When we arrived at the school Chanyeol wasn't there, as my mother had anticipated. I couldn't bring myself to ask her to sit away from the students' section after watching her face drop when she received Chanyeol's text. 

'He's running late,' she muttered, dropping her phone into her purse. 'I know he's not coming.'

'Maybe he hasn't finished what he needed to do for work yet,' I suggested, trying to cheer her up. My words bounced right off as if they were never siad. 

We bought sodas at the concession stand and made our way to the bleachers. 

'Hey, Mrs Lee!' a few voices hollered. 

'Hi!' she yelled back with a brigh smile, her sullen mood masked instantly. 

'You know people?' I questioned in disbelief. 

'Where do you think I sit during your game?'

Oh, I mouthed, never having considered it before. I was shocked when more faces recognized her. She knew more people in my school than I did.

'Hi, Mrs Park,' Seoung Eun burst out, cutting across the bleachers to get to us, with Haeun right behind her. 'What are you doing here?'

'Watching Sehun,' my mother explained. Seoung Eun nodded like it made sense. 

'Hey, SooJi,' Haeun greeted me, sitting next to Seoung Eun, who opted to sit next to my mother. I was starting to feel like a stranger even among my friends - who evidently preferred my mother over me. 

'Where's Chanyeol?' Haeun asked, making my eyes widen. 

My mother shrugged evasively, not looking away from the court as they were about to tip the ball. The cheering erupted around us as the ball flew into the air.

She chanted along with the rest of the school, like she was just another student. I was a spectator, not only to the game, but to my mother's popularity - it was beyond strange. 

As the half progressed, she became more boisterous and made remarks that sent those around her into fits of laughter. I grew suspicious as she became more animated. Something was off. Her popularity grew the more vocal she became. The boys scooted in around her. I would have been nudged out of my position next to her if I hadn't been her daugther. 

During half-time, my mother disappeared into the bathroom with Seoung-Eun and Haeun. I followed a few minutes later to find her dumping the contents of her flask into their fountain sodas. Her flagrant behaviour suddenly made sense - I should've known better. 

'Seoung-Eun, you were supposed to lock the door,' Haeun scolded her with a huff. 

'Sorry,' Seoung-Eun responded guiltily. 'But it's just SooJi.'

My mother watched for my reaction. 'You're not mad, right?' 

I looked from one face to the other as they waited for me to say something. I shook my head and stepped into the first stall without a word. I leaned against the wall and listened as they giggled and Seoung-Eun gushed about some cute boy sitting behind them. 

'Do you want us to wait for you?' my mother called out. 

'No, it's okay,' I responded, trying to keep my voice steady. My insides were a slitering mess. I couldn't believe I'd caught my mother feeding my friends alcohol so they could get drunk together. I took a breath and tried to clear my head, to think of how to keep this from escalating out of control. 

I pulled out my phone and sent Chanyeol a text, Are you still coming?

If Chanyeol didn't show up, then I knew my mother would just keep drinking, and the more she drank, the more unpredictable she'd become. This was going to be horrible. 

My phone beeped. On my way. There in 15.

I contemplated waiting for him so I wouldn't have to return to the bleachers alone. In the end, I trudged back to my seat beside my inebriated mother and her giggling clique. I kept glancing over at them, watching as they laughed and gossiped. 

Finally, I saw Chanyeol along the sideline, scanning the bleachers to find us. My mother stood and waved frantically, making her easy to spot. He climbed the steps closest to me and excused himself across the row. I scooted over so he could sit between me and my mother. 

Before he could say anything, she leaned over and kissed him. He pulled back in surprise. 

'What?' she snapped as he pulled his brows together. 

'Are you drunk?'

She shrugged with a smirk.

'At a high-school basketball game? Really, Hyun-a!' Chanyeol didn't even try to sugarcoat his disapproval. 

My mother huffed with a roll of her eyes. 'What happened to you? You used to be fun.' She turned her back to him and started cheering along with the girls. 

Chanyeol turned towards me. 'So, what happened?'

I shrugged. 'She's afraid you don't care about her anymore.' 

'Why?' he questioned emphatically. 'Because I had to work?'

I didn't answer, and sank further into the bleachers - not sure how to make this whole thing go away. 

My mother reached into her purse and took out her mini Altoids tin. 

'Are you serious?' Chanyeol accused her as she popped a pill in . 

'Well, if you're not going to be any fun, then I need something to make me happy.' 

'What was that?' I asked, having seen her pop the little white pills too many times to count, without really knowing what they were. Chanyeol only shook his head in disgust. 

He observed her silently as she grew more and more enthusiastic, drawing more attention. His jaw set and the tendons in his neck tightened. 

About five minutes later he muttered angrily, 'I'm sorry, SooJi, but I can't - I can't do this.' Chanyeol stood up and passed by me towards the steps. 

'Where are you going?' my mother yelled after him. He didn't look back. I could only watch after him in shock as he paced down the sideline and out the gym doors. 

'Where is he going?' she demanded in a panic. 

'I don't know,' I replied uneasily. 

'Make him stop,' she pleaded, about to cry. 'Please, SooJi, you have to stop him from leaving.'

She sniffled and her eyes flickered, overflowing with tears.

'Okay, okay,' I said desperately. 'I'll stop him.'

Haeun turned towards my mother and her smile changed to a look of concern. 'Mrs.Lee, what's wrong?'

'Please help her calm down,' I begged Haeun before I rushed down the steps and out of the