"Mom, please let me go. I can't breathe."
"No, I'm going to be away from my only son for three months and I'm leaving on the first day he starts school. My baby is going to be all alone! Just let me have this moment!" My obnoxious mother said as she pressed our faces together and wrapped her arms around my neck, cutting off my air supply.
Personally, I was excited that she was leaving. I was going to have this house all to myself! Now, I wasn't planning on having any crazy parties or throwing crazy sleepovers, as you might think. Actually, you needed friends to do that, and unfortunately I didn't have any.
I was actually looking forward to the peace and quiet. I could read some novels and watch Netflix, or I could go out at risky hours of the night.
Yay, so much fun.
"Mom, please. That's enough," I hated the way my voice came out as a squeak. My voice wasn't deep and sexy like most seventeen-year-old guys. It was more of a quiet, gentle one. I would like to think of my voice as a superpower because it always puts people to sleep.
So yeah, there's that.
My mother kissed my cheeks, and I could hear the school bus pull up in front of my house.
Oh God, I really hope no one was watching. I would be made fun of for the rest of my life if I was seen getting attacked with kisses from my mom. It would only make me look so uncool. Then everyone would start making fun of me, and I already have enough of that, especially after being labeled as the school nerd.
My mother made no indication of letting me go, and I could hear the clicking of cameras from the bus while they whispered amongst themselves.
The pounding in my chest got worse, and I bet my mother could feel it. Heat rose to my cheeks, and I just couldn't take it anymore.
What I did next will be something I will forever regret.
I pushed my mother away.
Really hard.
I watched as she stumbled backward, her hands flailing around as she tried to grab onto something, but it was too late. Her back met the floor, and I could see her head make contact with the tile for a brief second.
I know I should have apologized immediately.
I know I should have helped her up.
I know I should have made sure she was okay before leaving.
But people were still watching. That wouldn't be really cool, now would it? No, I might as well finish what I started.
"For Christ sake, mom, I told you to stop smothering me! I'm seventeen years old, I don't need this!" Adjusting my glasses on the bridge of my nose, I turned on my heels and left my only parent lying on the floor with tears in her eyes.
Do you think that was cool?
I think it was.
But the people on the bus obviously did not, judging by the way they glared at me. Shame immediately crept into my heart. I considered going back inside to check on my mom, but the doors to the bus shut and it was already in motion.
I dragged my feet down the isle looking for a place to sit, and, might I tell you, I found many. But people either threw their limbs over the space or dropped their bags there and said "This seat is taken." which was an obvious lie because my house was the last stop before we were off to school.
I got the hint.
I spent the ride standing, and I guess I deserved it after what I did. Something told me that the bus driver occasionally pulled on the breaks hard so that I would stumble. By the time we reached the school premises, my lower limbs were a wobbly mess.
It was a miracle I still had the strength to walk. As I got to my locker room to unload some of the books from my bag, a familiar voice infiltrated my ears.
It was my voice.
"For Christ sake, mom, I told you to stop smothering me! I'm seventeen years old, I don't need this!"
My eyelids fell shut, and all I wanted to do was jump into my locker and never come out. Sadly, that was not physically possible. The whispers began, but I heard them clearly. Each person muttered something that stung even more than the last.
"What a loser."
"I had no idea the nerd could be so heartless."
"Who the heck would do that to their own mom?"
"No wonder he doesn't have any friends."
The last one stung really bad.
My shoulders slumped, and I slammed my locker shut. I made sure to keep my head down as I walked down the hallway, but I immediately regretted that decision because I bumped into someone.
And that someone was none other than Brad Henshaw, the school jock and football captain. The most popular guy in Royalwood High and wrapped around his arm was the queen of it.
Cassy Miller.
She was the most beautiful and badass girl in Royalwood, but to me, she was the most beautiful and badass girl in the entire world.
I couldn't meet her eyes, not with the way her brute of a boyfriend spoke to me. And to make things worse, I couldn't speak back. My vocal chords always seemed to stop working when I was around him, or anyone cool, for that matter.
"I can't believe you have four eyes yet you can't see, or do you need an extra pair, nerd?" He asked mockingly, and I could feel the entire school watching.
My eyes remained glued to the smoothie in his hands. I dared not look at his face as he spoke. I just wanted this to be over with so I could get on with my life.
Oh wait, I don't have one.
"I heard what you did to your mom, didn't know you had it in you. And honestly, I think that was pretty cool."
For the first time in my three years at Royalwood High, I met Brad Henshaw's eyes. They were a deep shade of blue and had this emotion swimming within them that I couldn't describe. I had to tilt my chin up to meet his eyes because he was at least three inches taller than me.
"Really?" I hated how hopeful my voice sounded, but could you blame me? I've been seeking popularity my entire life, and the most popular guy in school just called me cool.
Brad nodded with a cunning smile playing on his lips. "Yup! As a matter of fact, I think you deserve a reward."
I should have seen his next move coming.
I should have known that pushing my mom would never be seen as cool by anyone.
But as the cold, creamy liquid slid down the brown strands of my hair and down my back, covering my entire face, I knew then that no matter how hard I tried, I'd never be cool.
