I woke up the next morning and tried to convince myself that whatever had happened yesterday had just been a bad dream. But reality soon washed over me. No, it wasn't a dream. Mom really did have sex with Jared. What's even worse is that she saw him last night.

I felt like I was going to be sick. Everything was spinning around me. Is this what everyone calls having a panic attack? Suddenly, there was a knock on my bedroom door, making me almost have a heart attack on top of my panic attack.

"Danny," Mom called out, "Time to get up and get ready for school."

School? No! I can't go to school. Jared will be there. He'll... no, I don't want to deal with him today. I quickly lie back down in bed and throw the covers over my head.

"Uh, I don't think I should," I call out. "I feel sick."

I heard her enter my room afterward.

"Aw, is my poor baby boy feeling a bit under the weather today?" Mom asked.

"Mhm," I said, nodding my head.

I felt her sit on the edge of my bed and lovingly place her hand on my arm in an attempt to make me feel better. But it instead had the opposite effect, and her motherly affection was just making me feel worse.

I peek out from under my covers and see my mom for the first time since last night. She smiles at me warmly and leans forward to place her cool hand on my forehead. On her wrist was the plastic bead bracelet that I made for her on Mother's Day in first grade.

Mom still wore it.

"Oh, you poor thing," Mom gently said afterward. "I do hope you feel better soon."

She then kisses my forehead. Oh, how I wish for her lips to press against mine. Mom then stands up and walks toward my bedroom door.

"I'll head to work after I call your school and inform them that you won't be attending today," Mom stated. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"Will do, Mom," I said.

"Get some rest, kiddo," Mom stated before leaving my room.

Once I heard the front door close, I got out of bed and sat down at my computer, my mouse hovering over the video Jared sent me. I thought about deleting it. I should have deleted it. But instead, I just ended up rewatching the video and repeating the same scene from last night.

*****

Mom came home from work later that evening. I had just exited the downstairs bathroom when she closed the front door behind her and began taking off her shoes.

"Oh, hey Danny," Mom stated as she smiled at me. "Are you feeling any better, sweetie?"

"I am," I said, "but why are you so late?"

She ponders for a bit. "I had to help a colleague with a project at work," Mom said somewhat nervously. "It took longer than expected. Sorry about that."

Judging by her disheveled appearance and flushed cheeks, it's quite obvious that Mom was lying and was instead with Jared, just like she was with him last night and also yesterday during soccer practice.

She then starts walking toward me. In that moment, Mom looked different somehow. I couldn't quite place it, but it was like she had an unnatural glow about her. There was even a bounce in her step as she approached me.

"Come here and give me a kiss," Mom said as she leaned forward to kiss me.

I instantly focus on her lips. The same lips that used to kiss me goodnight, Mom now uses on him. I instantly recoil from her.

"No!" I shouted.

Mom looked both shocked and confused by my sudden outburst.

"Okay, sorry!" Mom stated.

It was just an innocent peck on the lips, something we always did. But I honestly couldn't, not while Jared's scent was on her lips.

"No, it's not that!" I tried to explain. "I just..."

Mom furrows her eyebrows in concern.

"It's just what, sweetie?" Mom asked.

I swallowed hard. The words were caught in my throat. I had to tell her. Mom needed to know.

"Mom, you see I'm..." I tried to say.

"You're what?" Mom asked.

I'm inches away from telling her everything: about how Jared has been tormenting me since freshman year, and that I also know she's been sleeping with him too. But if I did tell her, everything would change between us. Our relationship would become awkward. I don't want that to happen. So I convinced myself that whatever Mom had going on with Jared, she'd end it on her own. All I had to do was swallow my pride and keep her secret. Then once she did, that's when I'd tell her.

"Sorry, what I was trying to say," I stated, "was that I'm getting too old to be getting kisses from my mom."

"I see," Mom said.

She sounded hurt by what I said. Great, now I feel bad.

"I'll make us something quick for dinner," Mom stated as she turned around and headed toward the kitchen.

I sighed as she disappeared around the corner. I really hope I didn't make things much worse.

*****

"Daniel!" Mom called out the next morning. "Time to get up and get ready for school!"

I sighed as I got out of bed. Even though I'd rather stay home, I knew that at some point, I had to return to school and face Jared. Once I got dressed, I exited my bedroom and headed down the stairs toward the kitchen. Mom was sitting at the table, drinking her cup of coffee.

"Eat your breakfast before it gets cold," Mom stated.

After I finished eating my breakfast, I grabbed my backpack and headed for the front door.

"Have a pleasant day," Mom said.

I waited. Wasn't Mom going to give me a goodbye kiss?

"You're going to be late, Daniel," Mom stated.

Oh, that's right. I remember that I told Mom last night that I didn't want her kissing me anymore.

"Okay, bye, Mom!" I said meekly.

"Have a pleasant day at school!" Mom called out.

I then closed the front door behind me and biked my way to school.

*****

When I arrived at school, everyone was practically ignoring me. I had gotten used to it, but I felt like crying regardless. As I stood in front of my locker, someone pushed me from behind.

"Hey, loser," said the voice I dreaded.

"What do you want?" I sighed. "Just leave me alone!"

"Man, your mom really is something else, let me tell you," Jared stated, "Her pussy is way better than all the other pussy I had recently."

I tried to push my way past him, but he just stood in the way, blocking all my escape attempts.

"Move aside!" I whined.

"Want to know something else?" Jared continued, not paying attention to me, "Whenever I called your mom a slut, I felt her pussy tighten up. That's how you know your mom is a whore."

My hands balled up into fists. "Nobody talks about my mom like that!" I shouted.

I then swung at Jared, hitting him squarely on his jaw. But the blow didn't seem to faze him in the slightest. Instead, Jared just looked menacingly at me before he began relentlessly punching me. It took all I had to not cry. By the time a teacher finally pulled him off me, I had a black eye, a busted lip, and a bloody nose. We were both then sent to the principal's office afterward.

As we waited outside her office, Jared spoke without looking at me. "I know what you did," he said accusingly.

I ignored him, pressing the ice pack against my eye. It stung something fierce.

"You were jerking off to that video your mother and I made together." Jared stated, "Do you want to know how I know that?"

I continued to ignore him.

"Because there was a Trojan in the file you opened," Jared explained. "Do you want to know what it does?"

Again, I said nothing because it's obvious that he's just trying to get a rise out of me.

"Well, for starters," Jared continued, "once you opened the file, the Trojan would have silently installed itself onto your computer. It would then access your webcam and start recording everything it saw."

There's no way that's true. He's lying. I would have noticed if my webcam had activated.

"The guy who told me about it," Jared stated, "called it Remote Access Technology, or RAT for short. It allowed whoever sent the virus to spy on whoever they wanted. Although the guy didn't believe me when I told him what I wanted to use it for, he quickly changed his tune once he saw the video your 'mommy' and I made."

Why did he say it like that?

"Mommy, no!" Jared stated in a mocking tone of my voice. "Please don't do this to me! I LOVE YOU!"

I stared at him in complete horror. He wasn't kidding. Jared was telling the truth. He knew I had watched the video. Fuck! I knew I should have deleted it when I had the chance.

"Don't get in the way of my relationship with your mom," Jared warned, "or else."

He pokes my chest hard. "Understood?" Jared stated.

I nodded my head. I felt like I was about to cry, but I held it in.

The principal then called us both into her office.

*****

"Alright, you two," the principal stated after calling us into her office, "after talking to the students who saw the altercation, they all claim that you, Daniel, started it by insulting Jared's mom."

It's obvious that Jared's friends were the ones who told her that lie, and like all teachers here, she believed every word.

"So here's what is going to happen," she continued. "Jared, since this is your offense, you'll only get a written warning."

"Thank you, ma'am," Jared stated, "I promise it won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," the principal said.

She then turns her attention to me.

"As for you, Daniel," the principal stated, "you'll be getting after-school detention once again."

"This is bull!" I stated. "Jared has been bullying me since freshman year!"

He gave me an "oh, you're going to regret this later!" look. But I didn't care. Every adult at school turns a blind eye to Jared.

"Jared is one of our school's model students," the principal said dismissively, "so I hardly think he's bullying you."

Jared had a smug look on his face. While it was true that he was one of the school's top students, that was just a facade.

"But he is!" I slam my hand against her desk. "You have to believe me!"

"Smack my desk again, and I'll make it a suspension instead!" she said sternly. "Do I make myself clear?"

Jared snickers. The principal gave him a stern look, and he stopped immediately.

"Yes, ma'am," I said.

We both then left her office. Jared turned to look at me afterward.

"Remember my warning," Jared stated, "stay out of my relationship with your mom or else." He then walks away.

Perhaps I should call Mom and come clean about everything. She needs to know that I was only defending her honor. If it ruins my relationship with her as a result, then I'm okay with that. So I took out my phone and dialed Mom's number.

*****

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Mom shouted at me when I called her. "WHY ARE YOU STARTING FIGHTS?"

Wait... did the principal already inform Mom about the whole situation?

"Jared was the one who started it!" I said. "You have to believe me."

"That's not what your principal told me," Mom stated. "She said you started the fight by insulting Jared's mom. How would you like it if he said stuff like that about me?"

"He does, Mom!" I said.

"Like what?" Mom asked unbelievably.

I hesitated to speak. Why? I already told myself that I was okay with it ruining our relationship.

"That's what I thought," Mom said.

I felt like crying.

"Sorry, Mom," I said.

"Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it!" Mom stated. "Goodbye, Daniel!" She then ends the call.

Hot tears began to run down my face. Off in the distance, I see storm clouds rolling in. It's going to rain soon.

*****

After detention ended, I went to the front entrance of the school to get my bike. It was going to rain soon, so I needed to pedal fast in order not to get soaked.

Except my bike wasn't at the bike rack. The padlock and chain were there, but my bike was nowhere to be seen. I began searching frantically all around the area. When I couldn't find it, panic began to set in. My grandparents bought me that bike in my freshman year. It was expensive, too. They're going to be so upset when they find out about this. I know Mom is going to be, too.

Thunder boomed in the distance, and rain began to fall. I didn't want to walk home, so I reluctantly took out my phone and dialed Mom's number while I waited under the overhang by the school entrance. It rang five times before eventually going to her voicemail. Figures. Mom probably silenced her phone or something. So I guess I'm walking home then.

*****

When I arrived at my street, I was completely drenched. As I neared my house, I saw an unfamiliar car parked next to Mom's in our driveway. It didn't take long to figure out who it was, because Jared exited my house with Mom right behind him. They talked on the porch for a bit before embracing and kissing each other passionately one last time.

Afterward, Jared got into his car as Mom waved goodbye from the porch. When he finally sped off down the street, Mom re-entered the house and closed the front door behind her.

I just stood there in the pouring rain, too shocked to believe what I had just seen. Why was Jared at our house? But more importantly, how did he know where I lived?

*****

When I entered the house, my clothes were soaked through. I was shivering. I might end up catching a cold for real. Mom looked up at me from the living room couch.

"Hello, Daniel," Mom said plainly.

"Why didn't you pick up when I called you?" I asked.

I already knew the reason. I just want to hear hers.

"Because I was busy with work," Mom stated, "plus why should I have to pick you up? You have your bike."

"Look at me, Mom!" I said, "Does it look like I have my bike if I'm this soaked? No! Because it was stolen from the bike rack. I had to walk home. The least you could do was give me a ride home!"

She sighs in annoyance.

"Why did you allow your bike to be stolen to begin with?" Mom said, "Your grandparents are going to be upset when they find out about this."

"I didn't allow it to happen to begin with!" I shouted. "Someone stole MY bike, and you're fucking blaming me for it?"

"Watch your mouth!" Mom said sternly. "I will not have you swearing in this house, young man. Now come here, and let me have a look at you."

I walked toward her. Luckily, the rain camouflaged my tears, or Mom would have found out that I was crying. She then surveyed my face with concern.

"That really hurts, Mom," I said as she applied ointment to my swollen eye.

"Well, maybe this will teach you not to pick fights with boys bigger than you," Mom stated, "or to say disrespectful things about their moms."

Did she really just say that I'm weaker than Jared? Even though I'm clearly the victim here, she's reprimanding me for defending her honor? For standing up for myself? I could feel my blood begin to boil.

"I still don't understand what made you say something like that to begin with," Mom stated. "I thought I raised you better than that."

Great, now she's trying to guilt-trip me.

"Whatever," I said, pushing her hands away from me. "I'm going to my room."

I started walking away from her.

"You get back here this instant!" Mom stated. "I'm not done talking with you yet! Don't you walk away from me! Get back here!"

I stormed upstairs toward my bedroom.

"DANIEL ROBINSON!" Mom shouted, "Get back here this instant! I will not repeat myself a second time!"

I closed my bedroom door hard.

"Fine!" Mom stated. "Stay in your room for all I care."

*****

Once in my room, I took off my soggy clothes and changed into my pajamas. I then threw myself onto my bed. But just as I placed my head on my pillow, I felt something slimy. I immediately sat up and noticed that my pillowcase was covered in a thick, white substance.

Not only did Jared know where I lived, but he also dumped all my lotion on my pillowcase.

"Disgusting," I muttered as I removed the casing from my pillow and threw it into my laundry hamper.

But that's when I noticed something else. Underneath my pillow was a pair of underwear. But not just any underwear, my mother's underwear. More importantly, they were the ones she wore in the video. I picked them up and noticed that one side of the waistband was ripped in two, the same as the crotch. This told me that Jared must have torn them off her the first night Mom went to see him.

I felt myself getting excited just by looking at them; I couldn't help myself. I then walked over to my computer and noticed that there was a new file. I sat down and clicked on the video. The scenario looked familiar to me. Then it dawned on me: my bedroom. This was the inside of my bedroom.

How?

I glanced up at the webcam and saw that it was still recording. I then yanked the cord from my monitor and tossed it into my trash bin.

When I looked back at the screen, I saw both Mom and Jared entering my room.

"Jared," Mom said somewhat nervously, "I'm not so sure about doing this in here."

Jared was in the process of removing his shirt as Mom said that, revealing his chiseled, muscular torso.

"It's just a room," Jared stated afterward.

"But this is my son's bedroom," Mom countered.

"It'll be fine," Jared stated. "Besides, I want to do you while listening to romantic music."

"Don't be crass," Mom said.

He then walked toward my computer and smirked at the camera before...