The Love of My Life, The Monster

Chapter 24-February 23rd

This chapter is in honor of a friend of mine who passed away while I was dating 'Miller.' 

*Trigger Warning- This chapter includes discussions about death, so please use discretion* 

February 23rd

"Damnit," I mumbled to myself as the lead of my pencil snapped against my paper.

I brushed the broken piece to the side of my desk and dug through my desk drawers for a pencil sharpener. I gave up after a few seconds and pulled out a pen. My science teacher will just have to deal with receiving this assignment written in pen- his god-forsaken enemy.

I flipped my homework packet to the next page and saw that I was up to question #63.

"Jesus, how many questions are even on this homework assignment," I talked to myself.

I flipped to the end of the packet and saw #103. Great. My science teacher was a different kind of evil.

A piercing shriek from my kitchen jolted my body, and my skin was on fire. I jumped up and raced through my bedroom door to the staircase.

"Mom!?"

"How can that be," my Mom shrieked into her cell phone.

I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where my Mom was talking on the phone. She was doubled over, leaning over the countertop with her face nearly reaching the countertop.

"My God, oh my God. This is such a tragedy."

I felt like I was going to puke. I have no idea what was going on, but I already had the worst feeling eating away at my stomach.

"Okay, I will call whoever you need me to. Okay, okay. My God..."

"Mom," I asked quietly.

"I have to tell my daughter, call me back when you hear anything else. Let me know what I can do to prepare," my Mom uttered into the phone.

She hung up and slowly placed her phone on the counter.

She looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

"What happened," I asked nervously.

"Do you remember Sophie," my Mom asked with a trembling voice.

"My old babysitter? Of course, I do. Why?"

"She...she died a few hours ago," my Mom rasped through her sobs.

I took a step back and felt my knees get shaky.

"Oh my god, how!? She was only a few years older than me, and I just spoke to her last week while she was in graduate school!"

I felt tears gushing down my face.

"A terrible accident... she was rock climbing on a mountain, and her harness gave out," my Mom said as she walked to the cabinet. She pulled out a box of tissues and took a handful before handing it to me.

"I just saw her last week," My Mom continued as we both sobbed into tissues, "we commuted together on the train because she had an interview near one of my meetings. Her Mom is one of my best friends."

My Mom took a few deep breaths, and I wiped the sweat off from my forehead.

"She was part of everyone's life; it's amazing. She had a relationship with me, as an adult, and a relationship with you, as an older sister or a mentor," my Mom spoke quietly. She walked into the living room and sank on the large couch across from the TV. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs.