NEIL - I should also hop off, my Mum is calling me. I'll talk to you later, bye.
Neil sent the message to the group chat before walking towards the living room where his mother was on the phone.
Ever since he was a baby his Mum had always told him it was wrong to eavesdrop, but all the time with Max and Nikki taught him otherwise. He quietly snuck up to the wall and tuned into the conversation.
"My little Neil is an absolute genius!" He heard his mother say to the other person through the phone. He smiled as he listened to his mother talk about him in that way.
"Oh please, I'm sure Cassidy is nowhere near as smart as my Neil." His Mother's voice started to slowly become aggressive. Oh. She was comparing him. Wait. Cassidy. That name sounds familiar.
"Do you have any idea what my son has accomplished? Fine. We shall see who has the smarter child. The science competition, My Neil versus your daughter. May the best child win, and just so you know. I don't intend on losing." Neil listened carefully to every word. Science competition? He was sure he would do well, but what if he didn't? His mother would hate him.
"Neil sweetheart!" She called out for her son. Neil then silently got up from where he was sitting on the other side of the wall.
"Yes?" he answered as he entered the room.
"You remember that girl… Cassidy?" She spoke in an irritated voice.
"The girl I met from one of the previous science competitions? She came second I think." He answered.
"Yes, that's correct. As you should know, there is a science competition in a few days. You will be competing, and so will she." She informed him as she went to leave.
"Wait. When was I told this?" Neil asked his Mother.
"Just now. And I expect you to win. Don't disappoint me." Exiting the room quickly, she left Neil alone to prepare for the competition.
All Neil could hear was the end of his Mother's conversation with Cassidy's Mother.
'Just so you know. I don't intend on losing.'
'I expect you to win.'
'Don't disappoint me.'
It was on repeat in his head. It wasn't like his Mother was competing. He couldn't let his mother down. Not after everything she did for him. He couldn't make a liar out of his Mother. He felt all this pressure slowly building upon his shoulders. He couldn't make a mistake. He couldn't be the mistake. As he entered his room to start preparing for this contest he had one thing on his mind.
No one understands.