Chapter 54 — Normal
954 Words
The door closed softly, leaving me and my consequences alone.
“I'm so sorry, mum. I truly didn't see your calls—”
“Twenty-three missed calls, Rosie.” Mum bit out. “Twenty-three.”
My shoulders sagged tiredly.
“I slept as soon as I got home—”
“I told you to call me once you get home, and the next thing you do is sleep?”
I pursed my lips.
“I'm sorry.”
She huffed loudly.
“Are you ready to tell me what caused the fight?”
One of two things was going to happen after I did—and I was seriously hoping for one in particular.
“She was flirting with Henry.”
Silence.
“She what?”
“She was flirting—”
“I heard you the first time, young lady,” mum grumbled.
I rolled my eyes as a smile tugged at my lips.
Silence settled between us again.
I sat on my bed, dangling my legs back and forth.
From mum's end, I heard a faint clacking.
Then—
“How bad was hers?”
“Infirmary kind of bad.”
Mum snickered and I followed soon after.
“What are you laughing about?” She cut in sharply.
I clamped my mouth shut.
“Nothing, ma'am.”
She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“Seriously, where do you young girls get the audacity from anyway?”
I didn't respond.
Because I wasn't sure if she was referring to me fighting or talking about Lyra's act.
I had a feeling it was the latter though.
“Did you get yourself checked at the infirmary?”
“Henry—”
I paused.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Very well,” Mum said.
And once again, our conversation came to a brief halt.
“I'm sure she'll be fine, at least this would teach her a lesson about hitting on men her father's age…”
“Hmm…”
“Can you believe that, it's the audacity for me honestly—like father, like daughter.”
“She's worse than her dad, mum—”
“I didn't ask for your input, Rosie.”
“Sorry, ma'am.”
“Technically, you were the one who escalated it—”
“You weren't even there, mum.”
“You're my daughter, Rosie. I know what you're capable of.”
I scoffed lightly.
“She hit me first though.”
“You should have tabled the matter to the school, instead of throwing hands.”
“You're right.” I murmured.
“But you did her a favor still… what I'm saying is—any more hits, and you'd have damaged her for good.”
“I understand.”
She sighed heavily.
“Next time be more strategic about things like this—”
“Is this valid parental advice or…”
“From woman to woman, Rosie. Learn to fight with your mind, it'll help you in the long run.”
I smiled softly.
“Understood, ma'am.”
“Well, that would be all. Give Henry's phone back to him and don't forget to give Lyra a sweet apology tomorrow.”
“I'm suspended mum—”
“I'll talk to Lyra's parents. I assure you they'll come around once they hear what their daughter was up to.”
I smirked.
Before mum started working at the White House, she was a reputable lawyer.
I had a feeling I knew what she meant by ‘come around’.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Nope… but I will soon enough.”
“Alright dearie, give Henry his phone please.”
I walked to the door and pulled it open.
Only to find Henry staring at me with a disapproving look in his eyes.
Fuck.
“Are you done feeding her violent behavior, Denise?”
“Henry…” mum squealed.
I heard a small clang from the other end, then mum hissed—followed by her muttering curses under her breath.
“Baby…”
Henry shook his head and snatched the phone from me.
A small smile played on my lips.
He glared at me.
I stuck my tongue out.
The next thing that came was the door slamming shut in my face.
“Ouch!” I hissed, clutching my nose.
I ripped the door open, staring at his retreating form in anger.
He turned back to stare at me with a small smile on his lips.
‘Asshole!’ I mouthed quietly.
He pushed his door open, then walked in.
He stuck out his tongue too and slammed his door shut.
I blinked at the closed door with my mouth hanging open.
“Seriously?” I echoed with a slight scoff.
Then I closed my door too.
Silence settled around me.
For a moment, I just stood there with my hand still resting on the doorknob.
A laugh escaped me as I made my way back to my bed.
It shouldn't have—but it did.
I fell onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling.
Listening.
A drawer sliding shut.
The faint sound of something falling.
The smile lingered.
Then slowly...
It faded.
Because that was the problem, wasn't it?
How easy it all felt.
The bickering.
The teasing.
The fighting.
The way he worried about me.
The way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention.
None of it felt forbidden.
None of it felt complicated.
It felt...
Natural.
And maybe that was what scared me most.
Because every day it became easier to imagine a life with Henry.
Easier to imagine one day waking up beside him.
Easier to imagine him staying.
And harder to remember why I couldn't have one.
- Writer
