“Sneak out” he said Why did I listen to him? He was already there, kissing some other girl, the way he had kissed me earlier. Why did I think I was so special? And now I’ve got to walk home, I can’t call my mom at this hour, she thinks I’m asleep in bed. I wish I had brought an umbrella, my feet are soaked, my shoes are ruined and a car just drove past and splashed me.

Every time I hear a creak, I think a tree is getting ready to fall on me, it’d be my luck. My dress is so soaked, I don’t have to worry about the wind blowing my skirt up, there’s no one out at this hour to see anyway. What was I thinking sneaking out? I’m not that kind of girl. If I hadn’t been so stupid, I would under the covers counting the seconds between the flashes of light and the rumble of the sky. I wouldn’t be out here thinking every strike is aimed at me or the tree closest to me.

A car pulls up beside me, I can barely make it out but it looks familiar. A window rolls down, my mom is here. “Come on, Suzie, let’s go home.”

The drive home she asks “Was he worth the trouble you’ve gotten yourself into?”

I hate that she was right about him from the beginning, she told me three weeks ago he was just a player and not to trust him. My silent tears are all the answer she needs.

I get cleaned up and dry. Mom comes into my room, hot tea and toast to help settle me before I sleep.

It’s the middle of the night, “How did you know I had gone?” I ask her as she hands me the warm cup.

“Just call it mother’s intuition, I knew something was off tonight.”

I hug her tight, bury my face in her breasts and sob, “I’m so sorry, I never should have left.”

I feel her embrace, her warmth through my robe. “It’s okay darling, I bet you’re never gonna try sneaking out again after this, are you?”

“No, mom.”

She lets me hold onto her a few minutes more before pulling away.

“Drink your tea, have your toast, then get some sleep. The sun will be shining in the morning.” She said as she stands up to leave my room.

The sun is already starting to shine, I think to myself.