Want a Kiss I'll Give You a Punch

Chapter 31: Trouble in Paradise

Dane 

Bermuda Triangle was brewing in the Nor Household this morning. 

Ashlyn was infuriated with Mike, Mike was pissed off at me and frustrated with Ashlyn, and I was annoyed with Mike. There was much swearing,  slamming of doors, and plenty of glares thrown across the room.

I do my best to stay away from drama and avoid any sort of confrontation, but after hearing how Mike offered bullshit of excuses to Ashlyn with no mention of Melody I felt obliged to do something- anything that would make up for my incompetent brother's inabilities.  

Mike's bitter laugh resonated off the empty, acoustic walls of the hall leading to the living room. "You are impossible." 

Their arguing could be heard from the kitchen, and with elbows down and head propped up against the granite countertops I groaned and wished for the end. Today was Thanksgiving, and there was ironically nothing to be thankful for. 

If I asked for drama, I would have camped out in my high school or stayed at my mother's house. 

The ideal weekend getaway was turning into a hell hole bit by bit, and the prospect of being a personal mediator between Mike and Ashlyn was growing into my future. 

For the first time in forever, returning to school after the break has become more and more appealing.

"Stop talking to me if all you're going to offer are excuses," Ashlyn snapped back in response, her voice equally as sharp as Mike's signature bitter tone. The thundering crash of the door ended the conversation, and the storm of Mike's feet passing the kitchen caught my attention.

A portion of brown hair flopped over his forehead, shadowing his green eyes into a stormy emerald. With scowling lips, he huffed impatiently and cracked his neck to the side the second he swore under his breath. 

Intimidating. 

Mike always was when he was upset, but not once did he look at me. As if I was transparent, he marched by and slammed his own bedroom door shut, the sound echoing loud and clear across the spacious, cold, marble interior of this mad house.

How had I not seen through this 'couple' act before? It was appalling transparent how they were polar opposites and did not belong with one another.  

I tend to be blind, I suppose. It explained how I didn't see that Jacquelyn and I would never work out to be anything more but friends.

Everything added together- Mike and Ashlyn, my mother, and Jaquelyn- left my lips in the form of a light scoff, which soon followed with a hefty sigh. The ingredients piled on the kitchen island that was needed to make a stunning Thanksgiving dinner looked more tedious than I last remembered. They joy of preparation and having family and friends gathered at the table was non-existent- like I never enjoyed cooking in the first place. 

After washing up my hands and swiping up a cloth to pat my hands dry, I sighed again and leaned against the counter and messed with the folds of the cloth between my fingertips.

The empty pie pan behind me scraped the counter when I leaned further back.  

I love pies. 

Jacquelyn's sweet voice came out from nowhere, and the memories of her cheerful giggles and radiating smiles haunted me. It left me sick to my stomach, wishing that there wouldn't have to be a pang in my heart every second she crossed my mind.

It would have been much better to have left it the way it was: friends. It was all we ever were, and it was all that we ever could be. It was foolish to think that we could have been any more, and I, unfortunately, learned my lesson too late.