Fishing for Revenge

Chapter 5

Fastforward six months to April. The golden age of my relationship with Michael was reaching its peak. We had not had a single fight; I kept my opinions to myself when I knew he'd disagree, and swallowed my snarky comments to his teasing. Cameron and Sydney completed our foursome, and slowly the other people in my life were shut out of our exclusive party. We didn't need anyone but each other. We were the fabric that kept Sydney together when her mother's condition got worse, and the net that reigned me back in when I became so angry at the injustice of Sherry's illness that I couldn't even breathe. 

April promised to be a busy month. The second week, Cameron and Michael would be gone on a trip with their math team, and the final week was the week of my ballet performance. The coveted Corsaire variation had still not been awarded, so I was knee-deep in rehearsals for both that and my Kitri variation, pressure mounting every day. Sore and tired became the norm for my body, and cranky was my default attitude. But my friends were forgiving and accepting, pulling me through. 

At lunch one early afternoon in the school library, the four of us were sitting together at a table, going over notes and chatting casually about nothing in particular when Michael invited me to dinner at his house.

"My parents are charmed by you every time they see you! They want a chance to interact with you a little more than usual," he said encouragingly. Making brief small talk before Michael and I watched a movie or left the house on a date was one thing,  but the prospect of an entire evening made my stomach clench uncomfortably. 

"Sure," I whispered back, hardly convincing myself. "I can do that." He chuckled quietly at my nervousness and kissed the top of my hair.

"Lily," he purred, "I love you, and they love me, so naturally they will love you. Relax!" I closed my eyes and nodded. "So I can count on you for tonight?" 

This time my "yes" was more emphatic and convincing, and I almost believed the night would run smoothly; the seed of my doubt had been shrunken considerably. 

When I arrived at his house that evening, I was immediately immersed into the controlled chaos that is dinner with his family. His three sisters took turns exclaiming over their joy at my presence, telling me little known facts about Michael they hoped would embarrass him, and preparing dinner. His mother wouldn't let me lift a finger, so I stood uncomfortably in the kitchen while Michael helped his family to prepare the meal. I had not been there five minutes before his mother found a way to make me panic.

"So Lily, what are your plans for the future?" A moment of stunned silence passed as I contemplated the different directions this question could go. "I mean, you're a beautiful dancer, but that won't last forever, if you make it at all."

Her words burned the backs of my eyes, threateningly close to my tear ducts. "You can't think like that and be a dancer," I answered her, gaining confidence as I spoke. "You have to put everything you have into dance. If you stop believing in yourself,  so will everyone else. When my dance career ends, I'll find something else. I may even double major, just in case."

"So you are planning on college, then?" I began to dread the rest of the evening as her questions continued to make the first fifteen minutes of the event painful. Michael finally interrupted our little tete-a-tete to say the table was set and all was ready, and I gratefully followed him into the dining room.

 The evening consisted of rapid debating and discussion between Michael and his parents about the future, politics, art, and the state of religion in our country, with occasional imput from his sisters. I struggled to keep up, never managed to contribute, and hardly ate a thing, too intimidated by the speed at which his family progressed through everything. Overwhelmed, I was all too relieved when the evening came to a close. As Michael walked me home, I couldn't help but breathe out a long sigh that had been storing itself inside of me the whole time I'd been sitting at his dining room table. 

"They like you, I think! You made a good impression!" he said excitedly.

"Michael...I got grilled by your mother, and was too frightened to contribute anything to the dinner conversation, and was basically ignored the rest of the night. Somehow I doubt your family is as approving as you think."

After a small pause he countered with "Ellie likes you. She thinks you're pretty." My heart sunk. 

"Why did they act that way? I've never felt so...unwelcome in my life."

He looked at me a very long time before speaking again, his eyes clouding with anger. "They're my family, Lily. They mean everything to me."

"Well they were horrible to me! I feel like tonight was their way of saying I am insignificant to them; I don't make an impact on their lives, or yours for that matter!" My voice started to gain a whiney edge, but I was fighting my tears too hard to try and control that aspect too.

"Don't be so dramatic," he said coldly. We had arrived at my door. "I hope the rest of your night is really excellent, Lily. Really. Enjoy. I'm going home to my cruel, mannerless family now. Goodnight." He stormed off the porch, leaving me shell-shocked, tears finally spilling over my lids. I quietly let myself in, and promptly cried myself to sleep. 

The next morning I woke up to the sound of my doorbell. It was only 6am, and I was still grumpy from the night before, so I stomped to the door in a most unladylike fashion. Scowl securely on my face, I wrenched open the front door, marveling that my parents were sleeping through all of the commotion. Michael was standing on my front porch, flowers in his hands and an apology on his face. 

"Hi," he whispered, his eyes flickering down to his shoes in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Lily. I really am. I'm sure they didn't mean to hurt you, but they were a little harsh. Just give it time, they'll come around! And I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Even if they don't think you make an impact on my life, you really do. You're very important to me Lily. I'm so sorry I got mad at you, defended their poor behavior."

My heart melted a little and I took the flowers from him, gave him a hug, then shooed him out the door so I could get ready for school. 

The rest of the week passed in a blink and soon it was time for Michael and Cameron to leave on their trip. Sydney and I accompanied them to the airport before heading out to a late brunch with her mother. She and Cameron were near inseparable, and began texting as soon as they were separated. I smiled, but Michael gave my hand a squeeze, said "See ya later!" and never looked back. Sherry gave me a significant look, the kind only moms can give, where you just know her brain is screaming "Really, honey? You could do better." I sighed and turned to the car to join an almost tearful Sydney. 

"They'll be home soon, sweetie," Sherry told her daughter, giving me a little wink. I smiled again, even more weakly, but the back of my mind and the pit of my stomach were telling me that Michael's return would be less than stellar. 

My phone buzzed. "I almost forgot-I love you, I miss you, I'll see you in a week!" read the text. I caught myself wondering how sincere it was, whether or not he would have sent it had Cameron not been sitting next to him proclaiming his undying love to my best friend.