A/N: I love when I read my own fanfic and I realize all the stupid mistakes that I will probably never fix 🤦♀️
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"Thank you for everything. It was awesome," I said sincerely with a bright smile on my lips, looking through the car mirrors in case there was someone around that might see us. When I knew we were safe I moved closed and kissed her lips goodbye, "See you tomorrow."
"See you." She smiled back at me, "Finish Wuthering Heights though," She reminded me before unlocking the car to set me free.
We had spent the morning of our Sunday snuggling in bed and cherishing our last moments in private before it was time to check out and get back home.
She had parked a couple houses away from mine, this way my mother wouldn't ask who's car it was and I could give the simple lie that 'I took the bus from Nicole's uni'. With my backpack in hand I waved Diane goodbye as soon as I was out of the car, walking away from her.
I made it home, unlocked the door and walked inside. The house was quiet but something smelled delicious. I was in such a good mood that I was going to compliment my homophobic mother, "Mom?! I'm home! Smells delicious, what did you cook?"
I went upstairs fast with purpose of leaving my backpack there and then acting like a nice teenager who is obviously not (officially) sleeping with her teacher. Opening the door to my bedroom I found it tidied up. It was so damn clean it could shine... which was odd.
"Mom?!" I yelled again, letting my backpack fall onto the ground and then I took off my shoes quickly, sprayed my own perfume all over me realizing I was probably going to smell like Diane, and then ran downstairs.
I walked into the kitchen and I immediately felt like throwing up.
There was a plate full of brownies in the middle of the kitchen isle...My mother had a cigarette in her hand and my sister had a beer in hers. I tried to breathe properly but I couldn't.
"Where the hell were you, Laura?" My mother asked angrily taking a few steps towards me.
Nicole looked equally pissed for some reason. Could they know? I mean Nicole did live with that Sarah girl... maybe she knew something and told my sister. Oh damn I was in big trouble.
"Mom, I can explain."
"Oh really? Because I'd love an explanation." She challenged and raised an eyebrow at me.
Nicole looked at me with the same anger as my mother. Her beer wasn't even halfway, but she look a long sip that almost emptied the bottle, "You scared us, dammit. Explain!"
"I was with a friend!" I said trying to defend myself from this kind of intervention.
My mother shook her head in disappointment, "What friend? Allie? You're gonna bullshit me with that?! Where could you possibly have been! You lied to me, and to your sister."
"Mom, I'm sorry." I whispered.
She grunted and took a smoke, "I want answers, Laura."
My eyes widened, "You didn't even call the cops, or me for that matter. You only care when its convenient. I'm so sick of your shit! I can't believe Dad was in love with you because you're a monster." I cried.
My mom swallowed what I could see was pain because of my words, but she hurt me by not accepting me and I sort of needed to make her feel as horrible as she was making me feel, "You're grounded a whole week. I'll call someone fix the damn bathroom window and get rid of your door, you're staying in here with me the whole week."
"You can't do that." I yelled.
"Yes I can!" She yelled back.
"It's halloween!" I complained.
"Even better, you'll hand the candy."
Nicole had her mouth open in amusement, she had probably never seen mom's dark side, "Mom, you can't be serious."
Our mother had never grounded me or my sister before, so this was a shocker for both of us.
"You'll have to get back on track at school next week because I have suspended you myself." Our mother said firmly, "No phone, no computer, no TV." She said, opening her hand for me to give her my phone. So I did.
I sighed and tried to swallow the rest of the tears that threatened to spill and walked upstairs. I not only hated my mother but I was also mad at Nicole. She could have said something, she could have tried to help me out of my punishment or call out the homophobia... even in my own family I was alone.
I slammed the door of my bedroom and fell onto my bed. Embracing the pillow closer to me I let all my tears fall and the excessive crying begin. After a few minutes of only hearing my sobbing, I felt a warm hand on my upper arm, I looked back and saw Nicole's worried face looking down at me. I had been so busy crying that I didn't even hear her open the door.
"Nicky, please, please don't let her keep me inside here." I told her, practically begging her.
"Lou..." Nicole looked away, probably unsure of what to say.
I sighed, "Please. I know I said hurtful things but dammit, she can't take school away from me."
"Why do you need school so badly anyways?" Nicole snapped at me.
I opened my mouth because of the amusement of her tone, "I have to finish my lab project and I just... I have the right for an education."
"Don't get political with me, Lou. You've never been a fan of school and everybody calls you names as you walk by, am I right?"
"I still want to go!" I argued.
"Why?! What's so important there?! Where you there all weekend?"
"You know what, I don't give a fuck. Just leave me alone." I said angrily feeling the tears threatening to spill again.
"Leave!" I said firmly.
Nicole's eyes widened at how I raised my tone at her, but conceded my wishes and left me alone in my room. I figured Ashley would find a way to finish the project by herself and I would have to find a way to make it up to her, because I didn't want to seem rude by just disappearing.
As for Diane? God, I had no idea how to contact her. I knew where she lived but we hadn't spoken about having each other's phones, because well... she is my teacher. We had decided that when we needed to talk it would happen at school privately or at her house... but I wouldn't be able to make it either way because I was being held hostage.
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Living was a curse. A curse I never decided to chose, a curse that I had constantly and forever. Sometimes I think that maybe that's what pushed Maya to disappear from our lives. I miss her a lot, but I feel like nobody would miss me, except Diane.
It was too early to tell her I loved her, maybe... but she made me feel way more alive than anybody else. She made me feel like being alive was a pretty positive thing, like I was special and she... she was a reason to be alive.
Her beautiful eyes, her wonderful voice and the way she talks about things she's passionate about is so charming. Not to mention she was my first.
I felt something so strong for Diane, so strong that it could bring tears to my eyes.
It was early in the morning and I was woken up thanks to the hideous sound of the vacuum. My mother really wanted to piss me off apparently, because why not waking me up with the diabolic sound of that machine.
"Fuck this," I mumbled as I stepped up from bed.
Walking out of my bedroom, I walked to my bathroom, and to my surprise there was a man fixing the window as my mother had said. I scoffed.
"Good morning Miss." The man said nicely, adjusting his glasses, "I'm Steve."
"Nice," I said and closed the door of the bathroom.
I turned around and walked to Nicole's bedroom. It was boring now that she had taken her Taylor Swift posters and pictures, not to mention her cute colorful pillows, but I knew she must have left her hidden cigarettes.
I opened the air vent and took the pack of cigarettes out along with a box of matches.
Suddenly the voice of my mother brought me back to earth and I realized the vacuuming noise was gone, "Laura! Downstairs!"
"Dammit," I cursed, putting the cigarettes and matches in the air vent and then grabbing an old hoodie from Nicole's closet to put it on as fast as I could and then go downstairs.
My mother was at the front door, and as I approached my eyes met Ashley's.
"Ashley?"