Love Is Not The Enemy

I'M FINE

Cari's PoV

"Yourself?" she questions, "what do you mean?"

I can't tell her that, I don't want too. I don't know what it is and I don't think my mom would understand at all. God, I don't even understand myself. I try to open my mouth, but it only makes me cry again. New tears are falling freely from my eyes.

My mom gives me a sad look, "Cari, do you want to talk about it?" my mom asks softly, probably sensing my discomfort.

I shake my head, not able to say anything anymore.

"Okay" she says softly, "when you want to talk, I'm here okay? Anytime."

I nod slowly wrapping my arms around her, crying into her shoulder. My mom holds me tightly and strokes my back, making small circles, until I finally calm down again.

My mom pulls away and looks down at me as she sits up on my bed, "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

I nod again, "Thank you, mom, I love you."

"I love you too, Cari, I always will, no matter what" she smiles and kisses my forehead, "Okay?"

"Yeah" I smile weakly.

"Goodnight, baby" she says and stands up, smiling at me.

"Night, mom" I whisper.

She walks out of my room and closes the door gently behind her. I lay my head back down on my pillow and close my eyes. It really helped to just cry, to just let it all out and it helped hearing my mom's words and her calm voice. I'm still just as confused as I was, but somehow my mom made me less scared.

• • •

Shannon's PoV

"Shannon, are you okay?" my sister, Casey, asks me for the third time this morning.

My mom looks up at me too, waiting for my response, probably sensing that something's wrong.

Both of them know something's wrong, because of last night. My mom tried to talk to me, but I couldn't, I can't talk about something I can't even explain to myself.

"I told you twice already" I tell them, staring down at my breakfast, "I'm fine", but really, I'm not.

I don't know what happened yesterday. I know something happened between me and my best friend, but it all just left me confused and terrified. I tried to explain to myself, what had happened before I ran away from her, when I got home yesterday night, but there doesn't exist any explanation. I just don't know what any of it was.

I look up at my mom, who is staring at me, trying to figure me out. I look down again in fear of starting to cry again, as memories from last night takes over my thoughts.

-Flashback-

Cari and I are walking from my house to hers. It is already almost ten and it's really dark outside. I am holding Cari's backpack in one hand and her hand in my other. Her hand in mine makes me feel all warm inside, like my entire body is smiling. Like her hand turns on a heating system inside me, when our hands meet.

We stop in front of her door and turn towards each other. I hand Cari her backpack, smiling at her as she takes it and takes a step closer to me. She wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I wrap my arms around her waist and pulls her body closer to mine. My stomach tingles by the feeling of her body pressed against mine.

Cari pulls away slightly, but she keeps her arms around my neck. Her brown eyes are staring into my own, shutting my brain off. I have no idea of what's happening anymore. My emotions take over my entire body.