Chapter 7: Unexpected News
When I reached home, I noticed mom was already there. She sat on the couch, flipping through the TV channels, but as soon as she saw me, she turned it off and smiled.
"How was your day?" she asked, her tone casual but curious.
I hesitated. Should I tell her about Alaric and how strange it was to sit with him, or about the fact that I forgot to pack my lunch? But before I could answer, her expression turned stern. "We need to talk," she said, waving a notebook in the air. My heart sank. I recognized that notebook—my science notebook, to be precise.
"Do you have something to tell me?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
I shifted on my feet, knowing exactly where this conversation was heading. "I... I guess Oli might've done some of my homework in the past," I admitted, hoping that phrasing it softly would lessen the scolding.
Mom's face turned serious. "Some? Elara, you haven't been doing your homework at all. You've been relying on Oli this whole time. This is unacceptable! You need to start taking responsibility for your own work. You can't keep expecting others to pick up your slack."
I stared at the floor, my fingers nervously fumbling with the strap of my bag. Her words hit me harder than I'd expected. Mom had never been this harsh with me before, and hearing her disappointment stung. But before I could muster a response, my phone buzzed which was near mom.
I took.it out and saw five missed calls from Oli. Panic bubbled in my chest as I quickly called her back. It wasn't like her to call that many times unless something was wrong.
"Oli?" I asked as soon as she picked up.
"El, I've been trying to reach you!" Her voice sounded a little shaky.
"What's going on?" I asked, feeling my stomach twist.
"My dad got transferred... to Japan. We're leaving day after tomorrow ".
I froze, the world around me going silent. Japan? day after tomorrow? Oli, my best friend, the one who helped me through school, who did my homework when I forgot, who I could talk to about anything—she was leaving?
"I... I didn't know," I stammered, my throat suddenly feeling tight. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"We just found out yesterday. I wanted to tell you in person, but I had that fever, and things have been so chaotic." Oli sighed on the other end. "I don't want to go either, but it's not up to me."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to process the news. I tried to speak, but no words came out.
"El, are you there?"
"Yeah," I croaked, wiping my eyes quickly. "I just... can't believe it."
"I am sorry El..but I will come to school tomorrow to say goodbye." Oli assured me.
After a few more moments of awkward silence, we said our goodbyes. I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the phone in my hand, feeling like my whole world was falling apart. First, I got scolded, and now Oli was leaving—everything seemed to be going wrong at once.
"Elara, are you okay?" Mom's voice cut through my daze. I didn't realize that she'd been watching me the whole time.
I shook my head. "Oli's leaving... She's moving to Japan.And she will be leaving day after tomorrow."
Mom's expression softened as she walked over to me, pulling me into a hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know how close you two are."
I tried to hold it in, but the tears flowed freely now. "How am I going to manage without her? She's my only friend," I said, my voice cracking. "And I'm terrible at school stuff. I don't even know how to do my own homework."
Mom gently brushed my hair back and held me close. "You're stronger and smarter than you think, Elara. Oli won't always be around to help you, but that doesn't mean you can't do it yourself. It's going to take some time, but I'm here for you. And you can always ask for help when you need it."
I sniffled and nodded against her shoulder. "I'll try."
Later that evening, I sat at my desk, staring at my homework. I'd promised myself I'd try, but every time I read a question, my thoughts would drift back to Oli and how I wouldn't have her by my side anymore. The numbers and words in front of me blurred as frustration bubbled up.
I sighed, closing the book and resting my head on the table. I couldn't focus. The weight of the day was too much, and I felt like I couldn't do anything right.
Mom came into my room and noticed the untouched homework. "Still having trouble concentrating?" she asked softly.
I nodded. "I don't know how I'm going to do this without Oli. She made everything seem easier."
Mom sat down next to me. "It's normal to feel like that, Elara. But you're not alone. You have me, your teachers, and you'll make new friends. Maybe... you can start by reaching out to Alaric. He seems like someone who could help you."
I was surprised when mom mentioned Alaric. I had not told her that teacher had paired me with Alaric .
"Mom how do you know about Alaric." I asked her.
"I am in contact with your class teacher. She tells about your behaviour in the class." Mom told me.
I scrunched my nose at the thought that teacher and mom are keeping an eye on me."He's weird. Too quiet. But... he did help me today." I said.
Mom smiled. "See? Maybe he's not as bad as you think."
I bit my lip, feeling conflicted. Maybe mom was right. Maybe I could handle things on my own. And maybe, just maybe, Alaric could be someone I could lean on.
I took a deep breath, picking up my pencil again. "I'll give it another shot," I muttered.
Mom patted my back and left the room. With renewed determination, I tried to focus on the homework in front of me, reminding myself that I had to start somewhere.
But deep down, the thought of Oli leaving still weighed heavily on my heart.
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