I Know What Love Is

A Chapter by Haley Smith

"Oh my God," my mom said. She was pretty much out of breath. We were on our way to Wal-Mart, just me and her, and not Rylee and Wyatt, thank God. She pulled over into the shoulder.

I'd just told her about what happened with Nic. I hadn't given it much thought after that night. I was just happy to get home safely.

She was crying. She was freakin' crying. Her face was in her hands and her glasses were all fogged up.

"Mom?"

She shook her head and then turned off the ignition. She looked at me and took my hand. "You're not datin' that boy any longer. You understand?"

"But I forgot to tell you," I said quickly. "He apologized on Saturday."

"Cassandra."

"What? He loves me, Mom."

"Cassandra, you don't know what love is."

My hands were in fists. "Yes, I do. Or, I know what love ain't. It's not what you and Gary have goin' on, that's for sure. He loves me, Mom. He loves me more than any girl he's ever dated, he told me so."

"Cassandra Desirae Blakely, you're grounded for two weeks! I don't wanna her none of this "love" nonsense! You know why I got with your dad, is because I thought that way. I thought he loved me, and he'd apologize and all that good stuff, and then he'd do the same s**t all over again. Nic doesn't know what love is, and you most definitely don't! I'll be havin' a talk with his mother too. While you're grounded, you could get some studyin' in, which is what you should be doin' in the first place."

We didn't say a thing afterwards.

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