Without Words

14- Hot Chocolate

I fidgeted on my sit as I saw the familiar car parked in the driveway.

"Maybe you can drive me at Katelyn's again." I suggested quietly. "I forgot its Thursday."

After my two hour crying fiesta at my studio, I was able to calm down and then freshen up before I go back at the house. Dan and I were quiet the whole ride. I didn't know what to say or how to act after I let him see that pitiful state of me. I was so used of bottling up my feelings and keeping it controlled but when the bottle would wrench its way open, it's like a dam has burst and I couldn't stop.

"Why?" He saw the car and recognition lit in his eyes. "You don't like Andy and Sophie?"

"No." I quickly answered, afraid that he might tell it to mom and Matt and there would be another confrontation. "They have dinners on Thursdays and Fridays. They know I come home late on those days."

If looks can burn, the house would be in ashes right now. He changed direction and we headed towards his own house. "You're staying here with me."

"It's fine, Dan." I pleaded, not wanting to impose and make everything uncomfortable again. "Just leave me at Katelyn's. It's movie night for them tonight so it would be a while."

He whipped his head fast and it seemed like smoke was coming out of his nose in anger. "Is this a regular thing?"

I looked down, not sure if I feel ashamed for my family or embarrassed for myself. "I don't want to intrude."

"And they made you feel that way? Be an intruder at your own home, at your own family?" I wasn't sure too if he was angry at my situation or my family's callous treatment.

It was my turn to be silent as he took out his keys and led me inside his home. I scanned the area and a small smile lit my face as we entered. "Claudia's doing?"

He groaned in frustration. "Mom never changes."

Her mom, Claudia, is the most eccentric person I knew as a kid. One minute, she acts as the flawless and graceful Claudia Monroe, businesswoman slash author slash wife of the famous lawyer, Devon Monroe. Then in a flash, she turns into this fun mom slash neighbor who let us climb trees, trail mud all over the house, overdose on sugar and let us watch Saw on a school night. If I remember correctly, she was the first person who gave me the birds and bees talk when I was ten years old. She was so full of personality that Devon couldn't handle it and just let her get her way- that included designing their house.

From where we're standing, the living room has the biggest peach couch I have ever seen and cornering it are antique wooden armchairs with red velvet pillow cases resting on them. For some reason, there were purple feathered boas draped around the beaded lamps at the corner. There was a bright pink fur rag in front of the couch and a coffee table that literally looked like a box, a wooden box at the center of the living room furniture. The weirdest or perhaps the funniest thing ever was a large framed picture just above the fireplace of dogs playing poker but instead, their heads were edited and replaced with the faces of the Monroe family.

"Please tell me that's your annual family picture tradition." I stifled back a laugh and Dan whipped me a scowl. "Oh, come on, they were supposed to be pugs right? And look at you, so adorable."

He rolled his eyes but I saw a hint of smile just before he headed to the opposite direction. "Kitchen this way. Let's get something to eat."

"Should I expect your faces on a basket of fruits?"

"That was two years ago."

I was laughing the whole way to the kitchen. "Professor Hart gave me a project of having a human subject conveying various emotions for my next painting. I think you just gave me inspiration."