Dependent on You

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Third Person

Ever since Adrian's been home, she couldn't help but reminisce about all things Elliot, if it weren't a hobby it sure was now with the considerable amount of time she spent thinking about him. She could barely sleep last night, her brain electric, keeping her awake for the majority of the night as she thought and thought and thought until her eyelids couldn't stay open any longer. After spending the day with Elliot, out of school, and at his apartment she kind of forgot about the previous event that led to it.

She enjoyed Elliot's presence, he seemed to get her in a way nobody else did, perhaps it was her big crush on him and it was making her delusional. It wasn't some girly crush, it was more of the way he talked in conundrums, the way his actions left her in a stupor, and just the little details of him. Elliot Wilds was a maze and once you entered there was no way out, every path or new lead was a dead-end and that was the real truth. There was no trying to understand him, he gave little and took lots.

"Adrian sweetheart, it's time to get up for school." Her mother said, knocking gently on her wooden bedroom door before twisting the knob and peeking in. If Adrian could make her believe she was sick, then she wouldn't have to face the terrors of school. It seemed she couldn't just go to school and have a good day, something always happened and in turn unsettled Adrian, sucking out all her nerves and stamping them on her skin as a reminder.

Adrian hugged her warm comforter close, making no move to get up. After a long moment of silence, light footsteps were heard padding across the floor towards Adrian's bed. Adrian squeezed her sleepy eyes shut as she curled her knees up against her chest and faintly tucked her head. She felt as her mother's hand stroked her hair delicately as she sat dipping the mattress down. "Hey--it's time to get up my little love bug." Her mother cooed. "You don't want to be late."

Peaking her eyes open, Adrian's lips simpered into an agile pout as her cheeks warmed. "Can I stay home?" Her soft voice rasped, as she pleaded with her eyes hoping her mother would say yes. She didn't want to go to school, she couldn't even think about it or it made her tummy cramp and her eyes water. She hated school except for the friends she had made—they were her friends, right? But she couldn't tell her mom how she felt, because the last thing Adrian wanted was for her mom to send her to therapy. Adrian didn't need to be fixed; she needed to be understood, not that her mother would, it was just a fear she possessed.

Her mother's glossy pink lips fell into a frown at the request. "Is something wrong? Are you feeling okay?" Her mother's hand dropped from her hair and instead went to feel Adrian's forehead searching for a warmer than usual temperature that isn't there. She then scanned Adrian's face searching for any symptoms of sickness. "You don't have to go." She watched as her mama paused, debating her next sentence. "Is there a reason you don't want to go? No one's mean to you at school are they?"

Adrian glanced away, looking down at her ruffled sheets. "I'm just not feeling well." She whispered, not entirely lying, her stomach was a bit queasy from nerves but they would go away soon. The relief of her mom saying yes liberated the tension holding her muscles hostage and demolished the worry of her mom possibly saying no. Staying home meant she could watch movies or read all day, she could be comfortable without feeling possibly threatened.

"I'll call into work and tell them I can't come in today so I can stay and keep an eye on you."

Hearing this, Adrian immediately felt bad, her mom didn't have to stay home to watch her, she was a big girl. She could manage on her own for a whole day, she wasn't a little kid anymore. "I'll be okay mama, you can go to work." She mumbled hoarsely, putting on her best smile to reassure she'd be okay.