❝SLUT❞ ‣ JJ MAYBANK ❪ OUTER BANKS. ❫

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

Lana stared at the phone in her hands unsure
of what she should do. She hadn't talked to her
mom in months. Not after she decided to leave.

But as much as Lana resented what her mother had done— she wanted to know she was okay. Taking a deep breath , Lana scrambled off the
bed and rushed into her bathroom so she
wouldn't wake up JJ from talking. She stared at herself in the mirror , giving herself a quick nod
of encouragement before sitting on the closed
toilet seat. "You have five minutes , mom."

"Fair enough." Her mother breathed. "I just uh ,
I wanted to check in with you and see how you
were holding up with me gone and all."

Lana rolled her eyes. What did her mom want
from her? She couldn't have expected to call out
of blue and have everything be fine , could she? Her mother never acknowledged what she had put Lana through. All of the nights of her withdrawals. The times where Lana would be alone in the car , waiting for her mom to be done with Barry. How her mom didn't take her side when Topper had ruined her life. Their relationship had always been strained and no matter how hard she tried to get her mother's approval , it was never enough.

So what made this any different.

"Cut the crap , mom." Lana sighed. "You sound horrible. I thought your boyfriend was putting you through rehabilitation?" She rubbed her forehead , ignoring her heart pounding in her chest.

"Henry's not my boyfriend anymore and I
am— I'm going through it now , it's just taking
me awhile to get used to it." Lana's mom breathed. "Look Lana , I miss you. And I'm sorry."

Lana sucked in a breath. She wanted to cry. She hadn't heard her mom say she missed her in what seemed like her whole life. But something was wrong and Lana could tell. Her mom sounded dull , bored. It hadn't sounded sincere but it still made heart flutter... "I—I miss you too , mom."

"I'm glad to hear that , baby." She hesitated.
"I just— um , I just wanted to ask if you could
see me some money for groceries this month.
It's just been hard on my own since I've left."

Lana's breath got caught in her throat. She couldn't believe that she let herself to believe her mom cared about anything else other than her own benefit. "Groceries , huh?" Lana let out a dry chuckle. "How'd you even get my number? You know what— I don't care enough to know. You haven't talked to me in almost a year , and you call to ask me for money?" Lana stood up and sucked in a breath. Her throat clenched as she sucked back tears of how hurt she felt. "You couldn't have even asked me about school or if I have a boyfriend or how dad is. It's always about you , mom. Never about me. The person who loved you unconditionally despite what you've done."

"Lana please I'm—"

"No. Don't talk to me. Don't call me again. I
wish you loved me the way a mom is supposed
to." Lana barked , and hung up the phone quickly. She dropped her phone on the counter and
gripped the sides. Her bottom lip trembled as
she stared at herself in the mirror— her blonde
hair made her think of her mom , how pretty it
used to be styled when she was sober. The
thought made Lana cry and tug at the strands.

Lana couldn't help but cry. Cry about how
her mom left her. Cry about her mom was still
doing drugs. And she cried at how hard it was
to be loved by her mother. It hurt her , genuinely.

Lana's head snapped up at the sound of a knock
on her door. She stood up and wiped her cheeks
with the back of her hand , and smoothed out
her hair. "Lana baby , what's the matter?"