Chapter Thirty:
“You must be happy it’s the weekend.” My mother said, scrubbing the kitchen table with furniture polish, acting pretty intently on this subject.
“Yeah, I guess.” I popped another piece of popcorn in my mouth, scrolling the channels of my T.V, hoping I’d see Criss Angel on one of the channels. I’ve always wondered if what he does actually works or if it’s all a big sham.
“Will you help me set up the decorations?” She asked hopeful that I was listening. I glanced in her direction, picking up on her hands crossed with one baring a pair of yellow cleaning cloves and a stare that matched her tone.
“For what?”
“The Valentines Party I’ve been planning for months in advance. It’s this Monday.”
“Wait, so we’re actually having it on Valentine’s Day? You don’t think that’s impractical?”
She gave me a grimaced look, apparently taken aback at my comment.
“Would you rather have it tomorrow?” She questioned, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips.
“Your pick.”
I returned to the T.V browsing, listening to see if my mother had made up her mind.
“Well it would be better for the Cain’s.” She remarked, turning around and wiping in a circular motion on the wooden table.
“The who’s?”
She turned back around, resting her back against the table and staring longingly at me.
“The Cain’s. You actually don’t remember your old friend from Elementary School?”
Besides the fact that it’s been like seven years since I’ve seen his face?
“When did they get back?” I asked, situating myself of the pale yellow sofa so I could see her better.
“Their moving back into their old house down the street in about a day or so. Main reason why we’re having the Valentine’s Day party, it’s a welcome back party as well.”
“Why are they coming back? I mean didn’t they like move to the coast for like a job promotion?” I asked.
The coast can be many things; one, people believe it’s more popular due to the rich businesses that bloomed there after the eighties, hence, the reasons why the Cain’s moved there. Two, the distance is inevitable; it’s like the distance from Tanner’s and my house times ten, which is one of the many reasons why I dislike the coast so, so much. Okay, I like to exaggerate sometimes; but regardless it’s far away from here. And lastly, the coast has many bordering beaches to the exotic city that will eventually run Tomas River County and Autumn Lake County out of population.
So it’s a threat.
“Yeah they did and something about the son being behind on his studies. Which by the way, I told Ashley that you’d study with Damon. She’s going to try to get you two in the same class this year so you can help him out.” My mom quoted Ashley, whom used to live across the street from us.
The Cain’s grown up with me, their daughter, Carrington, was extremely beautiful. She had the prettiest blond straight hair that I would kill for.
Even my straight hair gets frizzy in the summer.
She was awfully skinny as well and for some impractical reason, guys craved anorexic looking girls; or at least back in third grade; though it seems now that it sounds incredibly gross that guys would crave girls in the third grade. She was also in two grades lower than mine and I had the disadvantage of having their jerk of a son be in my grade. We used to have to share the same bus seat on our way to school each day when Carrington got to sit with all the older hence cooler kids in the back.
Though we did have some-supposedly-good times. Damon wasn’t the complete devil I made him out to be and Carrington wasn’t the complete know it all kid either. She had faults and Damon had rather you could say responsibility.
"How is he even going to attend Tomas River?" I asked.
"Apparently he did something and Autumn Lake doesn't want him."
Great, I'm teaching a delinquent.
“So what, I’m tutoring him now?” I asked my mom, a bit mad at her going behind my back and arranging this into my busy days.
“You bet Charlotte and you’re going to like it.”
Oh no, not again!
“Please tell me that this isn’t another way to get me a boyfriend! Mom you know I have Tanner.” I shrieked, throwing down the popcorn bag and standing up to look at her more intimidating.
“I have never once done that!”
“Benjamin Miller, Jace Murphy, Brandon Farmer and Josh Evener.” I listed on my fingers, knowing very well I was letting my mom off easy; there were about fourteen other names I didn’t list.
Her emotions showing on her face changed from challenging, mortified to grimaced in under five seconds apart.
“Well, how many ever worked?” She wondered to herself.
Ouch.
“That’s not my fault you pick these dependant grounded guys.”
“You rather me pick a rebellious guy?”
Yes.
“That’s not what I mean. You of all people want me to be grounded like the guys you pick. You want me to be going to a high paying collage and for awhile I wanted what you wanted; to be just like you.”
A bit more mean than I wanted.
I walked out of the room, chanting behind me that I was not going to be miss perfect everything like she always wanted me to be and then following my stride up the stairs and into my room.
I picked up my phone once I was settled in my fluffy layered bed, dialing Holly’s number to check on Andrew.
The simple fact that Holly hasn’t left the hospital since Friday means that she is completely attempting to prove to Andrew that he is it for her. Sure I feel bad for Holly and how she is taking this all but she also put this on herself.
It just shows how fast someone can make the hugest mistake and it shows how that one thing can ruin friendships built over years of disagreements and trust.
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