Love Lies A' Bleeding

Chapter 10: Heart-to-Heart

When I stepped into the three-floored house, five blocks away from my dad’s house, the strictest mother in the neighborhood, who was unfortunately Molly's mother, was lounging contentedly in the living room. I needed to talk to Molly. It was probably suicide, but I had to try.

Mrs. Cerin looked me up and down as if I was a specimen for examination. She acted as if it was my first time to enter her house.

The first time Molly introduced me to the Cerins, I had no idea what to expect. I thought they were the regular parents—inviting, endearing, and very much accommodating. I was wrong. They were totally the opposite of what I thought them to be. I could just imagine how a Molly Cerin grew up. Otherwise, it didn’t show on her that much. Her mother wore sophisticated and carefully chosen clothing, while Molly wore anything. Molly was an only child, so her parents rigorously weigh up all so-called friends before letting anyone of them into her life.

Without removing her eyes at me, Mrs. Cerin pressed the intercom near the door. We waited for a couple of seconds before we hear Molly spoke in a hurried voice.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“What’s up with the sudden visit, my queen?” Molly asked as soon as we were up in her room, slumping her body onto the space available on her bed, which was on top of her filthy clothes. Her attempt for humor didn’t go unnoticed.

Without answering, I turned my eyes to look at the posters on her wall.

“What now?” she continued, quickly growing impatient.

I tried to find a space to sit my tired butt on. The truth was, now that I was with Molly, I found out that I really didn’t know what to say to her. The only chair in the room was unfortunately stacked up with magazines so I had no choice but to sit on the floor beside more filthy clothes.

“Seriously, why are you here?” she asked once again, clearly losing it on me.

“I want to talk to you about stuffs,” I decided to say, careful not to sound too needy.

She rolled on her side to face me. “Stuffs, huh? What’s that?”

I looked away so she wouldn’t see the uncertainty in my eyes. Again, I didn’t know how to start.

“You really like him, don’t you?” she started for me.

“You mean, Noah,” I said.

“Who else?”

“I don’t know,” I said, still not looking at her direction.

“I figured you’d say that. Anyway, I’m never good at this—this boy thing. But I’m pretty sure that you like him, really. Even more than you once liked, you know.”

I knew she was pertaining to Henry. I was forced to look at her. Then I sighed, turning to look back on the wall, and a blonde guy stared back at me. “Maybe you’re right. I really like him. Noah, I mean.”

“That much I figured. Look, if you need advice, I’ll always be here for you.”

“I know.”

I couldn’t explain the look of surprise on my mom’s face when she saw me appeared on her doorstep. I couldn’t explain why I was here, either. I just knew that I should be here. We just stared at each other for quite some time. And it was me who finally cracked.

“Hi, mom. Is it okay if I sleep here tonight?” I asked, a little uncertain, and I was sure she could hear it in my voice, too.

Her face was a mix of uncertainty and disbelief.