her.

Chapter Fifteen; Go

"Mom, it's not what it looks like." I quickly explained. I looked back at Shyla quickly before up at my mother again.

"Mom?" I heard a voice say. It was familiar and I couldn't put my finger on where exactly I knew it from. Until she came into view.

My biological mother stood at the top of the steps, looking down at me. Boring into my soul with her dark brown eyes. I uncomfortably shifted on my feet and cleared my throat.

"Um, who's that?" Shyla whispered so only I could hear her.

"My mother," I answered honestly. I knew Shyla was confused. I could sense it. But right now, I was trying to figure out all of this shit. Why is she here?

"Can we talk, Noah?" My mother asked after there wasn't any speaking for a little bit. I clenched and unclenched my jaw a couple of times before looking at Shyla.

"Uh, why don't you take a shower and when you get out, I'll have some food ready for you. Ok?" Shyla looked past me, up at my biological mother for a couple of seconds before looking back at me.

"Ok." She whispered back. She started to walk away, but she quickly stopped, pressing a kiss to my cheek. Then she walked into the bathroom.

I waited until the door was closed before I looked back up the steps at the woman who gave birth to me. "You can come down," I told her. She paused for a second, looking at something behind her, then walked down the steps.

As she got down the steps, she looked around briefly, taking in all of my decorations and living arrangements before her eyes landed on me. She quickly did a once over of me before smiling weakly.

"How are you?" She asked. I scrunched my face some before shaking my head.

"I'm... living." She nodded, gulping harshly and then looked around the room, again.

"Nice room. You decorated it?" She asked.

"Yeah," I responded dully. I wanted this conversation to be over quickly. I wanted to know what she wanted and why.

"I called you a couple of weeks ago." I groaned.

"Ok, do you want something?" I asked.

"Why are you acting like an asshole?"

"I was made by one," I said matter-a-factly. She took in a sharp breath but didn't say anything immediately.

"I want to apologize for not being in your life." She started. I pursed my lips together, looking around my room. At that point, I heard the shower turn on. Signaling that Shyla was getting in now.

"Ok," I said to her, looking over at my wall. There was nothing spectacular about my wall but it had some trophies on the shelf in front of it. 

"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked suddenly. I snapped my attention back to her and raised my eyebrow. 

"No." 

"You were about to kiss her."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I looked away from my birth giver and sighed.

"So you two are just... what do you kids call it?" she paused for a moment. "Friends with benefits?"

"No," I said with a groan. "We're just friends," I told her. 

"But you like her." I pursed my lips together, looking back over at her. "I can tell. I know you, Noah." 

"You don't know shit about me." I sneered.