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Chapter 23: The Truth Comes Out

"So Mr. Danner just brought Ivory over and forced you guys to be partners?" Scarlett questioned me over FaceTime.

"Basically." I ran my fingers through my hair. "I didn't get any choice in the matter, obviously. It's going to be a long week."

Scarlett shuffled off-screen for a second and returned with a bowl of popcorn. "I don't know, I think this could be a good thing."

I snorted. "How?"

"Well, you're going to have to talk to each other in order to work on a project, so the silent treatment is over." She shrugged. "And what better way to rekindle a friendship than through discussions of Leonardo DiCaprio?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's Romeo and Juliet the play, not the movie, idiot."

"I know that," Scarlett insisted. "But watching the movie could be considered part of your research, right?"

"I guess." I heard the front door slam, which signalled that my mom was home from work. "I gotta go. Talk to you later?"

"Yup. Bye!" Scarlett waved and I ended the call.

I hopped down the stairs from my room to the main floor. My mom was kicking off her high heels and making her way to the couch, where she collapsed with a sigh.

"Busy day at work, mom?" I asked, flopping on the couch beside her.

She nodded. "You have no idea. My new boss is a slave driver."

I smiled at her sympathetically. "Poor mom. Do you want some tea or something?"

"That would be great, honey, thank you," my mom replied gratefully.

As I walked to the kitchen, I remembered mine and Ivory's discussion when I slept over so many nights ago. She had confided in me about her mom's condition, and asked if I was close with my mom. A few weeks ago, I probably wouldn't have even left my room to greet my mom after work, let alone offer to make her tea. Now, however, I was making a conscious effort to not take my mom for granted.

I still hadn't met Ivory's mom, and I wondered now if I ever would, or if I had screwed up too much to ever be invited over again. As much as I wanted to think that Ivory was the forgive-and-forget kind of girl, I had a feeling our friendship would never be the same as it once was. Even if Ivory was willing to be friends again, she'd probably never trust me.

When the hot water was ready, I selected a tea bag at random from our selection and brought it out to my mom. We sat in silence for a few blissful moments; she was sipping her tea, and I was staring at the carpet.

"Mom," I began, interrupting the silence. She looked at me, surprised I was starting up a conversation. "Let's say I made a mistake, a really big mistake, and all my friends hate me."

"Honey, I'm sure that not all of your friends hate you. And if you're talking about Aubrey and Sacha and whatever that blonde one's name is, well, they weren't good friends for you. From what you've said about Ivory, she seems like such a great girl and you should be thankful for what friends you have and focus on keeping those friendships and strengthening them instead of chasing after people who will never accept you for who you are."

If only my mom knew that that was the exact opposite of what I had done.

"Why couldn't you have given me that advice a week ago?" I slammed my head into the pillow next to me. "It's too late for that, mom. Ivory's the one who hates me."

My mom gasped, probably horrified that I had chased away the only one of my friends she ever approved of. "And how on earth did you do that?"

"Let's just say it involved a hot guy, that blonde girl you can never remember the name of, and a girl in an olive costume."