He stood for everything she was against and he wouldn't be caught dead befriending someone like her, but when the worst happens and they find themselves in a similar situation, only then will they realize they need each other to discover the anatomy...
Caleb left, taking my car again, and promising he'd bring it back the next day. Promising he'd be back, as if I needed him to come back. I just needed my damn car.
I didn't sleep too long before I was awoken by Maria's footsteps pattering down the hallway at six in the morning. Groggily, I got out of bed and poked my head into her bedroom. She was fully dressed in another one of her flowery numbers, standing in front of an open suitcase on her bed.
"Going somewhere?" I asked her.
"They shut off our water again," she said as she threw some of her clothes into the small bag. "I'm going to stay with Lacey for a few days."
Damn.
My eyes flicked to the clock mounted above her bed and she answered before I could ask the question.
"I have rehearsal at eight so I need time to shower and get ready. Lacey's already on her way here so I have to hurry."
"Okay." I nodded at her. "And dad?"
Maria stilled her slightly frantic packing, before giving me a loaded look. "He said he'll be gone. Traveling."
"Traveling?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"That's what he said." She shrugged and continued to flutter about the room like a hummingbird, not offering anymore explanations.
I left her and walked to dad's room, knocking on the door.
"Come in."
My father was standing by his beat up dresser, his wire-rimmed glasses perched on his large nose, studying something written in the notebook in his hands.
"Hey, dad. Maria told me about the water. I'll get you the cash." Somehow, I added silently.
"Don't worry about it. I'll get it. I'm going away for a few days." He looked up from the book in his hand and smiled at me. Like my sister, he had a traveling bag full of clothes sitting on his bed.
"You're leaving? In your condition, dad?"
"I'm feeling so much better. And it's a business trip. All expenses paid. This company wants me to check their books and this could just be what we need to get out of this rut." He seemed so excited, but I couldn't help the look of doubt I gave him.
"And you're sure you'll be fine?"
"Don't worry about your old man. Do you have somewhere to go? Jasper's?"
He threw his name out so casually, but I knew he was still wondering if our relationship was truly over. I couldn't bring myself to say so. If I did, then I'd obliterate the last deadly ounce of hope I still held on to.
"I...yeah. I'll stay with someone, but dad..."
"I don't want to hear it, okay? We'll be fine." And he really did look 'fine.' He was walking around his room, gathering his things. Walking as if nothing hurt. He was wearing the stupid sweater mom had gotten him for Christmas once. Bright yellow with a dime sized hot sauce stain right in the center, where his bellybutton was. His favorite sweater.
I relented. My father was far more stubborn than I was and I was too tired to fight him on this. So, I gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked out of his room, crawled up the stairs and past Maria's open door, and dove head first onto my bed, from which I didn't move until the sun was well on its way westward.
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