Page 15 of Meant to Be

After spending another half an hour kissing me on the couch, he leaves. He didn’t want me to get into trouble, and I didn’t want my Mum to catch me with him on the couch. I wanted him to stay, but that could be because I wanted him to kiss me some more. So much for not getting a boyfriend and concentrating on schoolwork. Oh well, I can do both. Nothing has to suffer, it’ll just give my Mum something else to moan about. I mean, was she really not my age once, I’m not bad, but I’m a teenager, surely even she can understand that.

A few minutes later the door opens.

“Was that that boy again I’ve just seen walking away from the house?”

“He’s just a friend.” I sigh.

“You know I don’t like people in the house when I’m not here, Shelby.” She bangs her bag down on the table with a huff.

“That’s probably because you don’t like people,” I answer quietly.

“I heard that,” she snaps. “I don’t know him.”

“Well you won’t if you don’t make an effort, and I suppose you never did it when you were my age then?”

“This isn’t about me Shelby.”

“So you’re not going to answer my question?”

Shaking my head in frustration, I roll my eyes and tell her I’m going to my room. I can’t deal with her when she’s in this mood.

She stops me at the stairs before saying, “I don’t want boys in the house, and that’s my final word, Shelby.”

Marching up the stairs, I reach my room and slam my door shut, throwing myself on my bed.

I put Ed Sheeran on my iPod - Castle On The Hill starts playing. I listen for a while, singing along to the lyrics before getting my homework out. My phone pings with a message, looking at the screen, I smile.

Jax: That was close. She pulled onto the drive as I was walking away.

Me: Don’t worry about it.

Jax: I know, but I don’t want you to get into trouble for me.

Me: I won’t. As I told you, don’t worry. x

My door opens and Mum peers around it.

“I’m doing Spag Bol.”

“Okay.” I click off my screen on my phone then get off the bed to sit at my computer to start my homework. I don’t look at her again.

“So what was his name?”

“Jaxon.” I concentrate on logging my computer in instead... she stares at me for the longest minute, studying my mood.

“I’ll leave you to it then, it’ll be around half an hour.”

“Yeah okay.”

The door closes behind her, so I pick my phone back up, I don’t see another message, so I place it at the side of the monitor and start doing what I need to.

Jaxon

As I pull the door closed, I see a car approaching, I know it’s Shelby’s mum - I remember the car from when I was here last time. Walking down the drive she indicates to turn onto it, I glance at her and see her eyeing me, she doesn’t look happy though; shit. I don’t want Shelby to get into trouble, so I send her a text.

Walking into my house, it’s quiet.

“MUM?” I shout out, but I don’t get any answer, she’s probably pissed again. Screw it, I’m hungry. I open a tin of baked beans and put some bread in the toaster. Beans on toast again then. I wonder what it would be like to have a good Mum? One that cooks and cleans for you. That would be like a dream come true for me.

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