Torn Apart

I stood there, still within earshot of the meeting room after I had walked out from there. Adica's mother's voice reverberated through the corridor, carrying with it a heavy blend of anger and disappointment. My mother looked back at me, puzzled. I gestured for her to continue walking while I stayed back for a moment. As I watched, Adica's eyes welled up with tears, her fingers nervously playing with a strand of her hair. I could see the desperation in her eyes as her mother's sharp words pierced right through her.

"You think you can just hang out with your friends and spend time in that club, and your grades won't suffer? Is that it?" Her mother's voice was sharp, cutting through the air. Adica's voice, though softer, was filled with frustration. "I did study, Mom, I promise. It's just that the exams were tough this time, and..."

Her mother didn't let her finish. She pointed her finger at Adica, her face flushed with anger. "Tough exams? Adica, don't give me excuses. Your grades have been slipping, and it's all because of you! You need to take your studies seriously."

Adica tried to defend herself, her voice quivering. "But I—"

Her mother interrupted again. Her voice just kept rising. "No 'buts,' Adica! You can't just rely on your friends and expect everything to be fine. You have to put in the effort yourself. Your future depends on it!"

I watched as Adica's shoulders sagged, and her words grew quieter. "I know, Mom, I'll try harder next time."

"Trying harder isn't enough, Adica. You need to do better, or else..."  Adica's eyes met mine for a brief moment, and I could see the fear and uncertainty in them.

"Don't tell me you can't keep her safe. Don't give me that!"

Suddenly, my mother's voice shot my attention back towards her. "How long are you going to stand here, Reol?"

I snapped out of my thoughts, giving her a quick, apologetic smile. "Yeah, I'm coming...!"

"You DID protect her!"

But I still couldn't make up my mind. All I could do was just stand there, caught in my own thoughts... with no idea what to do, as Adica's mother continued to scold her. It was their family matter, and I wasn't sure if I should get involved. But before I could make a decision, my legs seemed to move on their own, propelling me toward them. Maybe it really didn't mean that much to me... yeah... but if just staying by her side...

"YOU DID LOOK OUT FOR HER, YOU FOOL!"

Just as I was about to reach Adica and her mother, a hand gently gripped my shoulder. I turned to see my mother looking at me from over my shoulder. "Reol, how long are you just going to stand there!?"

Hearing her voice, both Adica and her mother turned their attention towards us. It was as if time had slowed down, and I could feel their gazes on me, full of questions. On the other hand, my mother, seemingly unperturbed by the tense atmosphere, walked up to Adica's mother with a warm smile and asked, "Mrs. Abney, good afternoon. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, Mrs. Wright, it's just that Adica's grades have been slipping in the last few exams, and I can't seem to get through to her."

My mother chuckled lightly, as if the whole situation was trivial. "Well, don't worry too much. Kids have their ups and downs, you know. Look at my son here." She motioned to me, and I felt a flush of embarrassment. "His grades have been a rollercoaster ride. I mean, how can someone score so low?"

I couldn't help but cringe at my mother's comment, but she carried on, placing a hand on Adica's hair and gently brushing it back. "Adica, you're such a bright young girl. Maybe you can help Reol with his studies sometime? After all, you two are in the same class."

"Mrs. Abney, Adica's grades aren't all that great though," She exchanged a glance with my mother, as her stern expression was slowly softening. "I just can't figure out why she's losing her focus in her studies."

"But it's still far better than this failure of a son of mine."

"Gosh... can you stop with that?" A moment of awkward silence hung in the air. Then, unexpectedly, Adica's mother burst into laughter. Her laughter was warm and infectious, filling the corridor. She was then joined by Adica's, who giggled along with her mother. I couldn't help but smile as well, feeling the embarrassment of my poor grades melt away in the face of their laughter.

.

.

.

Will I really be able to protect her?