~01-Moms~

I walk into the kitchen to find my mom rinsing a glass by the sink and I just ignore and act like I didn't see her.

I take my cereal and pour it into a bowl before adding the milk...all the while feeling her eyes on me but if there's anything I'm really good at it's awkward silence.

Totally ignoring her, I finished my cereal and washed out my bowl and was just about to leave when she spoke "Really, Danielle¿ Not even a good morning?"

And that stopped me right in front of the door and without turning to face her, I mumble a "Good Morning, mom" before taking another step to leave

"Danielle..." she started but I cut her off "it's a beautiful day, mom, let's not ruin it?" I say in a question-like way with a fake ass smile but she wouldn't just leave it like that

"Danielle, we need to talk about your future" she says calmly 

"what about it?" I answer, just as calmly

"You're definitely going to college so I'm thinking NYU?" She says and looks at me like I'm supposed to be okay with her thinking she could just tell me what to do with my life.

But I don't say anything to show just how mad that made me I just said the truth "I'm not going to college" and with that I left

Hopping into Beth's car which arrived as if on cue...Beth, Bethany is my next door neighbor who moved in a few months before dad died and she's been my best friend ever since.

When dad died I had to ride with her and her mom (who was more of a mother to me than my own mom) to school and then it was normal.

Mom was grieving, I was too but then a few months passed and I was still riding with them, with mom working like crazy.

She became a workaholic not caring about anything going on with me except of course my bad grades.

Beth is my only friend and I'd like to keep it that way...she's the only one that knows about my secret...I told her about it a few months ago.

"Hey, Beth" I mumbled from beside her as my mom ruined my morning yet again "Hey,Dan"

She greeted me back and I knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Beth? Wanna talk about it?" I asked, concern clear in my voice but she didn't answer, she just pulled out of the driveway and onto the road

"You have a fight with your mom again?" She asked and I didn't even bother answering, she already knew the answer

"You can't keep doing this all your life, Dan"

"Who says, I plan to do it all my life? Just a little while longer and I'll disappear from her life" I smirk, a sadistic one.

"You still plan to do that huh?" I nod "Fuck this" she swore as she pulled over to the side of the road

"Bethany, we need to get school, we're gonna be late"

"Since when do you care about that?" 

"I don't but you do, now let's go" I turned away from her and faced the road.

" Mom has cancer"she lets out and I turn to see an escape tear slipping down her cheek

"What?" I asked, not because I didn't hear her just cos I had to make sure

"She has cancer, she's leaving us soon" she sobs

"Oh my God, Beth, I'm so sorry" I say pulling her in for a hug as I felt my own heart shatter.

"No" she pulled away "I didn't tell you so you could feel bad for me, I told you so you could see what you're letting slip right out of your hands"

I just remained silent trying to understand what she was talking about as I give her a confused look 

"Your mom is right there and you're not cherishing her enough" she clarified and I just shake my head

"My mom isn't here anymore she died when dad did, that woman you saw just now is just a shell of who she really was" I shake my head, think of what Beth said, her mom is more of a mom to me than my mom has been in the last 10 years and I can't lose her.

"Danny, there's only one person that can break that shell and bring back the old her...the one person that knows her well"

I knew she was referring to me but I just shook my head again.

"She doesn't care for me like you think she does, she doesn't love me like she's supposed to...all she wants to see is good grades...she made me hunger and thirst for motherly love...she made me choose the life I'm living now..."

"She was grieving, Danny" she cried

"I was grieving too, Bethany. I needed my mom more than ever but she chose work over me. And then I grieved...for the death of both my parents. I don't have a mom anymore, Beth." Tears rolled freely down my cheeks by now.

"No" she shook her head as more tears slipped down her cheeks "Danny, we both know you would have made the choice you did...or something even crazier even if your mom didn't act the way she did"

"So, it's my fault¿"

"No, Danny, listen. Think about it, if you did this just for your mom, you could've asked to be the smartest kid in school or have psychic powers or something more normal but you are crazy, Danielle Sanchez. Crazy is you. You and Crazy are one"

"Just drop it, Bethany, let's go" I order in a tone that says not to argue.

"Cherish your mom while you still have her, Danny" she mutters before readjusting her seatbelt and starting the car.