed a snack and walked into the family. I plopped myself onto the recliner and clicked the power button to the television.

"Hey, there you are." Elliot said.

"Here I am." I said and dropped another chip in my mouth.

"We wanted to see if you want to go out for dinner." He told me.

"Who is 'we'?" I asked.

"Oliver and I." He answered.

"Oh okay. I could use some distraction from studying." I said.

"Okay, well go get your shoes on. I'll be in the car." He said. I put my chips away and skipped to my shoes. I slid them on quickly without untying them and then walked out to the car. I got in the back.

"Hey, haven't heard from you in a while." Oliver said. I frowned, I knew he was upset.

"Sorry about that. I've been focused on studying." I told him and then buckled up.

"I know. Maybe we can study together." He said and I nodded as my response.

***

After dinner we all went back to my mom's house and hung out in my room.

I opened the textbook and read some definitions. Oliver took it from me and looked at what I was studying.

"Eradicate." Oliver said.

"Um it deals with removing something utterly." I said with a questioning expression.

"Correct. To remove or destroy utterly." He said saying the definition. I nodded and we did a few more.

"I say we take a long break and watch a movie." I said.

"Sure." Oliver and Elliot say in unison. I turned my television on and opened my cabinet of movies.

"What movie?" I asked.

"Pick something that's a thriller." Elliot said. I looked through the stacks of movies and picked out Black Swan.

All three of us squished ourselves onto my bed. I was on the left side next to my wall and Oliver was next to me. I leaned my head on him and could feel how warm he was. I pressed play and put my hand on his bicep, tapping my fingers silently. I could feel goosebumps spread across his arm, probably because my hands were cold.

Half way through the movie, I noticed Elliot was fast asleep cuddling one of my stuffed animals.

"Elliot fell asleep." I whispered to Oliver. I felt him chuckle under his breath. I turned to lay towards the wall and instantly Oliver wrapped his arm around me. I clicked the television off and fell asleep.

***

I looked into my moms room. She's been dodging me lately.

"Mom, if you're upset about what I said on Friday, I'm really sorry." I said to her. She finally looked up at me.

"I'm not upset. You are right, what you said is right. I haven't been a mom to you lately and I'm sorry. I suck at parenting and I don't know what to do. I knew it wasn't your fault." She said. I nodded. I hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss.

"You need some shopping, I know that always makes you happy." I said.

"I shouldn't, but if it's with you I'll go." She said with a smile.

"Alright, we shall go shopping." I said and hugged her one last time. I went to my room for my soft heavy jacket and put my boots on.

I waited in the kitchen until my mom came down, then we made our way to the mall.

"So where should we look first? Shoes? Clothes? Oh let's get our nails done together." MY mom said with wide smile, letting her teeth show.

"Whatever you want to do mom." I told her and she gave me a kiss. I was not a fan of getting my nails done but what the heck, the winter dance is in a week and a half. I entered the salon with a strong smell of nail polish going up my nose. I sneezed right away. I picked out a dark blue and a sparkly silver. I sat in the chair and waited for the lady to begin. My mom was right next to me waiting for her lady to start.

"This is my daughter, Daniella. She is a trip but I love her." My mom bragged. What a way to make me blush and feel embarrassed, mother.

Once we had our nails dried we left and went to where my mom gets her clothes from. I looked at some clothing there but it wasn't my style. So I looked in the store's shoe department. I went down each aisle but finding nothing. I noticed my mom was paying and walked to her.

"I think that will be the end of our shopping day. I'm starting to get a migraine. Let's pick up some pretzels at the stand and head home." She said.

"Okie dokie. What did you get?" I asked her.

"I found two shirts that I liked, um, new jeans, and a few pajama shirts." She said.

"Well you did good for today." I said.

"Yeah, there was some stuff on sale but not too much." She said. I nodded in agreement with her.

We grabbed a few pretzels and headed home.