Impossible by Komal Lewis Page A

was sitting down, she took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. “Do you want to tell me what happened today?”
    I buried my head in my hands. “Coach already told you what happened.”
    “Yes, but I want to hear it from you.” Her tone was commanding and I knew that I had to be honest with her. Maybe she was hoping I’d tell her something different, and that Coach had been mistaken somehow. Well, if that was the case then she was about to be sorely disappointed.
    I exhaled. “I made fun of Elly for gaining weight over the summer and then I spilt Bennett’s coffee on her.”
    Mom sighed. “Oh, Ash, what would possess you to do something like that?”
    Mom knew how to make me felt bad, and believe me, I felt bad. “Kance told me that Elly liked Oliver and I didn’t want her to…well, make a play for him. It doesn’t matter anyway; it’s not like I have a chance with him anymore.” I looked up, trying not to cry for the second time that day. “And she was talking to Luca. We have to maintain a certain type of image and it’s not good for a cheerleader to associate with someone like him.”
    A crease appeared between Mom’s brows. “That is not a reason to torment the poor girl. Just because she likes someone you like, and just because she treats Luca like a human being, does not make it okay for you to make fun of her.”
    I stood up quickly, not wanting a lecture from my own mother. “Okay, Mom, I get it. You don’t have to make this into such a big deal.”
    Mom stood up too, her hands planted firmly on her hips. “This is a big deal, Ashy. I feel like I don’t know you anymore. What happened to my sweet, little girl? Where has she gone? She would never do something like this to another person.”
    “Well, I did, okay? I make one mistake and you bite my head off. Why can’t you just get over it already?” I faced her, absolutely furious. I’d already had a terrible day and I didn’t need this. I wanted Mom to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay, not look at me like I was a stranger.
    “Ashton Blake Summers, I cannot begin to express how disappointed and upset I am with you. I can understand that you must be devastated about losing your captaincy and your position on the squad. That must be punishment enough, but I never want you to do what you did to that poor girl ever again.” Mom paused and studied me with a sad expression on her face. “You are grounded for a whole week. You cannot use the internet unless it’s for homework, you cannot go out after school, and you definitely cannot go out on the weekend.”
    “Mom, are you kidding me? That’s not fair!”
    “It’s perfectly fair. Once you lose the attitude you can gain your privileges back.” Having said her bit, Mom turned to go back inside.
    Just because she was done, didn’t mean that I was. I was so angry at that point that I didn’t care what came out of my mouth next. “This is all your fault you know!”
    Mom stopped and looked at me in confusion. “My fault? How is this my fault, Ashton? I didn’t tell you to go and bully anyone.”
    “Because of you, people are always talking about us. About how you got knocked up as a teenager and how you had a failed marriage! I just want to fit in, Mom! I want people to see me for me, not as some loser’s bastard child!”
    Mom’s mouth fell open. “Ashton, honey, you don’t need to put other people down to make yourself look better. Let the other people talk. Words aren’t going to hurt you.”
    “That’s stupid advice, Mom! Of course words hurt me! They’d hurt you too if you weren’t stuck inside all day glued to your computer! The reason why you stay at home and create your imaginary worlds and characters is because you don’t want to go out there in the real world and face what people are saying about you! You’re giving me a lecture when you can’t even deal with your own issues!”
    “That is not true!” Mom said, raising her voice.
    “Yes,