The Letters To Her Heart

Chapter 12: The Unknown

"How was your first day back dear?" Aunt Dar asked as I walked through the front door.

"It was... interesting." I shrugged my shoulders.

"How so?" She was suddenly intrigued and leaned on the island in the kitchen.

"Well let's just say the person who I thought was my piece of forever is someone else's now." I stuffed my hands into my jean pockets and rocked back and forth on my feet.

"Oh no Marissa, he'll come around, I know he will." Aunt Dar wrapped her arms around me then.

"I think you should visit the Greer home, at least say hello to Mrs. Greer. She would love to see you again." Aunt Dar stood with her hands on her hips, when she did this move there was no getting past her.

"Fine, I'll go pick up some muffins from the corner store and greet her with my all my love." I rolled my eyes and picked my bag up off the ground and slinging it onto my shoulder.

"Be nice!" Aunt Dar shouted just before I shut the door.

"Yeah, yeah." I yelled back, jumping off the porch steps and into the muddy driveway.

I rode my bike to the corner store and picked up a box of six blueberry muffins, my mother's favorite.

"Hey Marissa, it's nice seeing you out and about and back in town!" Mr. Grout, the store owner said from behind the counter, stocking up on the cigarettes.

"Yeah, I'm just going to visit a family friend." I smiled, handing him the cash. I wasn't here to make small talk about my tragic life anymore.

"You have a good day." He handed me my receipt and I waved goodbye.

I held the bag and rode my bike one handed down to the Greer home. Gosh, I hope I get something good out of this.

I ditched my bike on their beautiful lawn and walked up the porch steps carefully, not wanting to embarrassing myself as I drop the muffins and I face plant on my ex's porch. I slowly approached the door, hesitant to hit the doorbell. I squeezed my eyes shut and just hit the doorbell with my pointer finger. I heard movement inside the house so I knew I couldn't ding dong ditch without getting caught. I had a million butterflies in my stomach but I had this little voice inside of me telling me it was going to be okay. I opened my eyes when the door opened with Cassandra's face lit up like Jack-o-lantern.

"Oh goodness! You're back!" She brought me into a forceful hug and I could feel my lungs begging for help. I gently pushed her off of me.

"These are for you and your family, as a thank you." I held out the bag of muffins which she gleefully took, welcoming me into her home.

"Cole didn't say anything about your return at school today, hmm." She said, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"Really? That's weird." I agreed.

"Want one?" She asked, opening the box of muffins.

"You don't mind?" I asked.

"You brought them silly, have a seat. I'll get us some plates." I took a seat at the kitchen table while she shuffled around the kitchen for small dessert plates.

"Is Cole home?" I asked, my confidence coming back slowly.

"Oh yes, him and a school friend are upstairs... Rebecca I think is her name." Cassandra set the plates down in front of me and I felt my stomach drop with all hope gone.

"Oh." I acted like it wasn't a big deal and grabbed a muffin from the box and eating it over the plate. I really shouldn't of got the big muffins, now I have to eat this ladylike without rushing when I so badly wanted to run far far away from here.

"So what caused you to return here?" Cassandra asked, actually curious. That's what I always like about this woman, she always cared. She never faked cared, she always genuinely cared about me and that means a lot to me.

"My Uncle's job moved here." I explained.

"It all kind of just worked out in the end." I shrugged my shoulders, cracking a smile since I walked into here.

"Except for one part..." I whispered, moving the plate of crumbs in front of me.

"What's that?" She caught me off guard then, I hadn't think she heard me.

"Oh, nothing." I laughed, internally screaming at myself for saying anything at all.

We were interrupted then by the footsteps of Cole. 

"Hey mom, can-?" He stopped in his tracks immediately as we made eye contact.

"Marissa, I didn't know you were here." He looked to his mother then for some answers.

"She just came to visit me as a thank you." Mrs. Greer grabbed our dishes and dashed to the sink, leaving us in awkward silence.

"I was just leaving." I stood up, biting my lip.

"You don't have to leave dear, how about you stay for dinner?" Cassandra asked all so politely and I once again, was internally screaming.

"Yeah, stay and catch up." Cole's words surprised me.

"Wait what?" I whispered-yelled.

"Yeah, I mean do you have other plans?" He teased.

"No, No I don't. Don't you already have company?" I asked, pointing to a quiet Rebecca on the stairs.

"Cole, what's keeping you so long?" Rebecca stared at me from the top of the stairs with a gleam in her eye that could kill me.

She sauntered down the stairs then and wrapped her arms around Cole and kissed his neck, right in front of me. Who does she think she is? That's my man!

"Nice to see you come back out of complete nowhere." Rebecca's voice was salty. She didn't want me here and that was very evident.

"Oh Cole, what were you going to ask me?" Cassandra asked.

"I was going to ask if Rebecca could stay for dinner but you already invited..." He continued and I wished he hadn't brought my name into the conversation.

"One extra plate won't matter, the more the merrier!" Cassandra was delighted to have another guest stay for dinner. She enjoyed cooking for others and offering her hospitality.

"I actually told my Aunt I'd be home for dinner, thanks for the offer though." I kindly excused myself out of the chamber of awkwardness and got on my bike as fast as I could.

I was gone before anyone could stop me.