Beyond His Green Eyes| ✓

Aquiver

Aquiver; quivering, trembling.

C H A P T E R   N I N E

As much compassion as I held in my heart for my dear boots, at the end of the day, nothing gave me more joy than to get my feet out of them and onto the cold tiles of the room. I moaned while trying to stretch them, and the pain shooting out always made me say 'I'm never wearing those again,' yet I gave in every time I perceived in the mirror how gorgeous they made my outfit look.

I kept them aside and laid my head on my bed. Scar was removing her earrings standing in front of the mirror. Rubbing my eyes with my fingers, I asked her. "So, what happened with Noah and his dad?"

She stiffened. "It's about his mom."

"I gathered as much, but can you tell me what exactly happened?" I didn't mean to pry, but I couldn't hold back my curiosity.

"I would've gladly told you, but this isn't my story to tell. It wouldn't be right of me to do that to Noah," her voice was so soft, she seemed lost.

"Yeah, of course! I get it; don't worry."

"I've two tests on the first day of the week! How great! Just when you think, the weekend is finally here; now I can finally binge watch a new tv series, people like Mrs. Bratton have nothing better to do than spoil your plans by dumping this huge pile of work on your head with her stupid sinister smile," and she's back.

If Scar didn't spend at least thirty minutes of the day bleating about her teachers, it's a massive sign that something is seriously wrong with her. Hyperactivity was her accustomed ritual.

It was quarter to eight, and Scar had gone over to her classmate's place for studying. So I decided to call up my mom after I was content hearing Chris glower about how it's very unfair that I got to ride on a Harley Davidson. She picked up on the second ring. "Hello, mom!"

"Sydney, it's been so long since you called! How are your studies going?" She didn't ask me how I was. No. How are your studies? Yeah, she's the same woman who cried when I left for college. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but this was just her. Nothing was ever enough. So, I stopped trying, never been the ideal offspring in her eyes and I realized, no matter what I do, I never will be.

"They're going fine, I guess. Lots of pressure. How are you and dad?" I knew she was still upset about how I didn't score as much as I should've on a half-witted test that happened a week ago. I had been dumb enough to tell her about it.

"Everything's alright here. Your dad tried calling you an hour back, and you didn't answer?"

"Oh yeah, I was out," that's it, I knew what was coming.

"Seems like you're more often out than studying," she taunted.

"No, mom. Not again. You know I would never compromise my studies."

"Yes, of course. I know that I just... alright I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," her tone seemed genuine.

The rest of the conversation went well. Nothing more than two or three catcalls here and there. But, I shrugged it off because it was habitual.

"Alright, I gotta go, mom! Scarlett needs my help," this was a very handy and generic excuse.

"No problem. One last thing, since you've chosen Econ because of your undying love for it, the least you can do is be dedicated to your decision. Don't know what I was thinking, asking you to pursue a medical career." She cut the call on my face, her laugh echoing in the background. She did it. She couldn't even hold it back on one phone call.

You see, nobody was more disappointed in me than my mom when she came to know I was choosing Economics as my major. I had gotten along well with biology in high school, which mother dearest thought was a solid sign from the Lord that I should definitely spend the next few years studying the art of treatment of the human body. But I wasn't remotely interested in it. So, I declined the suggestion the moment she brought it up. My dad was proud that I had decided to do something different from the rest and my mom behaved the same way when my dad was present. But in his absence, she jumped to grasp every opportunity there was to tell me that I lack goal-directed thinking and studying Econ would get me nowhere in life.