Summer's Winter

Chapter 15 - Anise

Again, it is a few weeks before Math Count rosters will be announced and today was the worst day of my life. I have to go to the Falters for dinner. I don't have a grudge against Amy and Victor, I have a grudge against Tucker. I helped him a lot, I fixed him, I'm nice to him. He paid it back by not trying to understand me and made fun of my mom. 

Oh yeah, great news. My mom is paying for my braces in full tomorrow. I understand why people call me fish face behind my back. My teeth are so bad that my face doesn't have that ideal structure. I think braces will look good on me. 

I look in the mirror. I'm wearing a dress. I'm going out of my comfort zone. I only wear this dress on special occasions. I don't think going to the Falters is special though. I'm still mad at Tucker. I still haven't told my mom about anything he said. Janella hyped me up through the phone. I giggled at her chant. 

Janella used to embarrass me with her chants in 8th grade. I'm used to it now. It was unbearable at first. Hey, Janella is my first friend I made in 8th grade and she is my ride-or-die sister. When someone is so annoying, they eventually get less annoying and more fun. After she chants she pauses. 

"Anise, don't give Tucker your attention. If he wants to talk, go ahead and say how you feel. Just don't cry and make yourself embarrassed." Janella said. 

"Alright, I will go now. Bye." I said

"Bye," She said with a goofy tone and ended the call. 

I laughed. I head out the door of my house with my mother. Here I am on Tucker's porch holding white tulips. I remember the days when I always used to hold white tulips on his porch waiting for him to open the doors so I could see his beautiful eyes. Not today. I gave the white tulips to my mother and rang the doorbell for her instead. 

Amy and Victor greeted me and my mother at the door. Tucker wasn't there. Good. I didn't want to see him anyway. Tucker went downstairs suddenly. I look in the other direction not giving him my attention. I think he seems to notice that my mom is holding the white tulips instead of me. I look somewhere else but not Tucker. 

The parents went to the dining room to set stuff up for dinner. I look around the place. Amazing decoration again. It was more cleaner than the last time I came in and Tucker gave me a glass of water. I gulped. That memory terrified me. 

I was still at the entrance. I crossed my arms. Tucker came closer to me. He is going closer to me! Shit. He tapped me with his fingers on my arms. I look straight at him. I'm not happy to see him. I broke Janella's rule. I need to shift my attention somewhere else as soon as possible. I turned around and walked to the dining table. 

"WAIT," Tucker said in a cold demanding tone.

"What" I said even colder.

I turned around and was forced to see his eyes. His eyes stabbed me in the heart. I shield myself with my arms crossed. 

He pauses for a moment.

"Can you help me with my math homework? I am struggling with special triangles." He said with a deep cold tone. 

I didn't smile or want to help him this time. I look at him with a blank expression. 

"No," I said and walked to the dining room. 

I think he has the motive now. I don't want to talk to him. I don't want anything with him anymore. He stares at me during dinner, I eat the steak and potatoes. I love steak and potatoes. They are always good. Tucker sat next to me. I didn't want to touch him or acknowledge that he was there. 

"Thanks for the steak and potatoes, Mrs. Falter. It's my favorite" I said. 

When I said that Tucker looked at me all weirdly. 

"Oh, it's Tucker's favorite too!" Amy said. 

Tucker was still looking at me I swear. I look down at the plate. I see the steak and the potatoes. Does he have the same favorite dish? Ugh. Today couldn't get worse. 

"Well, they aren't my favorite anymore," I muttered to myself. 

I barely ate. I lost my appetite. Tucker's presence is killing me. I see the glass of water. I just wanted to throw it right in his face. I see the white tulips in the entrance, I want to grab them and cut them into pieces. I can't, I'm only here because I want to see my mom happy. My mom is happily talking with the Falters. 

I got up and went to the restroom. I closed the door and locked myself in. I splashed myself with water from the sink. I dried myself up. I look in the mirror. I hate this already. Bring me home. I opened the restroom door. Tucker was standing outside. He looked at me. I adjusted my eye contact to the dining room. 

"You didn't eat," He said with a cold voice. 

"It's fine," I said. 

"No, it's not. Look at me Anise." Tucker said in a cold demanding tone. 

I look at him for a second. I can't even look at him the same anymore. 

"Why did you stop eating, helping me with my homework, and not holding the flower?" He said. 

I paused and looked at him in a cold and angry mood.

"Because it was about me wasn't it?" He said coldly. 

He stared at me with his piercing eyes. I don't want to answer. 

"It has always been you. Someone overheard your conversation in your history class with Scott. They told me everything." I said and my expression was blank. 

Tucker looked at me with a guilty look. 

"I know you talked shit about my mom. Well just a fyi and a head up, this dinner we are celebrating her promotion as a venture capitalist and her first 3 million." I said with a harsh tone.

Tucker sighed and stared at me with his cold piercing silver eyes. 

"I know. I didn't know your mom worked two jobs and I didn't know you guys have something against your dad. I'm sorry." Tucker said.

"Zip it. I don't want anything to do with you. Ever" I said and walked back to the dining hall. 

Dining with the Falters was over and I got to go home. My mother shined a smile on her face. 

"Amy Falter is so nice!" My mother said. 

"Yeah, she is," I said. 

I opened the doors for my mom and I went upstairs to get a good shower.