Love Triangle

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

By the time Kent brought me back home, it was starting to turn night out. Per usual, mom was no where in sight. I tried very hard not to think about dad and how he used to welcome me home with extended arms and the brightest of smiles. Some days are easier than others. Some nights are harder than others. After spending such a great day with an old friend, it felt treacherous from life to come home to an empty house. Sometimes I wished we moved far away from here. Far away from the cracked wall in which my dad hung our family portrait to cover it. Far away from the permanent stains on the countertops where dad tried to bleach out the coffee stain from mom's brand new tablecloth. Far away from all these memories once funny that now seemed so sour. Damp in the air. Recorded in time forever. Recorded in this house forever. Despite all of it, this house still felt like home. This house still felt like dad lived in it at times. It was the closest link I had to my father. He had loved this house more than the one he had once grew up in. This house represented love and family. At the end of the day, I couldn't even blame the house for making me feel the immense sadness crowding in my chest. A house was a house. A house was home. A home was a house. But maybe it is true that sometimes people are more home than a house. Dad was home. This house was his home. And so it is mine.

The following morning, the house felt lighter than it had since my dad's passing. I think it was largely due to me releasing some of my former resentment towards it.

I made my way to my chemistry class with a lighter chest and a set of brighter thoughts. Of course, my good mood did not last long as I remembered - once seated - that I had to confront Cook. The guy in person walked in right when the last bell rang out and with the company of Ash, my yesterday absent lab partner. It would not have been a shock to see both of them together entering the classroom. No. That was no shock. The shock was the state in which Ashton appeared in. His left eye was slightly swollen and his face had a beaten expression to it. I was filled with horror. This couldn't be? I thought. I mean he wouldn't have gotten into a fight with Kent? Surely not? The two of them were... nice and not actively getting into trouble. They weren't no Cook Atwood that's for sure. So what the hell is going on?

Ashton rushed over and took his seat next to me. He smiled at me.

"Missed me?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow. How original of him. I had to admit that I was quite relieved that his state did not change his demeanor as much. He seemed still at eased and his goofy self. I did not know him much. True. I did not appreciate his lack of team effort. True. But there are much worse lab partners and much meaner lab partners out there than him. Also very true.

After attendance was done, we were allowed to start working in our respected teams. It was my chance to finally figure out what had happened to Ashton and to Kent since he was not too chatty about the whole my-face-looks-like-a-beaten-tomato yesterday.

"Where were you yesterday? What happened to your face?" I asked in a rapid fire to Ashton.

He chuckled. "No how are you feeling? I'm glad to see you?"

I gave him a pointed look and he rolled his eyes; obviously some part of me strangely cared about his well being...