——–

Her fist clenching around the bottle of Xanax pills in her pocket, the Senator dialled the happy couple’s phone number, ready to apologize. No, not apologize. Just, making the first move, trying to be an understanding mom <and allowing that old pervert touch my daughter.> At the last thought, she put the phone back down. Taking long breaths, she stared at the phone before picking it up again.

———

Annabelle and Simone were busy making up for their false fight when the phone rang. "Let the machine get it," Annabelle said, resuming her kissing of Simone’s quivering belly, moving ever southwards.

"We… Don’t have a machine," Simone replied panting but smiling and gently pushed her lover aside.

"Fine, fine. You’re not attracted to me anymore," Annabelle said, annoyed at the interruption.

Simone smiled tenderly before reaching for the phone "Hello?" Her smile quickly left her as she heard the cold Senator’s voice on the phone. Listening for a while, she didn’t say anything and handed the phone to Annabelle. "For you."

Annabelle, who had in the meantime resumed her kissing and licking, replied "I’m busy."

"It’s your mom."

Freezing, her tongue still on Simone’s body, she looked up at her and the phone she was handing her before accepting the horn. When she hung up, she looked at Simone’s questioning eyes. "She wants to see me. No, actually, she wants to see us."

"When?"

"I refused."

"God Annabelle! Why do you have to complicate things? Maybe it was a peace offering! Hell, I hope it was!"

"It’s my mom, my problem, not yours," Annabelle snapped, quickly regretting the words. Simone’s jaw dropped and she looked at her, unable to respond. Feeling guilty but not ready to apologize as her mother had awoken anger still bubbling inside her, Annabelle got up and left the room to head towards her music and soon to be study room, slamming the door behind her.

———

Collins had locked herself into the bathroom, a razor blade in her hand. She looked at her scarred wrist, scarred with old scars only. It didn’t feel right. She had a fight with her parents. She needed to get it out. Slowly lowering the blade to her skin, her hand shaking, she took a deep breath and threw the blade across the room. Quickly leaving the room before she’d change her mind, she headed towards her bedroom and opened her diary. Unable to calm her thoughts, she called Kristen to keep her mind busy.