East Kids - Tessa & Elijah

Chapter 17

Tessa

Contrary to my expectations, we don't start arguing as we approach the car. Instead, as soon as I set foot outside, I fall into stubborn silence. Far too deep the shock still sits in my bones. In my head everything is spinning like crazy, while I imagine the most horrible pictures.

The information that my mother is about to move in with Cole just doesn't fit into my head. I am totally torn inside. On the one hand I wish them both a good relationship that makes them happy, but on the other hand I also think of myself and how my life will soon change. I always wanted brothers and sisters, but not Elijah. A family with him is the worst thing that can happen to me.

Slowly I open the car door and get in. My mother does it for me the same way. As I fasten my seat belt I wait for her to start the engine, but she does not. "Mom?" I ask in astonishment: "Can we start?"

But she doesn't answer that question. Instead she reaches for my hand: "First I want to talk to you for a moment". That doesn't sound good at all. I pull my hand away: "We don't need to talk. You just decided over my head. Then why do you suddenly want to talk? "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I know you and you would never have agreed to that", her voice is a little blaming, although she has no right to be angry with me. "Nevertheless, you could have warned me", I complain: "After all, my life will change too, and not just yours. You can't make decisions that affect me just like that. That's not fair, Mom."

I just can't believe that my mother now makes me look like I'm a bad person. I'm actually happy for her, but the information that Elijah is Cole's son just threw me completely out of concept. I could have just stormed out of the restaurant in anger, but I didn't do that. There's no way she can call me a bad person.

As I fold my arms in front of my chest, I make a decision: "Well, if you really want to do this, just do what you want, make the decisions you want, but don't expect me to support you or be very happy about it." "She starts the engine and steers the car from the parking lot.

We get into the evening traffic. I put my head against the window and stare outside. The lights of the city cast shadows on my face while the car sneaks across the streets of New York. Looking at the people on the street makes me feel uncomfortable in my heart. Suddenly I feel terribly betrayed.