New Life

Chapter 5

     "Hello mother and father," I greeted my parents with a stoic face. My father's smile dimmed when he saw me.
     "Hello Angelina," my mother greeted back. She pulled me into a hallway. "Why are you so late? I specifically told your P.A. nine o'clock! You really should get rid of her!" She said just a little over a whisper.
     "You have no say as to who I hire as my employees," I said through gritted teeth. Suddenly, her palm came in contact with my face. I rested my hand on my throbbing cheek.
     "I didn't raise you to talk back to me, you ungrateful brat," she spat. I must've lost my mind or something because I laughed. I kept laughing and I couldn't stop. I laughed until there were tears in my eyes.
     "You didn't raise me," I scoffed. I glared at her. She didn't look the slightest bit ashamed.
     "I paid for what you ate, what you wore, and all your leisures," she raised her chin in a haughty manner.
     "I paid you back all that money and more," I replied, "if that's all you wanted to discuss, then I'll be on my way now." I walked away to find Luke. I found Luke downing drinks at the bar table. I sat down next to him.
     "Did you see your parents?" He asked as I sat down.
     "Unfortunately," I sighed, "how 'bout you?"
     "Yup," he said popping the p, "well at least you didn't run into you-know-who yet."
     "Don't jinx it!" I scolded.
     "Angelina," I'd recognize his voice anywhere.
     "Mr. Brooks," I greeted him formally. Rachel was hanging onto his arm at his side. I disregarded her.
     "Why, hello Angelina," Rachel greeted.
     "Mrs. Brooks, I do not appreciate how rude you are being. I do not remember us being close enough to call each other by each other's first name," I scoffed. She glared at me. I grabbed my clutch. "Let's go, Luke. It's seems we have over stayed our welcome," I said still looking at Nathaniel and Rachel, "if we were even welcome in the first place." I grabbed Luke's arm and walked out. A hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I turned to face Nathaniel. "Yes, Mr. Brooks?" I looked at him. His face showed no emotion, but his eyes showed that he was conflicted.
     "You are a mistake," was all he said. I pulled my wrist out of his grasp.
     "Thank you for reminding me," I said sarcastically, "I almost forgot." I sashayed back to Luke feeling Nathanael's glare on me.
     We walked to Lucas' car. I wiped the tears that were falling down my face. I let out a loud sob that I have been holding in for a long time. All my old wounds, the ones that I thought were healed, reopened. I sat in Lucas' car just crying. Crying about Nathaniel, about Quinn, about my parents, about Luke, about his parents, and about me. I vowed to be stronger. I vowed not to cry, but I was a coward. Crying was only thing that I could do.
     "We should've never came," Luke sighed. I just cried.