Chapter 8: Not Your World

“You embarrassed me today.”

Stacey looked up to find her mum sitting in the corridor, she was back from work. A laptop in front of her, a cigarette pinched between her fingers. She wore shorts and a tank top, her posture casual, but her eyes sharp.

Stacey tried to walk past, but her mother’s voice snapped, and demanding stopped her. 

“I’m talking to you, young lady.”

Stacey froze. “What do you expect me to say? Sorry? For something that isn’t my fault?”

“Then whose fault is it, tell me?” Her mum stood, folding her arms across her chest.

“You weren’t there when they laughed at me. You weren’t there when I got lost in that huge school with no direction. You weren’t there when my video went online. Mum, I’ve just had the worst day of my life in a new school, because you keep moving us around! So let me be.” Stacey’s hands flew up in exasperation, her words spilling like flames.

Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Stacey, I’ve been telling you about control. You can’t always choose what life throws at you, but you can choose how you react. And right now, it’s obvious you lack that control.”

Stacey stared at her, shoulders slumped but eyes blazing. She let out a shaky sigh and began to walk off.

“Now you’re walking away? Fine. It’s obvious you think you know better.” Her mother’s tone dripped with frustration as she lit her cigarette, the flame cracking sharply in the tense silence.

“I never said I know better. I just want you to listen to me.”

“Listen about what, Stacey? About the same mistakes I correct you for, but you still repeat?” she snapped, her voice sharp as glass.

“So now you’re blaming me?” Stacey’s voice trembled, her throat tightening as tears burned her eyes.

Her mother exhaled smoke slowly, her face unreadable. “You’re turning seventeen soon. And if you keep behaving like this, how will you face the world? This is the time to start figuring out your life, your career, who you want to be, and not running out of school. Do you think you still have time? Other kids are already putting their lives together.”

“Stop comparing me to others!” Stacey’s scream cracked through the air.

“I’m just stating the obvious truth. Grow up, Stacey.”

“Mum, just leave me alone.” Stacey’s eyes brimmed with tears as she pushed at the glass door.

But her mother’s voice cut through, sharp and brutal.

“Run. Keep running, just like your father. He ran every time at the face of the truth.”

Stacey froze, her hand still on the door handle. Her voice broke, low and shaking,

“At least he didn’t pretend to care, then throw it back in my face. He ran, so I knew where he stood.”

Silence crashed between them. Her mum’s face drained, wide with shock, while Stacey looked away, her stomach knotting with regret as her words hung heavy in the air.

“If I get summoned again at Blue Ville for any misbehavior, Stacey, you are out of that place,” her mother said, her tone cold, and final.

“Fine. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve changed schools twice in a year.”

“Maybe there won’t be any school this time around,” her mother warned.

“Better. At least you won’t have to pretend to be proud of me.”

“This isn’t about pride, Stacey. This is about survival. If you can’t survive the stones they throw at you at Blue Ville, how will you survive the real world?”

“Well maybe I don’t want your world.” Her whole body sagged, heavy with a kind of tiredness that went deeper than just the day. Stacey shoved the door with a force and stormed inside. Her mother’s shoulders slumped in frustration.

Her mother’s shoulders slumped as she stared after her daughter, cigarette shaking in her hand. Then, with a bitter groan, she cursed loudly. 

“Fuck you, Jonathan.”