“Chlo, get your butt in here so I can start the movie!”

“All right, all right. Calm down Mom, I’m just grabbing some popcorn.”

I collect the two bottles of water from the counter and the bowl of popcorn into my arms and make my way out of the kitchen to join my mom on the couch in the living room.

Tossing her one of the bottles of water, I plop down next to her and pull an edge of the blanket she has draped over her lap onto mine as well. “Okay, play it!”

“God, I haven’t seen this movie in so long. Such a classic.” Mom muses as the opening credits of The Breakfast Club begin to roll. It really is a classic.

“I watched it last week,” I admit with a laugh.

“Why didn’t you say so before? We can watch something else?” She offers.

“No, it’s fine Mom.” I tell her sincerely. I don’t know if it’s because I love this movie so much that I could watch it every day and never get sick of it, or because I just want her to enjoy her night, but I really do mean it.

“Okayyy,” she sighs while looking at me waiting to accept her offer.

“Just shut up and watch the movie.” I tease and stick my hand in the bowl of popcorn.


We get half way through the movie when I notice Mom is drifting off. I throw a piece of popcorn at her but she doesn’t budge. I smile to myself when I grab a handful of kernels from the bowl and throw them. Once again, she doesn’t even flinch.

“Mom?” No response.

Damn, she must be passed out.

“You little stinker,” her eyes open abruptly and she grabs the half eaten bowl and dumps it on me. We both start laughing so hard that I can barely see through the tears in my eyes.

“Oh goodness, Chloe.” Mom says through her subsiding laughter and holds her stomach.

“You okay?” I frown when I notice her pale face.

“Yeah, all good. I think I need to hit the hay. Finish this tomorrow?” She nods towards the television.

“Uh yeah… Are you sure you’re okay?” It’s only seven at night… even for her this is early.

“Chloe, I’m fine.” She reassures me. “I’m just exhausted. All of this chemo is starting to catch up to me.”

She offers me a comforting smile while pulling me into a tight, well as tight as she can manage, embrace. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, kiddo. Sweet dreams.” She kissed the top of my head before heading to her bedroom. “And clean up the popcorn!” She throws over her shoulder.

I will myself not to worry about her as I pick up each kernel of popcorn on the couch and floor. She’s had cancer for almost four months now, and she’s stronger than anyone I know, but that doesn’t stop me from being concerned about her 24/7… She’s all I have left.

After our mess is cleaned up, I decide it was probably for the best that she turned in early. This calculus exam tomorrow is going to kick my ass if I don’t get some studying in.

---

“Mom! I’m leaving for school, call me if you need anything!” I yell down the hall to her room… No response.

Is she still sleeping? This chemo must really be getting to her. She’s normally up at the crack of dawn. Not that it isn’t normal for someone to be sleeping past seven in the morning, it’s just unlike her.

With her being sick, I can’t help but panic slightly. I take a deep breath as I walk into her room and see her still sleeping on her bed.

“Mom, sorry to wake you, I just wanted to tell you I’m leaving.” I whisper as I lean down to press a kiss to her cheek.

“Okay, have a good day Chloe.” She smiles, but her eyes stay closed. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.” I return the smile. Relief washes over me as I go back to my morning routine. It really is amazing how she can remain so strong and composed through all that’s going on. She’s had a lot of shit thrown her way, but she never let’s it break her down. She always says I have her strength, but I don’t think she realizes that she is my strength.

---

“Babe, Connor’s having people over tonight. You’re coming right?” Grant asks just as I’m about to get out of his car.

“Shit, I forgot about that…”

“Chloe, it’s Friday. C’mon.” He sighs.

“I know, I know, it’s just, my mom has an early appointment tomorrow and I don’t want her to be home alone all night. Im sorry babe, rain check?”

He groans and runs his hands through his wonderfully thick, dirty blonde hair. “Only because I love you,” He smiles.

“I love you too. Please be careful tonight.” I lean over to kiss him and he gives me a swift nod. He’s been my boyfriend for almost one year, but he’s still a seventeen year old guy… you can never be too sure.

Once he pulls away from my house, I walk up the sidewalk excited that it’s finally the weekend. For the last few months my weekends have basically consisted of doctor’s appointments and quality time with my mom, but I’ve come to prefer those more than my old party-going self.

“Mom, I’m home. Do you want something to eat?” I yell as I search through the fridge for anything to satisfy my own hunger.

“Mom?” I yell again. She’s probably out back gardening or something. Ever since she got sick, she had to quit her job because she was getting so weak and couldn’t keep taking time off, so she usually spends her days hanging out here, tending to her beloved home.

I grab a bottle of Vitamin Water from the fridge and walk through the house in search for Mom. I pass the living room… not there. I pass the bathroom… not there. I pass the glass door leading to our backyard… not there. Then I notice her bedroom door is still shut. Damn, if she is napping then I need to ask Dr. Wells if it’s normal for her to be so tired all of a sudden.

“Mom, I was just going to make a sandwich or something, do you want me to make you—“ Oh no.

No. This can’t be happening.

“Mom!” I scream and force my wobbling legs to run over to her bed where she’s laying face down with a small pool of blood surrounding her head.

“Mom, please wake up,” I cry. “Mom please,” I shake her cold body.

I press my ear to her chest to search for any heart beat… any sign of hope. Nothing. I press my fingers to the pulse point on her neck. Nothing.

“No, please… God, no.” I sob and wrap my arms around her hoping she’ll wake up.

I knew this day was coming, but it wasn’t supposed to come this fast. This isn’t happening, I keep telling myself. This is all just a nightmare, I’ll wake up and my mom will be here still.

---

“Chloe? Can I come in, babe?” There’s a quiet knock on the door frame, and when I look up from the scrapbook in my lap I see Grant looking amazing per usual, standing there.

“Of course,” I sniffle and close the book holding so many memories before pushing it to the side so he can sit next to me on my bed.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I lie. It’s almost been a month since she died, but my mom is still on my mind every second of the day.

“I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but can we talk?” He asks and gathers my hands into his large ones and pulls them to his lap.

“Sure,”

Grant takes a deep breath, and for a second I admire his perfect chiseled jaw and cheekbones and his beautiful blue eyes. “Chlo…”

“What is it Grant?” I frown at his weariness. He’s been so supportive the last few weeks, I have no idea what he’s about to tell me.

“I just…” He draws out before sighing again and getting up off the bed. He grabs a snow globe that is sitting on top of my dresser and toys with it as I nervously wait on my bed. “I just don’t think this is working.”

What?

He notices my reaction and sets the snow globe down before walking back over to me. “Chloe, I just feel like we’ve been drifting apart lately.”

I’m in absolute shock. I never in a million years saw this coming. We’ve been dating, with no problems, for almost a year. And he chooses now to do this?

“Grant…” Is all I can manage to spit out.

“I’m sorry, I know this month has been tough for you, but you have to feel it too. Don’t you? I feel like we’re just not as close as we used to be, and it’s killing me. If you don’t want to be with me anymore, then we should just end this.”

Is he kidding? “Grant, I’m sorry if I’ve been a little distant lately, if you don’t remember, I just lost my mother 27 days ago!”

Now I’m getting mad…

“I understand, and you know I do… I just… it’s not working Chloe, okay? Let’s just end it before one of us gets hurt even more.” He stands back up like he’s about to leave, but there’s no way he is going before we talk about this.

“You’re not doing this…” I tear up realizing maybe he really is doing this. “Don’t you love me?” God, I sound pathetic.

“You know I do!” He yells. “God, don’t start crying, Chloe.”

“I’m sorry if I’m a little emotional lately!” I apologize, but I don’t really mean it.

“Maybe that’s the point!”

Oh hell no.

“You’re fucking kidding, right?” He raises his eyebrows and shrugs confirming my sudden realization. “You’re seriously dumping me because I’ve been mourning my mother’s death?!” I seethe.

I stand up and face him, but he’s smart enough to take a step back. “I’m dumping you because you’re fucking depressed and never want to do anything anymore, Chloe! I’ve tried every day since she died, and you know that. I’ve offered to take you to the movies, to the beach, to hang out with friends, but every time I’m shut down. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Fuck off, Grant.” I spit and return to my bed in defeat. If he’s going to be an insensitive bastard about this, then he can be my guest; I have no need in my life for people like him. I’ve already got enough bringing me down at the moment.

“Don’t sit there crying and act like this is my fucking fault. I’m not the only one who can’t stand being around this new person you’ve become.”

“You are such a prick! My mother died, Grant! She’s dead! I’m sorry I don’t have a perfect family like you! I have no one, absolutely no one, so yeah, I think I’m entitled to act ‘depressed’ for a little while after I lose the only person I had in this world.”

I’m out of breath by the time I finish, and at this point I can’t decide if my tears are out of rage, sadness, or both.

“Chloe, you know I’m sorry, and I understand why you’re upset. But I can’t be the guy you need me to be right now.” He says much calmer. He waits for me to say something but I have nothing else to offer. As much as I want him, no need him to stay, I don’t want him to put up with me when he obviously has no desire to anymore.

When I don’t say anything and sit there staring at my fingers in my lap, he leaves it at that and turns around to leave.

I guess it really is just me now.

I pull my pillow over my face and continue on with my self-wallowing just as my phone begins ringing. Ugh. If it’s Cassidy or one of the girls asking to hang out, I just might have to chuck my phone across my room.

I pick it up to see an unknown number on the screen and decide to answer it hoping it’s the insurance company that’s been helping me with all of my mother’s things. “Hello?”

“Chloe?” A man answers, and he seems genuinely surprised that it’s me.

“Uh, yep, that’s me?”

“It’s your dad.” Oh. How did I not put that together?

“Hi.” What the hell does he want?

“Hi… Look, sorry for bothering you, I’m sure you’ve got a lot going on with school, but I was at the bank and I saw the check I sent you for tuition got cashed somewhere else? Are you not going to the same school anymore?”

Oh shit. I used the monthly check my dad sends me for my school tuition for Mom’s funeral expenses because I didn’t have anything else.

“Umm, I was short on money I needed it for something else.” I vaguely explain.

“Chloe, you know the deal. I send the money so you can go to Stoneridge. Your mother and I think it’s important you go to a private high school, and that’s what that money is for.”

“Since when do you care what’s best for me?” I spit back.

“Don’t go there, Chloe. Just tell me what you used the money for. If you and your mother are really short on money—“

“We don’t need your money!” I interrupt him so he stops talking about her. God, he’s such an ass he doesn’t even know the wife and mother of his child he walked out on eight years ago died a month ago!

“Chloe—“

“It was for my mom’s funeral. So yes, I am short on cash because it is just me now, and it’s kind of hard going to school and working when I’m only seventeen.”

“What did you just say?” He almost whispers, and I almost feel guilty for telling him like that… but then again, what do I care?

“You heard me, Mom’s dead. Of course you wouldn’t know. You also wouldn’t know that she was sick for three months and I was the only one to take care of her while you are doing whatever your doing.”

I stand up in my built-up emotional state. It feels like I’m feeling everything at once right now.

“Chloe, I—“ My father begins but isn’t able to finish. I hear him swallow a few times and I let out a deep sigh myself. I hate this day.

“Just don’t. I’ll be fine, and I’m sorry about the money. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

“You’re not fine, Chloe.” He says almost angrily. Like hell does he know what I’m feeling! “And you don’t need to pay me back, don’t be stupid. In fact, I want you to move in with me. You’re not going to be living there alone, that’s for sure.” I can tell he’s very overwhelmed by this, but he’s trying his best to not let that resinate.

“Yeah right! My life is here, and I do not want to live with you just because you feel guilty.” I laugh and move back to my bed to sit down.

“I’m not asking, Chloe. I’m taking the next flight to Phoenix and will discuss this some more—“

“Dad—“

“I’m sorry about your mother. I will try to get there as soon as I can, but if you need me before that, call me Chloe. I’m not leaving this time, and you will listen to me. I’m your father, after all. Now, I need to go take care of some business, but I’m on my cell. I’ll see you soon.”

And with that, the line goes static. Just fucking great! I don’t even know where the man lives! I haven’t seen him in eight years! Sure, I’ve talked to him on the phone every once in awhile and he pays for my school, but he means absolutely nothing to me after he walked out on me and Mom.

In the last month, I’ve had everything in my life ripped out of my hands and stomped on. Nothing is the same anymore, and at this point I’m numb to it all. I have nothing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I just got hit with another strike of lighting. Sure, Dad can force me to move in with him and pretend like he has done nothing wrong, but I’m done. No more Chloe Hayes, the nice, sweet, smart, friend that I’ve grown to be. That was the Chloe that got burned so many times, and I’m done being hurt.

Notes

So I know it's just a boring prologue, but I promise it will get better. I hope you guys find the plot interesting though!

PLEASE COMMENT, RATE & SUBSCRIBE!! xx

If I get a lot of feedback, I'll post the first chapter soon!