"Oh, you're back. I didn't hear you come in," Mom said, looking up at me from the couch. The television was switched on and currently playing her favorite Spanish drama series.

Letting go of my backpack, I went and laid down next to my Mom with my head in her lap. I felt so relaxed. Too exhausted from walking so long to attempt the way home I might as well drift off to dreamland right here. Not to mention my eyes felt sore after all that crying I had done in the past hours.

"Baby, are you alright?" she asked. Mom put her hand on top of my head, running her digits through my locks tenderly.

"Not really," I replied with a disconsolate sigh and my voice cracked unintended.

"Is it something you want to talk about?" Mom asked again, sounding more concerned now.

I shook my head in answer to her question and focused on keeping my eyes trained to the TV screen. I didn't know how to even begin to tell her. To put into words how I was feeling.

Mom heaved out a deep breath. "You sure? People tell me I'm a good listener that I'm better than dogs and dolphins."

"Nobody's said that except you." Rolling my eyes at my mother's dramatics, I laughed lightly following her ridiculous claim.

"The point is you can tell me anything if you need someone to talk to," she said then poking my cheek.

I rolled over to look up at Mom. Her raven black hair hung loosely upon her shoulders. At the corner of her eyes, the crow's feet crinkled when she smiled down at me.

"Have you ever just wanted to disappear, Mom? Not go away to another place, but just vanish in thin air," I wondered and my question made her pause the show.

Mom shot me a look and hesitated for a moment before she said. "I mean, I sort of thought about it"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "You did?"

"Some days are rough and sometimes you just gotta cry before you can move forward. I myself have days of feeling lost and confused. I've wished to disappear many times before, I've thought about going somewhere no one knew me but then I think about all the things I would miss," she paused, and I took the chance to ask.

"Tupperwares and premium cable packages?" I joked causing Mom to pinch my side with her other hand.

"My precious son and my moody daughter," she corrected me. "I would miss the both of you."

Before I could say anything, Mom continued.

"I know life gets tiring at times but you're not alone. You have me and I'm not going to let you waste your life away while I'm here," she told me seriously.

"Yeah, I know," I answered quietly. "It's just, it's extra hard when people perceived me as naive and weak.

Mom shook her head before speaking firmly. "You are not naive nor weak. They are weak for taking advantage of my baby's kindness. If you're manipulated by those horrible people, fight back, and don't you ever take the blame."

"Thanks, Mom. You always know exactly what to say," I told her.

It brought a smile to her face. "Feeling much better now?"

I nodded and matched her smile.

"Good, cause I'm thinking about making your favorite meal," she announced to which my eyes widened instantly.

"Oatmeal banana bread?" I asked enthusiastically as I got up from Mom's lap to look at her. My stomach even growled a bit.

Shortly, we both headed to the kitchen to pick up the stuff we would use to bake. Although I didn't know much about baking, I just wanted to spend my evening with Mom and forget about my problems because that's really the only thing that seemed to help.

**

I couldn't remember the last time Olivia had driven me to school. Like I literally couldn't recall. I haven't been in her car since Ethan offered me a daily ride to school after his parents bought him the Jeep for his sixteenth birthday.

Today I got to experience it again, courtesy of Mom's threat to cut off her weekly allowance if she refused to give me a lift. Who knew she could be such a caring person to me yesterday and be a scary extortioner to my sister the next day.

"I forgot how much you suck at driving," I grumbled as I swung my feet out of the car and made my way to the entrance of the school.

I welcomed the crisp morning air hitting my skin for a couple of seconds before pulling my hood over my beanie. It was only later when I heard Olivia's heels clicking over to my side. A nasty glare was directed at me.

"You're supposed to be the grateful and less annoying sibling," she spoke. "I hit a couple curbs. No big deal."

"You almost ran over a child," I spoke a bit too loud that the other students walking in the same direction as us gasped audibly.

Olivia ignored the stares and gasps as she strutted past everyone. "It's not my fault that thing got in the way."

"You should've let me drive," I suggested though I knew she would brush aside the idea.

"Maybe the day you stop to ask me 'what side of the road should I be on?'" Olivia answered.

I gaped at her reason. "That was before I got my license and I was nervous."

"Just wait for your birthday. I'm sure Dad will get you a car or at least a bike that has a little basket on the front," she teased.

"That's comforting," I countered, deadpanned and heavily sarcastic.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Olivia muttered to herself, suddenly halting in her tracks. Bewildered, my eyes followed where she was looking, and then to my surprise, I saw Kaden.

Looking straight as if he was expecting someone, Kaden stood a few feet back from the door with both hands kept in the pocket of his football jacket.

Olivia had to look away to not get caught, quickly fixing her shirt and hair to make herself presentable. It never occurred to me that she was capable of being this way, especially over a boy.

"Oh my God," I said, pulling her attention to me. "You like him."

"That walking red flag? Not in a million years," Olivia replied with an exaggerated laugh.

My eyes flicked up to hers and I grinned. "Well, that's believable."

"Alright, fine. He annoyed me at first, but I kinda find him cute," she confessed and I scrunched up my face in disgust.

"I guess the date went well?" I asked.

A sheepish smile took over her expression before she burst out giggling. "I thought it was going to be cheesy A-F but it turned out funny."

"Is that so?" I asked, arching my brows.

"He took me to a fancy restaurant, walked in through the entrance, walked with me to the back exit, walked out, and asked, 'so what did you think?'" Olivia said and I couldn't suppress my chuckle.

"One thing about Kaden is he's never serious about anything," I told her.

"You're judging too soon." Olivia gave me the stinky eye. "We had a park date, got hot dog and ice cream, went to the movies then my feet got hurt from the heels so he gave me a piggyback ride the rest of the way to the car. The whole thing was so adorable, it's disgusting."

"I'm glad Kaden gives you butterflies and all but watch out, big sis. He's bad news," I cautioned her.

"I'm a smart bitch," she boasted. "I know how to handle a fuck boy."

I shrugged. "Just saying, don't say I didn't warn you."

We continued our stride through the walkway in silence until we reached the steps of the building. Kaden called out to my sister as he caught her presence and they exchanged a fond look. He and I, on the other hand, had an awkward stare-off.

Olivia turned to me. "By the way, thanks for looking out and being cool about me and your friend."

"If you're happy with him, that's all that matters," I said.

Olivia was quick to mask away her joy with an eye roll. "Can we get back to hating each other now, please?"

"Oh totally. I'm about to barf just now," I answered with a smile to which she returned.

Leaving the two of them to talk, I paced through the door into the hallway when a tap on the shoulder startled me.

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