It's Simple. I use you. You use me.

Chapter 24

"What?"

"It's Ethan..."

"What do you mean 'Ethan'?"

I looked down to the floor. 

"Ethan, who you're tutoring and who I invited to breakfast last time?"

I nodded without looking at her. Tears drizzled down my face again.

"Luce, what does he have to do with you? "

I shook my head. 

"Luce..."

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm so sorry!" I cried out. I told her everything. From almost getting killed to our "deal" to being a secret to falling for him to him breaking my heart. She suddenly slapped me hard in the cheeks. 

I looked up in shock with my hand on my cheek. She began to cry. 

"I'm so disappointed in you!"

"Mom..."

"I didn't raise you to do this. To give your body so easily like this. This is not like you!"

I cried harder. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms hard around me. 

"Why didn't you tell me?! I'm your mother for goodness sake's! Why didn't you tell me?" she yelled. 

I felt the wetness on my shirt from her tears now. She was crying just as hard as I was. 

"I was scared! I was just so scared, okay? You were already stressed out with enough to deal with. I didn't want you to worry...but things just got so carried away."

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm the worst mother ever!"

I shook my head quickly. 

"No, no, you're not!"

"Yes, I am! I should have been here. I got so caught up in my job, I forgot my most important job, being your mother. Nothing matters more than you, you should know that, right?" she pulled me away so we were face to face. 

I nodded. She pulled me back into her chest. I held onto her tight. 

"Oh goodness..." I felt her say as she lifted her chin from my head, then back to my head. 

"Ethan, huh? That boy seemed so sweet. This was my fault, wasn't it? I was the one who let him in our house... I can't believe he did that... I'm going to have to talk to his parents."

"No, mom!" I looked up.

"Why not?"

"I..." I hesitated.

"You what?"

"I... let him"

"What?!"

"I just...I just...fell in love.. I liked him so much, I didn't mind being with him. He was so different with me..."

"He took advantage of you!"

"At first... but he became so warm...so sweet... it was like he needed me to accompany him.. he felt even lonelier than me, mom. I know there was a part of him that felt the same... he's just scared."

She shook her head skeptically.

"This is so wrong!"

"I know..."

She sighed. 

"So what? You don't want me to do anything?"

"Please..."

She pulled me in close again.

"What kind of mother supports a crime turned into love? What is this?"