Eva's sleepy eyes fluttered open, not expecting to see Hannah's face peering over her.

It had been a long time since Eva was awakened by her mother to go to school. Eva blinked away the slumber along with the surprise, her auburn eyebrows knotted at Hannah's gigantic smile. Eva supported herself on her elbows, still on her comfortable bed, as she eyed her mother's glinting eyes.

Eva's voice was still thick from sleep, "What's the matter with you?"

Did she know about my sneak-out last night? Eva regretted her spontaneous trip to Trudy's house in the middle of the night, cringing at herself for actually doing it. Eva suspected that her mother was this bubbly because she had a solid reason to kick Evangeline out, finally getting rid of the burden that had been living under her roof for the past seventeen years.

Hannah's smile was so stretched that her lips might have touched her ears. "House is doing well!"

Eva jumped to her feet, the previous laziness gone. "What?"

Hannah beamed, genuine tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. "Your father is alive," she whimpered, her hands shaking.

Eva humped in her place. "Really?" she squealed. Eva bent, her hand on her knee as the other wiped her red hair off her forehead. "Thank god, I feel so relieved," she exasperated.

Hannah nodded her head furiously, reassurance painting her face a happy picture. She held Eva's shoulder, bringing her to her full height. "Yes. House is going to be fine."

Hannah pulled Eva and buried Eva's face in her embrace, hugging her so tight that Eva felt her ribs being crushed. Eva snuggled in her mother's embrace, cherishing the few seconds she had awaited for so long. Hannah was hugging Eva like a mom would to a daughter, offering the motherly love. Hannah wasn't treating Eva like a burden in the house, and it felt... nice.

Eva sniffed in her mother's sweet smell, triggering her childhood memories. Eva remembered how the both of them used to braid each other's hair, put on Hannah's makeup and clothes - playing dress-up. Hannah didn't like who messed with her things, so everytime she caught them playing with her stuff, the both of them would give Hannah those irresistible puppy eyes and, just like that, they would be off the hook.

The bittersweet memory stung her heart, reminding her of her current position. Where is she now? And how did mom change so much?

No. Eva promised herself she wouldn't go over those memories again. She promised herself she would move on - try to forget, but as she was pressed tight against her mother's warm body, Eva couldn't fight away the painful past from flooding her.

Eva refused to listen to her conscious, going against her senses. Like a popped bubble, Eva retreated away from her mother and ignored the hurt that danced in her mother's broken, honey colored eyes. It was either that or completely losing it in front of Hannah. Eva would never allow anyone to witness her downfall, and if pushing away her mother, no matter how wrong and painful it seemed, would help her stay composed and intact, then so be it.

Hannah's glassy eyes flashed with hurt for just a second before she weaved her ignorance mask back on her face with skill. Eva could see right through it. Eva regretted the action, but it was too late to fix anything anyways.

Eva wipped her head away, sitting on her bed as she blushed furiously. "What did they tell you?" She cleared her raspy voice. "About dad's condition."

Hannah looked away too, not knowing what to do with her hands other than hugging her thin body with it. "Not much." She shrugged her shoulders, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ears with too much force. "Just that he's no longer in the ICU, and that he regained his conscious."

"That's good, right?" Eva nodded, her eyes zeroed on her Power Puff carpet. The atmosphere in her room was too awkward and heavy that Eva felt her mind suffocating. Eva was in the presence of her mother, someone who should be completely comfortable and herself with, yet she found herself holding back, baffled for words.

Hannah gave a curt nod, already making her way out of Eva's room. "Be down in five, it's time for school."

Eva's heart raced in her chest, gasping involuntarily. "You're driving me to school?"

Hannah chuckled, looking down at Eva with mockery. "No, of course not. What makes you even think that?"

Eva rolled her hazel eyes - okay, I deserve that one. Hannah's ridicule was somewhat justifiable - Eva did reject her hug after all - but it didn't make it sting any less. Evangeline knew her mother wouldn't become perfect overnight, or anytime soon for that matter, but she still expected something more.

What will it take away from her if she dropped me with her, for Christ's sake? That question always danced in the back of Eva's mind every morning her mother went to school and left her behind, and it seemed like today might be finally the time she confronted her mother.

"Why?" Eva attached, "Why don't you take me with you?"

To that, Hannah hardly chuckled. "You seriously asking me that?"

"Yes," Eva pressed, heat bursting in her freckled cheeks. It was high time this argument happened, Eva couldn't go on like this any longer. "Why do you force me to go by foot when you can freaking drive me with you?"

Hannah cocked her head to the side, her monotone words rolling off her tongue as if they were too obvious. "Because we can't be seen together at school," Hannah said, "People might start talking bad about us, saying that your grades are high because of my connections."

"I don't care about what other people think." Eva crossed her arms, her auburn eyebrows knotted like a displeased child. "Those grades are my own efforts. Besides, it's not like you're teaching me, or that they don't know that you're my mother."

"We don't need to remind them of that, do we?" Hannah shot back, "I can't drive you and that's final."

Eva hated her mother's stern tone that indicated the end of the discussion, yet she wasn't about to give up too soon. Eva was being more open and honest with her mother, expressing her point of view whether Hannah liked it or not. Eva didn't know if she should feel proud for finally being able to handle confrontation, or if she should scold herself for her big mouth that would only end her up in trouble.

Eva shot a levelled gaze - the same one she saw Trudy pull off everytime - and glared at Hannah. "If you won't drive me, then why don't you let me get my own car? I can drive myself to school-"

"And have you roam the streets all by yourself?" Hannah cut off, eyes pointing warringly, "No way in Hell will I allow that."

"Mom, I can manage myself just fine - I'm basically an adult."

"That's another reason. You can't always rely on me." Hannah almost winced, forcing the upcoming words as if they had been poisoning her soul. "Soon you're going to college and you'll be on your own, so better prep you from now."

By making me get used to not having a mother? Eva was not about to argue with her mother's poor logic. She laid down on her sweet bed, busying herself with her phone. Eva was mentally satisfied when she saw that the battery was 100% charged, glad that she kept it plugged overnight. "Well, you can go to school, or whatever. It's too early for me." It was specifically 6:30 am. Her alarm would go off in thirty minutes.

"Suit yourself." Hannah shrugged her shoulders, obviously having no clue about her daughter's morning routine. Unlike Eva, who was still in her faded shirt and comfortable leggings, Hannah was dressed in her black, plaid pants and a honey colored, sophisticated blouse that peaked underneath her blazer, matching her big and beautiful eyes. Hannah was dressed up in the daily basis, she had to if she wanted to fit among the wealthy and tutor their ridiculously privileged kids.

As Hannah retreated away, Eva stared after her. She wanted to stand up, to go after her mother, and hug her tight - even kiss her. Such physical actions were spontaneous and natural when her father and siblings were around, but now, as it was only Eva and Hannah, Eva found herself wondering whether her mother's long lost affection was nothing but an act, that she wasn't enough for her mother to even fill her glass halfway.

If Eva wasn't enough for her own mother, how can she be enough for other people - Zarek, for example. It was no wonder he already had a girl to sling his arm around, and she must be everything that Eva wasn't - experienced, confident, and able to please Zarek's endless needs.

Eva fidgeted in her seat in the office that she never seen before. Facing her in the other end of the desk was a white haired woman with piercing blue eyes and a pointy nose. Her cateye glasses suited her face, giving her a youthful appeal. She didn't look like a sixty year-old, stressed principal, that was for sure.

The principal, Mrs. Biggun, skimmed through a pink file, the name Evangeline West along with her picture was evident in the very first page of the folder. "Your record is spotless." Her tone was nowhere near impressed, more on the blaming, dissapointed side. "Why would you ruin this perfect record over something as stupid as skipping first period? You must know that wa don't tolerate things like that here, even from wealthy, hard-working students like yourself."

Eva was nowhere near wealthy, or hard-working, for that matter, but she did make huge efforts and aced almost every test. The headmistress was right though, why would she jeopardize all of that for something as dumb? It's not like I did it on purpose, Eva countered in her head, It's Trudy's fault for messing up with the time in my phone.

Although Trudy did that, it was totally Eva's fault for delaying to set it right again, even though every morning in the past week she had been running to school. Well, at least I'm working out like I wanted to.

"There's something else," Mrs. Biggun's eyes sharpened, seizing up the nervous Eva. "I received a complaint - you're being a bother to Zarek Black."

Eva's heart almost stopped at the revelation. Eva knew that Zarek wouldn't pass how she had humiliated his manhood and manners, but complaining about her to the principal? He would never. He knew her mother was strict and keen on her behavior, yet he went ahead and did that, not caring that Hannah would write her off dead if the news got to her.

Mrs. Biggun gave a skeptical glare. "He said that he has been skipping school because of you. Why would he say that?"

Eva felt her anxious nerves a lump in her dry throat. She gulped it down, her shaky hands twirling her red hair in frantic swirls. "I-I don't know," Eva stuttered, feeling weak and accused, "I didn't do anything to him, I swear."

"I know you wouldn't, you look... decent." Mrs. Biggun glanced at Eva, her pointy nose as narrowed as her piercing blue eyes, before she went through the pink file again, torn apart on what to do. "I'd hate to ruin such a record, and I assume you'd hate getting your mother involved into something as pity."

"Y-yes." Eva nodded her head furiously, already a sweaty mess. If she thought she could handle confrontation before, then she was greatly mistaken. Mrs. Biggun hardly said anything to her, other than glorifying her perfect record, and Eva felt like she was about to faint.

Getting Hannah involved would be the worst option, and the most horrendous one too. Not only would Hannah humiliate her in front of the principal with one of her long and blaming speeches, she would also tie down Eva's freedom even more, and intensify the coldness of the shoulder she was already giving to Eva. No, thank you.

Mrs. Biggun took off her cateye glasses, her wrinkly hand massaging her pointy nose as she complemented her options. "I can't give you detention, this is your first time after all. I can't give you volunteer work, your mother, Mrs West, is already doing enough of that. She is one of the best teachers in the school." She sighed. "Just promise me such things won't happen again."

Eva was so done of feeling like a weak and naive victim. She needed to make changes in her life - something Trudy would have done a long time ago if she was in her position. Eva could swear on her life that she would never fall for to Zarek's traps again, she would never act so spontaneously and impulsively and vowed to herself to calculate her every move before doing it, and she would stop being the victim she was making herself to be, finally deciding to stand up for her self.

So when Eva looked at the headmistress' eyes, she meant it when she said; "I promise."