Chapter 14

Arder felt torn apart, as if someone had taken a part of her. Her mother took her entire life and called it a lie, she missed who her mother use to be. This wasn't the woman who raised her. That woman would have told her a long time ago and she wouldn't have been so harsh.

Arder crossed the Cafe grabbing Lexie's attention. Lexie smiled at the sight of her and stood up. "Where were you? I couldn't find you at lunch," Lexie asked. She was clueless of what was going on and Arder debated telling her a lie. The lies were building up all around her, like infinite walls she could not break.

She sunk into the chair opposite Lexie and tore a piece of one of the pizzelles that was on the table. She sighed, it was her favourite dessert and she had been craving them all week. "I went home," Arder said vaguely.

"Why? Did something happen?" Lexie questioned. Arder tugged her wild curls together and tied them back behind her head into a short ponytail.

"I talked to my mom," she admitted. Lexie stared at Arder waiting for a better reply. "About my father," Arder specified. She saw Sophie smiling behind the counter, still wearing her paint covered apron. Sophie was right in her element in the cafe, Arder hoped she would have a place like that when she was older.

Lexie's eyes momentarily widened before returning to normal. "She actually told you something?"

Arder watched the porch lights flicker on at the building across the street. It was darkening outside and the crowds had died down. . "I'm-" Arder paused. She didn't want to say it, if she said it then it was real. It was final and completely true

Lexie grabbed Arders hand across the table. "I'm your best friend Arder, you can tell me." The sincerity in her grey eyes was clear.

Arder nodded, "I'm adopted."

Arder waited, watching Lexie's expression change from worried to confused. "What?" Lexie exclaimed. "But, you look exactly like your mom."

"I have no idea, I'm just as confused as you are," Arder said, and she really was. She had always been told how much she looked like her mother and grandmother. They had the same wild curls and long lashes. The same short height and small nose, the only obvious difference was their eyes. Arder's were a dark brown, almost black and her mother's were the light brown you would ever see.

"I'm so sorry Arder, you can stay with us if you want?" Lexie offered. Though Arder didn't want to impose. She knew Lexie's parents were having problems and it would just be a bother.

Arder shook her head, "I'll just stay with Sophie, it's a lot easier since I still have to work."

"So," Lexie tried to changed the subject. "Was that Grey outside?"

"He was the one who told me my mom was lying about more than just my dad." Arder rolled her eyes, she was a lot more than angry.

"Well on the bright side, there's no school tomorrow," Lexie joked.

Arder smiled, grateful for the change of topic. "Like I would be there anyways," she laughed. Arder smiled already feeling a bit better with Lexie by her side.

"Arder," a voice called out from across the room. The familiar clicking sound echoed throughout the cafe alerting Arder of their identity.

"Mom?" Arder span in her chair, seeing her standing a few feet away. Her usual so-called perfect mother looked oddly disheveled, with makeup smeared under her eyes and her own curls let free of their usual bun. "What happened?" Arder asked curiously.

"I'm sorry Ardersa, I just didn't know what to do," her mother admitted. Arder didn't know how to reply, after all this time her mother was apologizing to her.

"You lied to me," Arder clenched her fists. "I don't get why you did all this. You've been treating me like dirt, is it because I'm not actually your daughter?" She asked, trying to control her anger.

"Of course not Ardersa, is that what you really think?" Her mother's face fell, she looked nothing like herself. Arder glanced at Lexie, not knowing how to reply.

"I don't know mom, I just don't understand," Arder broke down. She just didn't know how many times she could go through these things before she broke. She felt Lexie's reassuring hand on her arm urging her on. "I love you, but I can't do this anymore." Arder said.

Her mother nodded a single tear leaving her eye. "I just-" Aubrey paused. "I love you Ardersa." She nodded as if trying to assure Arder it was true, before walking back towards the side exit she entered through.

She's still lying.

Arder jumped out of her chair and ran after her mother. "Arder?" She heard Lexie call from behind her. It was too late though, she yanked open the metal door and ran down the alley to the back street.

"Mom," Arder yelled after her retreating figure. Her mother turned around a surprised look on her face that quickly turned to confusion.

"Ardersa?" She asked, walking back towards her daughter.

"Why was I being adopted such a huge secret? Why didn't you just tell me like most people would have?" Arder questioned. She had finally realized that it didn't make sense. Arder had friends who were adopted and it wasn't a big deal. It was just common knowledge, so why was her mom acting like this.

"You don't understand," her mother begged. "I don't know what you want me to tell you." Her mother pulled on her own hair in frustration. "I just don't know," Aubrey mumbled.

"The truth mom," Arder spoke. "That's all I want."

Her mother shook her head and stood up taller. It was as if she was transforming back into the mother she had grown so used to. "I need to go fix things with Adam, I'll talk to you later." Her mother promised.

Arder shook her head, she knew this would happen. She knew she shouldn't of trusted Aubrey. Arder turned and left but didn't go back to the cafe. She just needed to get away from it all for a while.

"I'm done," she assured herself in relation to her mother. She turned down the single alleyway connecting to the one she left her mother in. Now she knew exactly where she was going, she just didn't know why.