Deep Red

26

The last student had left the classroom, but I was still sitting there, my phone lying in front of me. I was staring at it, trying to bring myself to just pick it up and make that phone call. I couldn't put it off forever.

This was the best moment I could get to call her. And it wasn't her fault. It really wasn't. I probably wouldn't get another moment like that to make this phone call. There were no students around, I wasn't in the staff room with my colleagues being able to overhear anything and I wasn't at home with Aizawa's perceptive eyes and ears around. He'd have it figured out in a second. I'd bet my livelihood on that. This was the moment. I could just get it over with.

I took a deep breath and took the phone from before me. I unlocked it and slowly looked through my contacts until I had found the number. Maybe I'd be lucky and HE wouldn't be there. Maybe. But then he was always there. I mean all he did was sit at home and drink until he was basically brain-dead.

I pressed the button to dial her number and gulped audibly. There was no turning back now. I held the phone to my ear and waited. Please pick up the call, please pick up the call. I didn't want her to call me back and then I'd have to answer with other people around. I had managed to keep my private life a tight secret for all of high school and it has been a secret ever since...

"Akane?" I heard her voice at the other end. Phew. Okay. At least I didn't have to worry about that anymore.

"Hi mum." I answered.

"You finally called back. I didn't think you would." she said, sounding honestly surprised and a little sad. Shit. I felt really guilty now.

"Yeah, I was just kind of busy, you know? New job and all. Had to move a few days ago. It was all kind of stressful." I told her.

"You moved? You didn't tell me that. Where did you move to? Closer to the school?" she wanted to know. Ah shit. I hadn't planned on telling her I moved in with my colleague that I had known (properly) for about a month.

"Uhm, yeah. Yeah, it's only a 5 minute walk from school, so that's quite handy." I replied. Maybe she'd buy it.

"Oh, that's good. Aren't apartments in this area really expensive? Can you afford that?" she asked. Oh, for goodness' sake. Why did she see through my bullshit so easily? This woman was worse than Shouta.

"Yeah, I am sharing an apartment with a friend of mine, so it's not too bad."

"You? Sharing an apartment? Someone actually is willing to live in the same apartment as you? And you with them?"

"Muuuum, I'm not that bad."

"You always hated people. Just saying."

"Only annoying people. Anyway, we get along just fine. And I'm going to look for my own place, once I properly settle in. There's just a lot going on, especially with the attack that happened and the Sports Festival so shortly after."

"And who is that friend? One of your friends from school?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that..." I answered. It wasn't even technically a lie. I knew Shouta from school. We weren't technically friends, more acquaintances, but my mother didn't need to know that. I heard some angry mumbling in the background. Oh no. He was there. I knew it.

"Oh, she would never do that. You'll have to trust her a little..."

"She needs to move back home. I told you from the start she wouldn't amount to anything. It was a stupid idea to even let her go to that high school in the first place. Living on her own at 15 - no wonder she turned out this way!"