Across The Hall by NM Facile Page B

displaced
    anger, which had started to flare up frequently within the first few months of moving into the dorms.
    Mom broke in. “Wel it’s great that you are making friends already. So, anyone else interesting?” And right there it hit me. Mom knew. My eyes
    were wide with disbelief when I turned to confront her.
    “You knew?”
    She blushed and at least looked a little guilty.
    “Why? Why would you do that?”
    Dad looked between the two of us not sure what was going on. “Marie, what did you or did you not know?” His voice revealing his confusion. At
    least he hadn’t known too and kept it from me.
    “She knew that Sylvia was there.” My eyes were stil locked on Mom’s. She fidgeted uncomfortably from my gaze.
    “Sylvia? As in Sylvia O’Mara? Wow! I didn’t even know she was stil there.” Dad sounded surprised.
    “Yes, wel , she is. And apparently she lives across the hal from me. Tel me, Mom: is it a coincidence or did you know?” I could only think of a few
    times in my past that I was ever upset with my mom. This surpassed them al .
    “Quinn, I think we need to talk.” Mom led me to the table to sit down and dad excused himself, with the lame excuse of wanting to change out of
    his work clothes.
    I sat, but I just watched her, waiting for her to begin. Even with her creased brow and frown mom stil looked much younger than most women her
    age. Looking at her so closely now I began to see the signs of age. There were more creases around her eyes and her dark hair had a few gray
    hairs. Her pale blue eyes were sad as she looked at me.
    “I am sorry you are so upset by al this. Yes, I did know. When I went to tour the apartment building yours was stil unavailable and the landlord
    knew that he was likely to have some available. So he showed me Sylvia’s place. She wasn’t home, but there was a letter addressed to her on a
    table by the door and pictures of her with others around the apartment. I asked the landlord about the girl who lived there. He told me about Sylvia. It
    wasn’t until later that he cal ed to tel me that the apartment across the hal from the one he had shown me was open. By that time I’d decided I didn’t
    care what one it was as long as you would be in the same building.”
    I caught myself pul ing my fingers through my hair again as I debated on leaving now instead of hearing her out.
    “Look Quinn, you have not been the same since high school. I know you said it was better that you broke it off when you left, but it changed you.
    You became so distant and so focused on school. You didn’t want to come home anymore, and even your phone cal s were few and far between.
    After you talked about taking summer courses, I urged your father to take the job here in Minneapolis. I thought that if we left Quarry Springs you
    would come back again. I had hoped that you would even bring a girl home with you eventual y. It didn’t work. You were stil just as distant as ever. I
    knew that it had to be because of her. When the two of you were together you were so happy. Oh, you were stil focused on your goals, but you had
    fun, you even laughed. That’s something you rarely do anymore.”
    I knew what she was talking about. I had been a real shit to everyone since then. Every cal I wanted to ask how she was or if they had heard
    anything about her. I always stopped myself, but eventual y I had stopped cal ing. I just didn’t want the temptation. I didn’t want to come home that
    summer because I knew I would go see her and I didn’t want to see her with another guy. “But mom, did you think about what it would do to her?” I
    knew from the look that passed through her eyes that she did indeed think about that.
    “Quinn, I know your leaving was very hard on her. I told you before about al the cal s and the visits to the house while you were at your
    grandparents. I never approved of you running and hiding from her. You know that. And yes, I heard gossip about how depressed she was.