Post by Charlotte Steele on Feb 28, 2021 8:42:58 GMT -5
Charley had been MIA for most of the day. She knew no one would care. In London there were people that would have been worried if she just walked out of the school 20 minutes into the first class and didn’t show her face anywhere for the next 8 hours, but this wasn’t London. This was America and she was alone. She knew rationally that there were still people in her life now, but she couldn’t find any of them. Everywhere she looked were just strangers, crossing lines and pressing buttons they didn’t know existed. She felt like if she talked to any of these faux friends she’d end up starting a fight. She wasn’t in the mood to smile and pretend she was alright today.
It was 2 hours after she should have been home when she finally showed up, slipping in silently. She would have stayed out, but she couldn’t leave Carter completely alone. Not today. "Mother," she greeted coolly, not sparing Grace Steele so much as a smile.
"You’re home late." she noted, looking up from the pot she was stirring on the stove. Charley shrugged and made a beeline to her room. "Especially since you didn’t go to school and you canceled your shift at the café last minute." The words froze her in place.
"Who told you that?" she asked. The words were sharp but they were nothing compared to the anger choking her lungs. Who was sharing her business with her mother?
"Charley, people were worried! This isn’t like you."
Worried. About her. She didn’t buy it. They just wanted something for her or wanted to feel like her friend or… Something other than worry. People around here didn’t know how to worry. "What would you know about what’s like me?" she snapped. "Is Carter home?"
Her mother nodded. "We’re all going to eat dinner together."
Charley shook her head. "Not interested." she brushed past her mother into her room and shut the door behind her. She couldn’t stay here, not with her mom trying to be a mom. Why did she decided to actually be here tonight of all nights?
Charley slipped out of her clothes into a red dress and jean jacket as her mom’s next words hit her. "You’re my daughter! Can’t we just eat dinner together like a family?"
The words put a stop in Charley's rush. "Like a family." she chuckled bitterly. "You know, you’re right. I’ve been awfully distant. We should have had dinner a long time ago." She nodded, letting the door swing open. "Like, oh I don’t know, in 6th grade when I got the A honor roll. Or! What about after my first performance on stage. Yeah, I really should have been more open to eating dinner with you then. All those precious memories I missed out on by giving you the cold shoulder."
Pain flashed in her mother’s eyes. It was an expression Charley could recognize in anyone and normally she’d feel bad but now she only felt irritation. She could regret her decisions all she wanted but if she wanted Charley to pity her, she had it coming.
"Why are you changing at this time of night."
Charley pressed her lips together but at a raised eyebrow from her mother she shrugged. "I’m going out."
"Listen, I may not be a perfect mom, but I know I shouldn’t let a teenage girl wander around unsupervised." Was that actual concern Charley picked up on? It didn’t matter. It was far too little too late.
"Frankly, I don’t give a damn." she drawled coolly. She grabbed her purse and walked past her mom. "Tell Carter my phone will be on if he needs to talk."
***
Charley was already a few drinks in when the small bar started picking up business. She tried not to make a habit of underage drinking, but it wasn’t her first time at this particular place. It was far enough away from the school that she rarely ran into people that would recognize her and they weren’t so popular that she had to worry about talking to others when she wanted to be left alone.
She swirled the liquid in her glass, staring into its depths. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the dangers of addictions. But she’d rather drown in vices like this than choke on her own emotions. At least, for now she was pretty sure it was the only thing she was strong enough to do.
An image of the worried look in her mom’s eyes flashed through Charley’s mind and she took another sip. She had imagined it. She wasn’t even sure her mom remembered what day today was. She just wanted to feel like she was a part of her kids lives. She’d made her choice and Charley wasn’t interested in giving her even the slightest bit of redemption.
Marcel Gerard
Words: 814
OOC: Oof that got long
It was 2 hours after she should have been home when she finally showed up, slipping in silently. She would have stayed out, but she couldn’t leave Carter completely alone. Not today. "Mother," she greeted coolly, not sparing Grace Steele so much as a smile.
"You’re home late." she noted, looking up from the pot she was stirring on the stove. Charley shrugged and made a beeline to her room. "Especially since you didn’t go to school and you canceled your shift at the café last minute." The words froze her in place.
"Who told you that?" she asked. The words were sharp but they were nothing compared to the anger choking her lungs. Who was sharing her business with her mother?
"Charley, people were worried! This isn’t like you."
Worried. About her. She didn’t buy it. They just wanted something for her or wanted to feel like her friend or… Something other than worry. People around here didn’t know how to worry. "What would you know about what’s like me?" she snapped. "Is Carter home?"
Her mother nodded. "We’re all going to eat dinner together."
Charley shook her head. "Not interested." she brushed past her mother into her room and shut the door behind her. She couldn’t stay here, not with her mom trying to be a mom. Why did she decided to actually be here tonight of all nights?
Charley slipped out of her clothes into a red dress and jean jacket as her mom’s next words hit her. "You’re my daughter! Can’t we just eat dinner together like a family?"
The words put a stop in Charley's rush. "Like a family." she chuckled bitterly. "You know, you’re right. I’ve been awfully distant. We should have had dinner a long time ago." She nodded, letting the door swing open. "Like, oh I don’t know, in 6th grade when I got the A honor roll. Or! What about after my first performance on stage. Yeah, I really should have been more open to eating dinner with you then. All those precious memories I missed out on by giving you the cold shoulder."
Pain flashed in her mother’s eyes. It was an expression Charley could recognize in anyone and normally she’d feel bad but now she only felt irritation. She could regret her decisions all she wanted but if she wanted Charley to pity her, she had it coming.
"Why are you changing at this time of night."
Charley pressed her lips together but at a raised eyebrow from her mother she shrugged. "I’m going out."
"Listen, I may not be a perfect mom, but I know I shouldn’t let a teenage girl wander around unsupervised." Was that actual concern Charley picked up on? It didn’t matter. It was far too little too late.
"Frankly, I don’t give a damn." she drawled coolly. She grabbed her purse and walked past her mom. "Tell Carter my phone will be on if he needs to talk."
***
Charley was already a few drinks in when the small bar started picking up business. She tried not to make a habit of underage drinking, but it wasn’t her first time at this particular place. It was far enough away from the school that she rarely ran into people that would recognize her and they weren’t so popular that she had to worry about talking to others when she wanted to be left alone.
She swirled the liquid in her glass, staring into its depths. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the dangers of addictions. But she’d rather drown in vices like this than choke on her own emotions. At least, for now she was pretty sure it was the only thing she was strong enough to do.
An image of the worried look in her mom’s eyes flashed through Charley’s mind and she took another sip. She had imagined it. She wasn’t even sure her mom remembered what day today was. She just wanted to feel like she was a part of her kids lives. She’d made her choice and Charley wasn’t interested in giving her even the slightest bit of redemption.
Marcel Gerard
Words: 814
OOC: Oof that got long