Layla’s pov

I closed the door behind me, shivering slightly because of my wet clothes. It didn’t help that we had no heater in the house.

I don’t bother shouting ‘I’m home’ knowing she wouldn’t care anyway

I walked in further, my converse squeaky from being soaked. I’d have to put them to dry quickly, I thought as my feet lead me to the couch.

I already knew what to expect, already felt the drop of disappointment in my belly. And I was not surprised when I looked over and saw her in the exact same position she was in before I left for school this morning.

The only difference was that she smelled of beer and cigarettes, in fact, she seemed to have drenched her entire clothes with it. It wavery clear she hadn’t bothered to shower and I knew she hadn’t bothered to eat anything as well.

Sighing I walked to our small kitchen, dumping my broken laptop on the counter and swinging my drenched bag beside it. I started unzipping the bag, taking out the books, opening them and prayed they’d dry.

They were a mess and I knew I’d have to buy new ones but not right now. I didn’t have the funds for it.

Grumbling under my breath about how unfair life was, I kicked off my shoes making a mental note I’d place them to dry on my window ledge.

As I walked to the fridge and opened it, I’m not the least bit stunned to see it was half empty. I had only two hundred dollars left from the side hustle I had done a couple of weeks ago. I was planning to save that money for the bills this month but then I’d have to sacrifice our stomachs.

Pressing my lips together in a flat line, I reach into the fridge to grab a pear to munch on.

actually pays if I didn’t want to die of starvation. One that’s not on Saturdays since

passed out on the couch, I huffed out a breath and made my way over. I could see the slight rise and fall of

she would be if she didn’t stop consuming alcohol and then doing

head, I bit into the pear and held it between my teeth as I reach down and start picking up the bottles. I had three in my hands for now when she starts to stir on

want to look at her face to see

reeked of alcohol, and that’s

another empty bottle in my hand,

rain? You’re soaked.” She asked, her groggy voice filled up with

sleeping for so long that she hadn’t heard the rain. The entire old porch was soaked and I was sure if she’d

answer because well I still had a pear tucked in my mouth. So when I did place the bottles down on the counter, I moved the pear from

are so red,

on the pear until she scoffs. “Well, you’re awfully rude to not have answered my

would be pretty obvious. But since we’re playing dumb today. then yes it

was frustrated that she was choosing to do this to herself and not fight to

“Don’t speak to me in that tone

least she remembered my name this time. The last time

the pear again, tearing my gaze away from her and walked over to the cabinet and took out a clean glass.

frustrating to deal with but she was still my mother and

red eyes. “Drink some water mom,” I murmured softly, hoping if she drank enough water it would help her flush out whatever poison she was

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