"Lucas? What is wrong? Are you going through something that you don't know how to share with someone?"
" No, why do you ask?"
" Because you have changed Lucas, you are not putting in effort in your academics and more importantly your life."
" I don't understand."
" What changed?"
" What changed? Nothing changed I am growing Daphne, it is normal for me to show a little youthful exuberance."
Slowly destroying your life is not youthful exuberance.Daphne wanted to scream, but she didn't say anything and kept quiet. She and her brother had gotten into a cab, and she'd started having this conversation with him because she didn't know what to do. He'd started behaving differently - he was once intelligent, hardworking, and respectful, but all of a sudden, she'd noticed a change. She didn't know if it was peer pressure or just him trying to be rebellious, but it wasn't helping him at all. So, she decided to talk to their mother about it.
On getting home, Daphne sat in the living room after telling Lucas to call their mother. "Daphne, what do you want?" their mother asked.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Mother, but there's an urgent matter I'd like to discuss with you," Daphne said in a serious tone.
"And what is it?" their mother asked.
"Lucas," Daphne replied. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Lucas hasn't been showing good behavior lately. He's been stubborn and displaying disgraceful behaviors. Just today, I caught him vandalizing school property."
Daphne spoke with utmost sincerity and concern. "It's not good because it's not reflecting well on him; it's harming him and giving him a bad reputation."
Their mother replied, "Okay, why are you behaving as if he's always shown this type of behavior? Just because he vandalized a property or two doesn't mean he's a bad kid. He's just being a boy."
"A boy who is harming himself," Daphne countered. "If a teacher had caught him, he could have been expelled."
Their mother dismissed Daphne's concerns, saying, "I still don't think this is a serious matter. He's just showing a little youthful exuberance. I'm sure when you were younger, you were probably rebellious too."
Daphne tried to plead with their mother to watch Lucas, but she was cut off. "I'm not trying to say that I wasn't rebellious when I was younger, but—"
"Listen, Daphne, I have had enough of your interference. You are always meddling in my son's affairs, trying to mother him. Newsflash: you are not his mother. Stop disturbing him with your nagging and constant supervision. Can't you just leave him alone?"
Daphne tried to interject, but Katherine cut her off.
"You are always trying to tell him what to do, what not to do. It is suffocating. You are not his parent, so stop acting like you are. Just because you don't have a mother figure in your life doesn't mean you need to smother my son with your insecurities."
The woman's tone turned venomous.
"You know what's really going on here? You are jealous. You are jealous that my son has a mother who cares for him, who loves him. You are bitter because you have been stuck raising yourself, and now you're trying to ruin his life with your own issues."
Katherine's voice dripped with malice.
"Just be grateful that you're not completely alone, that your brother has me to take care of him. But stop pretending like you're his mother. You're not, and you never will be."
After Katherine spoke,she held Lucas hand walked away while Daphne sat in silence.
She stood up and left the house to Camilla's.
"So, you are saying that your mother sided with Lucas after everything you told her? Why would she say such things? And to bring up your mom into the conversation was just blatantly wrong... that's just wrong.
" What was I supposed to do? Yell at my mother? Ignore it all and confront Lucas instead? If I had went for Lucas, she would have confronted me even worse."
" You just have to ignore them and focus on yourself."
" But that his my mother and brother. I will just try and be the bigger-."
" Person yes, but the more you try to be the bigger person and not address them,the more you look smaller in their eyes . They know they can get under your skin, even if you don't show it. Those people are toxic, so you should not let them get to you. They have chosen their path; You need to choose yours."
Daphne had arrived at Camila's house and recounted everything - from catching Lucas vandalizing school property to her mother's hurtful words.
"This isn't the first time she's spoken ill of me, but what hurt was bringing my mom into the conversation."
Camila offered words of encouragement. "It's okay, Daphne. Don't let them get the best of you. Focus on bettering yourself and creating a better life. Maybe when you get back home, you can discuss it with your dad; he will to able to sort things out."
" Maybe he would."