Overprotective

Warning: this is very angsty lol.

It's for the best, she says.

That's what she always says.

"She doesn't know," I whisper aloud, gripping the edges of my phone tightly. I squeeze, watching my hand shake against the strain, the corners pressing into my flesh. I wish it would break. Stupid thing. "She doesn't know what I need," I say, louder this time, as my entire arm begins to tremble. I grip the phone even tighter. "Only I know what I need."

Another jolt of adrenaline shoots through me and before I can stop myself I throw the phone, watching as it bounces against the wall, then crashes to the floor, face down.

I don't go to pick it up. I just slide down, curling myself into a ball, and bury my head into the pillow. Tears stain the fabric and wet my cheeks.

I hate her.

*

"Did you do the exercises your teacher sent you?" my mother asks as I come down the stairs. I hurriedly wipe my cheeks, getting rid of any tears still clinging to my skin. I won't let her see how weak I am. I won't let her see how much she affects me.

"Yes," I say in what I hope is a casual voice.

"No, you didn't," she answers. She reaches into her pocket, bringing out her phone. Damn. After tapping a bit she holds it out for me to see. "Look," she says. "It says you only spent 5 minute on Google Docs."

Screw screen limits. I should've left the computer on while I was... crying. Yeah.

"How can you expect me to do schoolwork while I'm like this!" I exclaim, feeling tears threatening to spill. Again. It's always like this, it's been this way ever since she set those cursed screen limits. Saying they would help me develop better habits. Saying that it'll be good for her to have more control over my life.

It's my fricking life, NOT HERS.

"You're overreacting," my mom says, putting her phone away. "Go finish it."

"No!"

"Do you want me to take your screen time away?" she says calmly. I HATE it when she's so--so peaceful when I'm so furious. I HATE it.

"Why aren't you ANGRY?" I half-shout, gripping the banister, wishing I could dig my nails into it and tear it from its place, and throw it across the room. My arm starts to shake.

"Do. Your. Homework," she says, slowly this time.

And I know she means it.

So I let out an angry huff, stomping back upstairs, slamming my bedroom door. Instead of going to my desk I dive back into bed and scream into my pillow until my throat hurts and I can't breathe anymore.

*

Freedom.

That's all I want.

And trust.

She just doesn't trust me. I don't know why. Maybe because I'm a teenager, and she thinks teenagers do things they don't mean to do, and she wants to make sure I make good choices. She looks through my search history, my YouTube, tracks my screen time, limits it after 9:00 PM. I can't do anything, except watch videos of cute animals and do homework.

That's it.

I whimper into my pillow, letting out a string of curse words that would have me loose my screen time for month if she heard them.

This is it. I'm done. I'm done with it all.

*

"...my homework," I finish, stopping to take a breath.

"Ooooof," my friend says. "She won't even let you watch music videos?"

"I'd get in trouble if I did," I mumble, stopping my pacing and flopping down on my bed.

"That's just weird," my friend says sympathetically.

"I know." I let out a breath, letting my muscles relax for the first time that day. I look up at my best friend and smile. "Thank you for being here."

"You're welcome." My friend smiles.

At least I'm never truly alone.

Author's Note: yeah... so this story isn't very good lol. This is basically a twisted excerpt from my life right now. I didn't give the main character or friend a name or gender so you can decide what you want them to look like. Anyways... I've written better stories, but it makes me feel better to write stuff about my life sometimes :) Thank you for reading <3