The teenager knew her mother was upset when she woke up to the sound of only the coffee pot and the glaring emptiness on the kitchen table where her breakfast should have been.

A mountain of bacon, baked apples, and a perfectly cooked omelet was what her mother had made for herself. The teenager felt her stomach grumble as she interrupted the meal.

With a heavy sigh, her mom looked up, her eyes clouded with a deep, disheartening disappointment. The teenager stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat as she watched her mother resume eating.

The clinking of her fork against the plate a stark contrast to the silence in the room. There was no television playing and the room was only lit by the open window. Leaving the atmosphere cold and empty.

Guilt was weighing down the brunette's chest and she gulped as she sat down across from her. She didn't know what to say as she'd broken her promise to her mother so fast. The teenager had behaved recklessly and she regretted it. But she knew if she said that her mother would just walk away in a huff.

“Mom. I know I told you I'd stop playing for so long. And that I make more room in my schedule for our one-on-one time since you have off work. I'm sorry for not keeping my word.” Elizabeth said with her voice stumbling.

Her mother sighed and set down her fork. “I accept your apology because I know you're being honest with me.” Her tone got stern as she continued. “I won't ground you as you're still keeping your grades up in all your classes.”

“But you need to decide for yourself if being online for twelve to sixteen hours straight right before school is normal. I can't force you to log off.” A chill went down the teenager's spine from her mother giving up so fast.

It was obvious that her mother was respecting her body autonomy and wasn't going to take her virtual reality system away from her. Honestly, Elizabeth felt like that would be worse than being grounded.

Because she used her virtual reality headset for other things like watching live streams and complex coding assignments. Her mother was thinking about her grades so she was incredibly thankful for her leniency. But still, her mother was making it clear she didn't trust her judgment.

Elizabeth had been acting childish and irresponsible by going back on her word. The teenager knew that her mother was hurt by being abandoned time and time again. Plus, she had been ignoring some of her real-life friends wanting to hang out recently.

It didn't feel as important as her life in Frozen Hearts. She reached across the table and grabbed her mother's hands, squeezing them. “Mom. I'm sorry, I got distracted and forgot the promise I made to you. Please don't feel bad.”

Her mother smiled with the fire in her eyes dying out. “I'm not upset or angry with you. I'm just worried. Being cooped up in the dark without eating or even taking a shower isn't healthy. You need to work on that.”

“You're right. You're right.” Elizabeth muttered as she began to think about what to say further. The words melted off her tongue and vanished instantly.

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Because her mother was right and Jake and Yuki had been too. She needed to create a healthy balance between her in-game life and her real life. If she didn't her mother wasn't going to be as forgiving the next time she lied to her face.

The older woman worked her ass off for the teenager to get that gaming system. When she was little they didn't have much. The United States was in a historical downward spiral in the eyes of the lower class.

Tariffs had skyrocketed, job offers were at an all-time low, and government-provided Healthcare was a real mess. Thinking about it now, Elizabeth was amazed that they survived and lived where they did. That everyone made it out of the hole alright.

It was painful to remember those months. The brunette felt sickened knowing that her mother had slaved away, finally got a day off and she ignored her. It wasn't the game that was the problem but her refusal to explain it all. Elizabeth knew that her mother wasn't into gaming and was technically illiterate.

Her job didn't require her to become up-to-date with what the world’s technology had transformed into. So for all the woman knew, she was just in a field shooting targets all day, every day. Elizabeth figured if she spent the time now to break it down her mother would feel more comfortable with her hobby.

She'd see how much it didn't just mean to the curly-haired teenager but thousands of players. How it was safer than their job and house and they felt like they mattered there.

“In the game, I have a bunch of friends. They're not all my age,” Her mother frowned at this but she quickly saved herself from another uncomfortable conversation. “but they're appropriate with me and very helpful with things I don't feel comfortable talking to just anyone about. They're very sweet.”

“It's a diverse world with all types of people to meet and befriend. People who live in mansions and have chauffeurs but treat me like an equal easily. I've met and hung out with people who live across the globe daily. I feel like I'm getting out there and escaping my shell more and more.” Her voice cracked as she remembered how bad her anxiety used to be as a preteen.

These days she was more of a wallflower in certain environments but that fear of the world returned often. The unknown and the unreasonable made her stomach twist into all types of knots. “I don't feel like a weirdo online.”

Her mother crumbled, instantly getting out of her seat and rushing for her daughter's side. They had similar conversations before since she'd started at her new, private school.

The brunette had come home one day in tears over her classmates making fun of her outfit and interests. This led her mother to spend two entire paychecks to change her social standing. Brand-new shoes, designer clothes, and the trendiest of games were at her disposal.

It was seen as reckless by her grandmother but Elizabeth was so thankful for what her mother had done. The teenager knew that she would give the world up if it made her daughter happier. She loved her wholeheartedly through it all.

The hug her mother pulled her into was warm and familiar. Elizabeth could smell the homemade lye soap her mother used in her currier's hair. The older woman was wearing a thick, wool sweater that scratched her face. But she didn't say anything about it.

Instead, she simply hugged her mother back with her slender arms and petite frame. She felt like she was going to fall asleep in the woman's arms instantly. The teenager was sleepy and her eyelids became quite heavy as she took in a deep inhale of warm air. Her mother's presence was so powerful for the anxiety-prone girl that she immediately hid herself in the woman's body.

The brunette snuggled close as her mother petted her hair, the woman's palm being wrinkled and her fingers swollen from working without a break. Her chest became hollow and her mouth filled with guilt-fueled vomit.

She felt awful for worrying the woman so much with her irresponsible behavior. She'd been so excited to play that she'd forgotten about her health and the promises she had made.

“I noticed that you'd be happier the days you logged on compared to the days you didn't. I had no idea you'd been struggling like this again.” There was a deep sadness in her mother's voice as she spoke, her eyes watering.

Elizabeth didn't want to see her mother beat herself up.”Mom, it's alright.”

“Muñequita, shush. It's not alright for you to feel so low about yourself. If you feel better playing your game, you can play it. But I'm going to try and get you into therapy again.” Her mother sighed. “It'll have to be in person.”

Elizabeth felt a wave of dread overwhelm her at the thought of seeing a stranger in person to talk about her deepest, darkest secrets. It made her feel anxious and she tried not to blurt out a rebuttal to her mother.

There was no point as it was becoming super obvious she needed to talk to someone. Who was trained to help her with all of her serious mental dilemmas? So, the teen just continued to hug her mother and talk to her about meaningless things.

She didn't want to cause any more issues for the person who didn't ask for them. Her mother was already worried enough and it sickened her deeply. The guilt had seeped deeply into her inner soul, bleeding her dry and she needed to make it stop before she burst into tears.