"Is it the end of the world? That my mother finally decided to call her... Ungrateful daughter." Humor laced my tone, but it was just something that is holding me back from saying too many things. Like...

'I'm graduating without your fucking help asshole.' oh!—or... 'Thanks for being the best parents I've ever had and creating me, am I the reason why you guys stopped making new ones?'

How I wish I could.

There was a beat of silent before I heard her too knowingly annoying sigh, like I'm disappointing her again, yeah I always will, just breathing and existing disappoints her. "You're going to the family gathering tonight." It was short and not a question, a statement. Even running away from them, she still had the thickness of her face to say that.

"It takes the end of the world to call me huh, mother?" I hummed, resting the back of my head on the wall with a soft thud. At the end of the hallway, my eyes found my room, I eyed those animals, putting their makeup on, running around, yelling, probably asking where they have put their things.

"You will come. No arguments." She said, her voice... Her words... It's been eight years, and this is what she's doing to me. It reminded me why I left. Eyeing my soon-to-be messy bedroom, I saw Chloe, she seemed to noticed what situation I'm in, I'm almost sinking... I feel like I'm sinking, I want to cry, but not while I can feel my mother just at the side of the line. I'm not showing weakness around her. Chloe's eyes softened, but I give her a reassuring smile, one that says it's fine. I'm not showing weakness to anyone. I never even let myself see me cry.

"I'm graduating. Just so you know." I mumbled, silence followed, till it felt like my throat were getting squeezed, nothing... No congratulations... No, 'wow you're not so useless after all'. Nothing.

"If you don't come... I swear to God Lane." My phone shakes as I gripped it hard. I couldn't help it... I ended the call. I was so close from raging right there, so close from acting like seeing her name on my phone calling didn't felt like something just swooped me into the void. Like it didn't ruin my day, I was supposed to be happy, I finally graduated... I imagined this moment while I was at someone's house couch, freezing, dreaming that one day I'll get myself my own house. Luckily I did. Luckily I graduated, except, I didn't expect my mother to call all of the sudden, and ruining all my lifes work again for this one moment.

Fuck... Did my mother asked how I'm even alive... How an eighteen years old girl was able to get herself to collage without dying?... No. She didn't have to know, she doesn't care enough.

I went to my room, the sudden noise making me realize, I'm not back there. I'm passed way out there, where I was barely surviving, or getting kicked out by multiple families from their home, including my own. Including that night where my own father hurt me, physically and emotionally.

I'm here now. I was a survivor. And I'm graduating any less than an hour. So... I should be happy.

I forced a smile. They all stopped whatever they were doing. They looked at me.

They know... Of course, they know.

"Did you told her to go fuck herself?" Kate said. A laugh let out of my throat...

This is good.... This is nice. I should be happy.

"Now... Let's get you all dress up." Tammy stood up, the others took makeup or whatever those are. I blinked. I took a step back. "What? I never agreed to any of this..."

"Oh come on... You're a lady, you should at least wear makeup in your graduation." Chloe said placing her hand on my shoulder, I GROANED. "Ughhhhhhh."

To be continued.