Charlotte's POV
Kimi bought tickets for us to go to a beautiful resort, a trip that we have been eagerly anticipating for quite some time now. We will be going during the spring break, which is the perfect time to escape from the stress of school and enjoy some fun in the sun. However, there's a little catch: I had to lie to my mom about the whole thing. You see, she doesn't even know that I am dating anyone, let alone that I'm falling in love with Kimi. If she ever found out, I can only imagine how upset she would be, and the thought of that makes me nervous.
I knew I needed to come up with a good excuse, but I wasn't quite sure what would work. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage as I went downstairs, determined to speak with her. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I began to look for my mom, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions. I finally spotted her in the kitchen, where she was busy preparing dinner. The delicious aroma of her cooking filled the air, making my stomach growl.
With my heart racing, I walked over to her, trying to appear casual. The kitchen felt like the most intimidating place at that moment, filled with the warmth of home, yet heavy with the tension of the secret I carried. I took a second to compose myself before approaching her, rehearsing what I would say in my mind. Would she see through my lie? Would she notice how fidgety I was? I steeled myself, ready to face whatever questions she might have, all while knowing I was about to dive deeper into the tangled web of my secret life.
"Mom," I called out softly, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to muster the courage to break the silence that enveloped the room.
"What is it that you want, Charlotte?" she replied, her tone dripping with annoyance, a clear signal that I had interrupted her, perhaps during a moment of much-needed peace.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I raised my voice slightly, a hint of irritation creeping in as I responded, "I just wanted to tell you that I'll be gone for three days." The words hurried out, and even I could hear the edge in my voice, fueled by the frustration that had been building up inside me.
"Whatever," she said, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, as if my plans were of little consequence to her. It was a familiar response, one that often left me feeling dismissed, as if my life and decisions didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
I left the Kitchen, my heart heavy, and made my way to my room, urgency propelling me forward. I packed my belongings quickly, stuffing clothes and personal items haphazardly into my duffel bag. The clattering of my shoes against the floor echoed in the silence that had become my constant companion. My bed loomed large as I finally flopped down onto it, the weight of the world pressing down on me. I could feel the betrayal of my mother's indifference cutting deeper than any knife, and it stung.
I always sensed that my mom held disdain for me, but this felt like a new level of rejection. Motherly instincts, my foot. If she had any true sense of what I was feeling, she would have noticed the pain etched on my face, the way my eyes betrayed my heart. It's often said that a mother has a unique ability to feel her child's pain, but in my case, it was painfully clear that she was oblivious.
Desperate for connection, I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I dialed Kimi's number. To my surprise, she picked up quicker than I had anticipated; her voice cut through the loneliness that surrounded me like a warm blanket.
"Hi babe," I said, attempting to inject a modicum of warmth into my greeting, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Hey Char, how are you?" Her voice was imbued with genuine care and concern, a stark contrast to the coldness I faced at home.
How are you? The question hung in the air, almost foreign to me. No one had ever really asked me that before; it made me pause, and for a brief moment, I was caught off guard. I hesitated, the truth hovering on the tip of my tongue, but I refused to burden her with the weight of my mother's disdain.
"Good," I replied, the word slipping out hesitantly, betraying the uncertainty I felt.
"You sure?" she probed gently, and I could hear the worry in her tone.
"Yeah, and by the way, when are we leaving? I really want to have you all to myself," I said, hoping to shift the focus away from my turmoil and onto the excitement of the upcoming trip.
"Tomorrow. Let me go pack. Bye babe," she said, her voice low but clear, making the promise of our time together hang in the air enticingly.
"Bye. Love you," I added quickly, my heart warming at the thought of her.
"Love you too," she echoed before hanging up.
I stared at the ceiling for a moment, caught in a mix of anticipation and sorrow. Just a few more hours in this house that had long ceased to feel like home. Ever since Dad passed away, the warmth and love that once filled every corner had vanished. Now, it felt like I was living in a hollow shell of what was once a sanctuary. It was as if Mom's grief had morphed into resentment, which she directed towards me—resentment fueled by the fact that I bore a striking resemblance to him. How could she feel such hatred towards someone who simply reminded her of the love she had lost?
A part of me felt guilty for wanting to leave, but another part longed for the escape, a chance to find solace with Kimi. I couldn't wait to see her, to feel the warmth of her embrace and the thrill of our adventures ahead. It was the only flicker of hope I had left.