Detention (ASOUE)

Chapter Twenty Nine

We were barely two steps away from the Baudelaire's door when my mother swung around and I saw her eyes flash with anger.

"Look what you've done!" she screamed, and I stopped in my tracks, taken back by her outburst. "Look at me! You've made me look like an idiot!"

"What?" I exclaimed, utterly confused.

"I don't know what you signaled to that little Baudelaire brat but now I've gone in there and been utterly embarrassed! I had to act like I was there for a friendly visit while they sat there all smug and proud. I looked like an idiot!"

I balled my fists. I couldn't believe this. "That's not my fault. You're the one that wanted to come here in the first place."

"Yes!" she yelled, "Because you disrespected me once again!"

"Once again? Are you joking?"

If there was anyone in my family that was permanently on their best behaviour it was me. Walking home with a neighbour was hardly disrespecting anyone. This whole situation was uncalled for and over the top, even for someone as dramatic as my mother.

"Am I joking?" she said quietly and laughed once to herself. Then she turned around and started walking away, back towards our house. Confused, I followed her, having nowhere else to go. She chuckled under her breath a couple of times. "Am I joking?" she repeated, this time with more heat. "Recently, all you've done is damage our reputation. I don't think you realise how much time and energy has gone into everything I've built for us. Think of what a nice life you have because of me. Why do you think we get into such fancy restaurants and go to nice places and live in a big, expensive house? It's all because of me! But I give you all of this, and you still choose to disrespect me!"

"How am I disrespecting you?!" I shouted, unable to keep my emotions under control. The silent street made me cringe about how loud I was but at the same time, it felt nice to release some of my irritation. 

"Do you think I'm stupid?" My mother seethed, pausing again outside our house. "Did you really think that you could lie to me for weeks and get away with it? I know there's no poetry club. I looked into it straight after that Sunday at the restaurant. And it made me think: why would you lie to me? And why would that boy lie for you? So I let you hide the truth from me for weeks, weeks, just waiting for the day you'd finally have the decency to come clean. But of course, you never did. What could be so important that you wanted to waste every afternoon at that school, I kept asking myself."

I was frozen on the spot, just waiting for her to finish. But I wasn't cold anymore. My whole body felt like it was on fire and I imagined I was glowing bright red, even in the dark. I couldn't believe she had known this entire time. I wanted to kick myself for being so careless. Of course she would know. Like my mother said, she wasn't stupid.

"So I made a plan," she continued, seeming to be almost enjoying giving me all of her findings, "and I asked Rosemary to look out for you in the afternoons. And lo and behold, when I go to see her today, she tells me you're with that boy! So I put the pieces together and-" she sighs heavily, a disgusted look on her face. "I can't believe you would do this to me. I can't believe you're dating that devil spawn behind my back! After everything I've told you-"

My head felt like it was spinning. All I could do was stare at her in disbelief as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Of course, my mother kept ranting but I couldn't take any of it in. I felt sick, mostly because I'd never been shouted at like that. I'd never given her a reason to shout at me like that. But now, I'd rocked the boat and been thrown into the belly of the beast in return. Everything felt like it had come crashing down on me. There I was, thinking I was slick, when she had known the entire time that I was lying. There was no way of getting out of it this time. There was nothing I could do to make it any better. Sure, I could always come clean and tell her I wasn't staying behind to be with my "boyfriend", but I wasn't sure if she would react any better to hearing I was actually in detention. So I decided to keep that to myself, although it probably would've been a good time to tell her and get things all out in the open. However, even if I wanted to, I doubted if I would be able to get the words out. It was hard to confess to something when someone was screaming at you like there was no tomorrow.

"-and now you're not even listening to me!" My mother yelled in frustration, "You know what? Pack a bag. I can't even bear to have you in the house right now."

"What?!" I exclaimed. But it was too late. My mother ignored me and threw open the front door, letting it slam against the wall before it shut again on it's own. 

I hurried in, trying to catch up to her so I could try and make things right. I didn't agree that what she was saying was enough to get this angry at me about, but I wanted a roof over my head. She couldn't be serious about that part. Could she? But when I chased her down in the hallway, she just ignored me, and forced Quigley and Duncan into their rooms when they tried to ask what was going on. My father was nowhere to be seen; probably in the garden or already asleep, blissfully unaware that his daughter was being thrown out. 

I didn't notice when I started crying. Instead, it seemed to happen passively. I only realised it when a few drops landed on my hands as I hurriedly tried to shove clothes into my rucksack while my mother watched from the doorway. I had hoped she had only said it out of anger, and didn't actually mean it, but gathering from her bouncer-like stance at my door, she was serious. Not even my tears would guilt trip her into changing her mind. 

My hands shook and I felt frantic. What were you even meant to pack when you're getting kicked out? It wasn't something I'd ever considered and now, I felt like I'd been pushed off into the deep end. I didn't even know where I was meant to be staying for the night. Lily was the obvious option, but I hadn't had a chance to call her.

In the end, I just stuffed a couple of random outfits, some work and pens I might need at school the next day, and the book Klaus had lent me. I wasn't sure why I'd picked it up, but I'd definitely done it on purpose. Most of the things in my bag had come straight from my school bag; I couldn't focus enough to think what classes I had the next day so I just packed a random selection of things. But the book had been on my nightstand, and for some reason, even in my panic, I couldn't bear to leave it behind.

After scooping my things up and throwing on my coat, my mother walked me to the door and wordlessly let me out. I was going to try and plead with her one last time but she slammed the door before I could, and as I heard the lock move into place, my heart shattered and my tears kept flowing.

My phone had erupted with texts and missed calls, all from Quigley and Duncan, but I ignored them for the time being and focused on guiding my shaking fingers to Lily's contact. Then, I pressed call and prayed that she would pick up. If she didn't, I was going to have a long, cold night ahead of me. 

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A/N: an i oop- 

Why was this lowkey stressful to write hahah. I won't babble on for six pages today though! Instead, I'll leave you with one question: what have you been reading on wattpad recently? I would love some recommendations! Feel free to promote your own stories too, I would love to read them 🥺❤

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!