the Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Chapter 3

Family dinners. I don't know what sucked more, the family part, or the dinner. Knowing my dad it was probably the latter. Since about a month ago when my parents 'separated', things had been weird. My Father was making a huge effort of keeping the family together, and that involved cooking burnt meatloaf, and having 'no secrets.'
Boy, did I have a lot of those. My friends didn't even know about the divorce, let alone about my mother. In hindsight the divorce really shouldn't be that hard to tell them, but Ivy was at sleepaway camp when it happened, and Piper and Ryan were feuding again. There was never really a right time for conversations like that.
"Hailey, please pass the sweet potatoes." I searched around for what my father called sweet potatoes, and lets just say I found none. Instead my father sighed and pointed to bowl of mangled orange things, not what I would call sweet potatoes.
I handed over the food disaster, heavily disgusted with the stench.

"Where's Katelyn?"Asked my father.
"She's at Sadie's," I answered.
Katelyn is my little sister, she's 12.
"Dad can you please never, ever step foot in a kitchen again." My older brother Josh mumbled, he was playing with his food. Again I say, think apes, but who could blame the kid. The lump of brown poo I was staring at was hardly food.
"I'm not that bad of a cook. Anyway, how was your first day of school?" My father looked between Josh and I.
I groaned, and Josh spoke first. He was the sporty kind of kid, he and this guy Ben practically ruled Benedict's athletic department. He looked like my father had back in the day. He had the boyish blonde hair, and the sparkly blue eyes.
My father now had salt and pepper hair, and his blue eyes had dimmed. His forehead was always etched with worry. My father and I weren't at a great place right now, and there was a reason I sided with my erratic mother. It seems as though I have and know more secrets than the entire bay area.
"School was great dad, Ben and I are both trying out for team captain this year. I think I can beat him though, although Ben has a good tackle. Also Ben and I are going to a party on Friday."
Ben this Ben that "Who's Ben, your boyfriend?" I asked as I grew tired of his name in ears. It was enough with Ivy being so madly in love with him, no need to add Josh to the mix.
Josh dropped his fork and glared, as I rolled my eyes.
"That's enough Hailey, anyway what about you, how was school?"
"It was fine. My classes are boringly easy, and Piper is trying out for cheer again. Ivy's still boy crazy, nothing new. Oh, I saw Mom, she really should talk to you guys."
Both Josh and my father looked at me wide eyed in surprise, more Josh though.

"Hailey, I thought we agreed not to see Mom for a while." Josh cried, he looked like a kicked puppy.
"You agreed I didn't."
Josh glared and I glared back, it was a full blown staring match before Dad intervene.
"Hailey, maybe Josh is right your should do well with some time to think about what she's done."
My father really struck a nerve at that point.
"You're one to talk Dad, you know I know what you did. You know absolutely nothing about Mom."
My father held my gaze "I intend to keep it that way Hailey."
"Fine, I'm going to Ivy's."
And with that I slammed the door feeling unnecessarily angry.

I ran over to Ivy's house, my expression was practically murderous. Ivy lived in a baby blue duplex, with a small porch leading to the door where, on the other side, looks like it came straight from a Vineyard Vines store. Her parents were so nice, it almost seemed like they were faking. She was the youngest of four brothers. Grant, Finn, and Carter were the perfect puzzle piece that fit into the most wholesome, all-american family. I wanted what they have, but not enough to wish for it. All three of them played football in the Fall, basketball in Spring, and swim team and lifeguards in the Summer. Ivy was also sports junkie straight from a television screen. Whether it was basketball, volleyball, or powderpuff football, she was there. Their dad was a prosecution lawyer, making snow angels in cash, and her mother was the stay-at-home-cougar-mom you wish you had until you had her. They were the poster children for upper-middle class Life & Home models from the shelf of a New England doctor's office.