Chapter 15

Ariana decided to work overtime at her job since she wouldn't be going back to school. She just wanted to keep her mind occupied with work, trying not to dwell on what happened earlier at school. Damn it! She couldn't help but think about it. She sighed; at least she wouldn't bump into those three witches again in her life, and that's a good thing. Annie helped to keep her mind occupied.

After finishing her shift at the gas station, she strolled to the pharmacy in her neighborhood to get medication for her mom. She met Bella at the pharmacy, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Hi, Bella," Ariana greeted.

"Hey, girl, you look exhausted," Bella said as she got up from the counter to fetch Ariana the medication she normally bought for her mom.

"Tell me about it," Ariana scoffed. "Where's Monica?"

"With her friends at home," Bella replied, coming back with the medication.

"So, have you managed to take your mom to the hospital?"

"No, but I'm trying."

"Honey, you've got to try harder."

"I quit school today. I just want to focus on taking her to the hospital."

"Honey, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Tell Monica I said hi." Ariana collected the medication and left for her house.

When she got home, she expected Mike to give her a hug, but to her surprise, she didn't find him in the living room. She dropped the groceries she bought earlier on the kitchen island when she heard Mike's voice.

She hurriedly ran to her mom's room, where the noise was coming from, and she saw Mike crying while her mom was throwing up.

"Oh my God! What happened?" She asked Mike.

"She has been throwing up for a while now. I don't know what to do," Mike sobbed.

"It's okay; go to your room," Ariana instructed. She rushed to pick up a bucket from the corner of Helena's room and held her mom's hair back as she vomited into the bucket.

After a little while, the vomiting stopped, and Ariana helped her mom sit up.

"Do you still feel like throwing up?" She asked.

"No."

"Momma, what do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

"But, Ma, you've been throwing up a lot; you have to eat." Ariana hated seeing her mom this weak, her skin very pale. She was trying her best to help, but it wasn't enough. Her mom really needed medical attention; she had nobody. She was three months late on rent, there was just so much on her shoulders, but she had to save her mom. She had to get her to the hospital no matter what.

"Baby, are you okay?" Helena asked. Tears threatened to fall; her mom's voice was weak. Why was the universe against her? She did nothing wrong, and it wasn't her fault she existed.

"I'm good, Mama," Ariana sniffed.

"School is great," Ariana forced a smile; she didn't want to worry her mom about school. "I dropped out," she added.

"What? Baby..."

"I'll make something for you to eat." She cleaned up the room and left. She had to work harder.