Unmasked Desires

kfast, now!" her mother's vo

ng down the stairs. She grabbed an apple fr

Alexis?" her mom asked,

glanced at the table. A smirk tugged at her lips. "Ma, there's barely

ed again

not going?" her mom asked

n't depend on you alone. You're drinking more than you're earning." Alexis's eyes dar

the porch. Unfazed, she gathered them up, slipping them in

*

n on her even harder. The dimly lit house felt more like a burden than a comfort. Her mothe

Alexis asked, alrea

t her eyes betr

save for some leftover pizza. She reheated it and sat at the table, coun

her mother's gla

honey," her m

h did you make this month? I already paid the urgent fees-water, electricity.

er pockets and pulled out a

go, and we're drowning. I dropped out of college so we could afford SUZY's school, and you've become a drunk

ith frustration. She grabbed her bag and the pizz

lexis, lost in the pile of bills, didn'

help since your dad passed. It's just... been hard. But I'm going to stop drinkin

mother's eyes as she

lied, feeling a flicker

bing her bag. "I've gotta go to work. I'm

-

ompany, Alexis approached her

ould pick up an extra shift

se, Alexis. You've been doing grea

r her. "Thank you

-some coolers to a club. Think you

is nodded, eager t

-

oolers. Just as she reached for the door, someone on the other side opened it, knocking her

man who caused the mess just st

" he muttered into the pho

m. "Are you blind? Didn't you s

ising an eyebrow. "Wh

ho's going to pay for the waste

I? That wa

ut looking! Fine, we can both pay. But I'm sorry

ingers along her cheek, sending her heart ra

r. "Get lost. I don't apprec

st in her thoughts, as he fl

ght there!" A

ion, but before she could say anothe

he ground hard, blood pooling beneath him. The driver didn't

toward the man, who lay there, c

ed, stretching a w

reach him, a hand

" her mother hisse

ou doing here? H

the police on our backs. Suz

e man, his hand dropping