Life in Search ✔️

21 ~ Smoothie

"Hun, can we talk?"

Mom knocks on my door as I shove my notebooks into my bag. Taking a deep breath, I turn around. "Sure."

She hesitates before walking in, shutting the door behind her. "Let's take a seat." She motions to the bed, but I lean against my desk.

Closing her eyes, she stays standing.

"Ashton, I'm sorry for how I reacted last night." She starts honestly. "It was wrong of me to assume such things when you've done nothing but impress me."

"So, why did you then?" I question. Because, clearly, she still doesn't trust me.

She opens her mouth, but then closes it. Here we go. "You haven't been home that much."

"Mom, I come home every day when I'm supposed to. Not once have I missed curfew or snuck out." Compared to how I used to be, I'm home way too much.

"I know, but you're still out a lot."

"Because I have friends who I do things with." I counter, still not understanding where she's coming from.

She's quiet for a moment, and I get anxious. "I got worried." She admits.

I blink, "Worried about what?"

"You. Then your dad called just to ease my fear, and you didn't answer, and I went straight into panic mode." She confesses, "I overreacted and I'm sorry."

Taking in her guilt, I begin to feel bad. "I'm sorry too. I over reacted last night, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

Because that's exactly how I used to talk to her, and I hated every second of it last night. I felt like a douchebag.

"It's okay, Hun, we were both in the wrong." She assures me and silence follows as we both reflect on where we stand. "That's new." 

I follow her line of sight to find her fixated on the sketch, "Yeah, I hung it up last night." She studies it, nodding her head. "Sorry for putting a nail in the wall, and for taking the frame."

I guess I should've asked first.

She waves me off, "I'm just happy you have something up."

I can't help but agree as I appreciate how it fits my room. Checking my phone for the time, I read the text message waiting for me.

Sweetheart
Good morning, if I pay you enough will you bring me coffee.

Ash
It depends on what the payment is

Mom clears her throat, "Is that Scarlett?"

Instantly, I put my phone away. "Yeah."

We just got over our fight, please don't start it back up. I'm planning on not mentioning her name unless I absolutely have to. It's going to be a struggle, I'm sure.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you two talking about last night?"

Oh, you mean when you guys interrupted. Part of me doesn't want to answer, that conversation was private, but I also don't want to piss mom off. "She had just mentioned her parents when I got the third phone call. Then the conversation was over because she didn't want me getting in trouble."

Mom freezes with a pained expression on her face that makes me uncomfortable. "I'm so sorry."

"Mom, it's fine. I'm literally about to see her, it's not like we're never going to talk again." I assure her, although I doubt that conversation will ever be finished.