Joey

Chapter Five

"Crying makes you ugly, it also ruins your makeup, as much as people don't want to admit it, crying shows that you are weak and broken, don't let them see you break"

My mother's words rang in my head, I've never seen her cry, the last time I heard those words was four years ago, Dad was still with us. I was framed for stealing Ashley Barry's shoes, Ashley is Hunter's cousin from his mother's side she had come to stay with them for a while, we all went camping, most of the students in school, my friends included, Ashley was the proud type that always flaunted whatever she has and her parents were damn rich, it's like whoever was related to the Blacks are always super rich. The Blacks owned several wineries and also had Oil companies they were super rich so maybe that's why Hunter and Austin always got away with breaking the rules in school. They also wore their uniforms when they feel like it, Andy and Cody included.
      Ashley lost her "most expensive shoes" according to her, I wonder who brings wedge heels along with them when camping, she was so upset about it that her two cousins Hunter and Austin turned it into a game of ultimate search and there was a prize for who ever found the shoes. I participated in the ultimate search with great enthusiasm, The shoes were found by Maddie in our tent in my bag according to her she wanted to borrow my lip balm cause her lips were chapped. ADRIoT GiRLS knew that Maddie doesn't use my lip balm because she doesn't like the brand, I knew Maddie didn't like me, I never figured out why, She threw me under the bus immediately and Ashley slapped me right across the face and called me a shoe theif, I have never been so embarrassed in my life, I couldn't defend myself but Max, Sondra and Steph were all on my side and kept supporting me. Until Hunter said he kept the shoes in my bag because he wanted to get back at Ashley  for something she did to him  and he didn't think anyone will search my bag, that didn't stop my tears, I had already called my Mom before that and she came immediately, and those were her words of consolation, ADRIoT GiRLS didn't talk to Maddie for weeks until I told them I had forgiven her. But, I don't think what Hunter said was true, because Maddie came to meet me and said: " I wonder why Hunter lied for you". So it was clear she wanted me to know that she framed me, but I still had the heart to forgive her maybe because I realized that Max really likes her and they clicked in a way that we didn't, Max was also the one that pestered me to forgive her.
     I sniffled, I was in the bathroom staring at myself in the mirror and drying my tears with toilet paper. I wondered how I would have taken it if someone else had told me about my parents divorce first, I can imagine how Maddie must be feeling but there is this dark side of me that kept saying she desevered worse than she is getting, I may have forgiven her for  how she framed me but I wasn't over it. I remember when Hunter forced Ashley to apologise for slapping me she refused and just called me a victim of circumstance, but he still made her apologize. Those were one of the moments that Hunter was on my side and saved me from being nicknamed the shoe theif. Other times he was an asshole to me.
      I still remembered that evening, it was raining and I hated raining days because crazy shit always happened, like when I first met Hunter, it was drizzling I was at Greenville park and was riding my bicycle against my mother's wish, I fell off my bike and  hurt my knee, Hunter, who was watching me the whole time bursted out into fits of laughter when I started crying he called me a wailing baby, I didn't know the meaning so I thought he said whale-ing, which meant to me that I was crying like a whale, that made me cry harder until Altagracia came to carry me and petted me. So my first impression of Hunter was that he was a big bad bully.
  That raining evening, I remember running into the house because I didn't want to get my hair wet, Mom, dad, Rivers and Abby were all sitted in the living room.
" Finally you are here" Abby said to me before turning to my parents "Can we start because I was busy with something important before you called me downstairs for some important news"
" Important news?" I took a sit beside Rivers, I glanced between mom and dad, something was off, my mom had this emotionless facade it made her look really mean and cold and dad,,,,, well dad just looked the same and acted the same like he always does.
" Your mother and I are getting a divorce"
Dad announced and I felt like my heart fell down to my stomach and shattered into pieces,
" Divorce? mom,what is happening?"
Abby's voice broke, I kept my arm around her.
I couldn't speak. Rivers rubbed my back I am sure that he already knew about this.
" You guys are like the power couple," Abby sobbed. " Today is not April fool's day, dad"
Abby was right my parents were the power couple, they didn't show any symptom of divorce like arguing a lot and yelling at each other, we still went on a family picnic last weekend.
" Your father cheated and he is leaving us to marry his pregnant secretary"
Mom said.
" Georgia don't make it sound like that"
Dad said in a warning tone.
For a moment I felt like the air I was breathing was choking me.
" Bullshit" I yelled and stood up.
" Dad tell Mom she is wrong and you didn't cheat" my lips trembled.
" He has nothing to say mija, I don't want  to hide anything from you kids anymore, he is leaving and he isn't even going to fight for your custody because he doesn't care or want you around"
Mom yelled, her emotionless facade was wearing out. I could tell she was upset and I can't even bring myself to digest all what she just said.
" That is not true I love you children but I know it will be best to stay with your mom, I'm trying to be understanding here" Dad said and I realised that my dad is full of shit and all crappy things.
Rivers was consoling Abby, who won't stop crying, she was nine and I was thirteen, we were freaking children.
I ran out of the house, under the rain I didn't stop running until I tripped and fell on the wet grass, I sat there and cried till the rain stopped, but I didn't stopped crying, I was drenched and sad. I hated everything.
" Aren't you too old to be crying out in the open?"
I looked up to see Hunter walking towards me, he dropped a face towel on my laps. I took it and dried my face.
He crouched down to meet my eyes with his electric blue ones.
" Crying doesn't suite you"
I hated him at that moment.
" What's wrong?" He asked.
" It is non of you business so back the fuck off"
My voice was weak.
He pulled me up. And I held his shoulders for support because my leg wobbled and I sneezed severally,
" How long have you been here?" I ignored his question and my eyes fell on his pink lips, they looked yummy and inviting and I needed a little distraction, I stood on the tip of my toes and pressed my lips against his, He froze and I felt him kiss me back but it was like in a second cause he pushed me black so I must have imagined him kissing back.
" Joey what is wrong with you?"
                                                                        
Principal Creamer: In life, we all tend to make bad choices, but it's okay to make bad choices because you can never be sure of what is going to work out for you. We have to be able to accept the fact that it's okay to suck at things, that, it's okay not to be okay........