Won't Amount to Much

I spent the rest of the day avoiding Mara. I know she loves me and she is trying to help me, and I appreciate the help, I really do, but she just doesn't understand my situation. What happens when your life completely changes one day. When you are always looking over your shoulder, scared for your life every moment of every day. My paranoia didn't go unnoticed by anyone. I had a meltdown in front of my entire class one day. And the worst part of it was that someone had filmed it all. After that, the principal required I take a few days off from school and therapy with the school counselor. And despite all the work with the school counselor, I still don't want to talk with anyone about what happened.

Everyone had assumed I would drop out from school after the incident. Perhaps be the crazy bag lady you see in the park, but I knew I had to prove them wrong. Prove him wrong. And I did. I'm graduating with a 4.0 GPA, thanks to my teachers letting me redo many of my assignments that I had messed up during the incident. I was the class valedictorian. I was going to the top school in the state. But I still had to graduate college, get a job, and earn a living.

I wanted to go to Warped Tour this summer, more than almost anything. Almost. I can't afford a distraction like that though. Plus, I needed to prepare for college as well. Get a job and earn some money. I couldn't ask my mom for money. She was working hard enough as it was.

No matter how much Mara tried convincing me, I just couldn't go. I was still thinking this over as I pulled up in front of the house. I shut off my engine, killing Black Veil Bride's "In The End". I walked in, leaving my keys on their ring as I entered in the back door. I walked right past the living room, headed for my room. Finals were at the end of the month, and I needed to study like crazy.

“Darlene, honey,” called my mom from the living room.

“Yeah?” I called, stopping in front of my room, hand resting on the doorknob.

“Would you come in here a moment? I need to talk to you,” she said. I was kinda confused why she was here. She was supposed to be at work until seven tonight.

“What's up? I thought yo-” I stop my words when I see my mom seated on the couch, and next to her, Mara.

“We need to talk, Dar,” Mara says.

“No. I don't think we do,” I say as I quickly turn from the living room, hoping I can leave peacefully.

“Darlene Abigail Collins!” My mom calls. I wince. I can generally tell if shit is about to go down when my middle name is used. I think the same applies for most kids.

“Yes?” I say timidly as I enter the living room.

“Shut up, sit down, and listen.”

“Yes ma'am,” I say. I hate to anger Mom. She has been through so much for me. My biological father never stayed around to meet me. The day she told him she was pregnant, he was gone without a trace. She never received a child support check to help, and her own mother turned her back on her, telling her how she was a disgrace. Her father stayed, but he died not to long after I had been born. He left her some money, but a lot of the money had been given to my grandmother when thety had divorced years earlier. I wish I had known him.

My mom begins her lecture, “Now Hon, I know your main concern for starting college next semester is being prepared mentally and financially.”

I nod. I know it's best not to interrupt her when she was going on.

“And I have some great news,” I raised an eyebrow quizzically,” Before your grandfather passed, he had revised his will. He put a large of what money he had left in a trust fund. I never even knew about it until yesterday when I received a letter yesterday telling me you could access it, beings you had turned eighteen. He had intended it for your college or whatever it is you wanted to do after college. It's all yours.”

“Wait. Seriously?” I ask. My mom was never one for practical jokes, but people can always surprise you.

“Yes.”

“But that doesn't change the reading and everything else I will need to be doing everything else to prepare.”

Mara chose this moment to speak up, saying, “If you were working a job here in town, you would still have the only the time at the end of the day to get ready This is practically the same thing! Please!” she begs, “I don't want to do this without you!”

It's really surprising how much they want me to do this. It can't hurt. “Sure, why not?” I say with a sigh. Mara launches herself at me and envelops me in a hug, while my mom slowly stands up, waits for Mara to back off, and envelops me in her own hug.

“I love you,” she whispers in my ear in a kind way that only mothers can speak in.

“I love you too, Mom.”

Notes

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