Sinking Through the Cracks

Horrible Situations

I answer the door and am greeted by Anthony's smiling face.  
"You ready?"
"Depends if you mean, am I ready to go, or if I'm ready to do this?"
"Both?" he says, chuckling.  
"Um.... Hang on," and I bound to the kitchen.  I come back into the entry way clutching the bottom of the cake container.

"Jeez.  You didn't have to bake a cake!" he says, smiling.  I pout before handing it to him and grabbing a black hoodie.  I'm about to pull it over my shoulders when Anthony says,

"You should take off the weird sleeves.  You don't need them."
I freeze, scared.  His family will think that I'm crazy, but I pull off the shrug and quickly replace it with my hoodie.  I grab my large, cloth, black purse and we leave the house, locking it behind me.  I get in his car and we make our way toward his house.  As we park in the driveway, my heart starts racing.  What if they don't like me?  What if they judge me for my cuts?  What if they hate me and they tell Anthony to break up with me?  All of these questions are rushing through my mind as I open the dor to the car and step out into the already dark night.  Anthony comes around to my side of the car and wraps his arms around my waist.  He bends his head down and kisses the top of my head, and I suddenly feel some of the nervousness in side me disappear.  Maybe, if he still loves me, it won't matter what his parents think.  He takes the cake tray in one hand and grabs one of my hands in his free one.  He grips it tightly until we reach the front door.  He releases it and puts his hand on the doorknob.

"Just... Just prepare yourself.  They're a little... insane," he says, before twisting it and pushing it open.  I'm greeted by light and a sudden rush of warmth as I see two boys wrestling in a ball, rolling down the hall.  Then I hear his mom,

"Boys!  Anthony is going to be back any second!  Behave!"  and both of the boys separate, swishing the air around their heads.  
"BEEHIVE!!!" they shout, and I laugh, already loving his family because his brother just made a Nanny McPhee reference.  I cover my smile and I glance at Anthony who shakes his head and smiles.  I remove my coat and put it on a chair  as I follow him inside to the living room where his Dad is sitting.

"Dad, this is Ally,"  Anthony says, and his Dad extends his hand.  I shake it and feel nervous, hoping that he didn't notice my scars or the shaking in my hand.  He smiles warmly and I try to smile back, but I worry that it came across as a sort of weird grimace.  

"Your mom is in the kitchen," he says, and Anthony nods.  We both head in that direction and we have to jump over the boys who resumed wrestling.  I walk into the kitchen, laughing, but the lighthearted feeling that just possessed me exasperates.  

A woman, who had been leaning over the stove, turns to face us.  She has silky, black, hair, the same as Anthony's.  Her face is kind, warm, and now I know why it's familiar.  His mother is Fran, the woman who traced a snake on my arm, the woman who has a bird tattoo on her arm.  We stare at each other for a second before Anthony tries to introduce me, obviously noticing the sudden tension. 

"Ally, this is my mom, Franny." he says.  I bite my lip, ready to cry.  I want to leave the house, run from the room, down the streets, and die in a hole.  Franny just stares back at me, her mouth open slightly.  What is she thinking?  She's probably thinking about how Anthony could do so much better than a damaged freak like me.  The truth is that he could.  If he had never become friends with me, he could have Ruby as a girlfriend and be captain of the football team.  He could be the king of the school, but because of me, he's hated by everyone.  

I take quick, shallow breathes, my heart racing.  We're still staring at each other.  How could I have not made the connection before?  She and Anthony look so alike.  He probably made the stencils...  My heart feels like it's about to fall out of my chest and Anthony keeps looking from me to his mom.  She's makes eye contact with him, and I drop my eyes to my shoes.  

"Well," she begins, "this is an odd coincidence."
"What is?" he asks.  Instead of responding, she looks at me.  I feel her eyes burning into my skull. 
"Alice, would you prefer for me to tell Anthony?" she asks, her voice soft and gentle.  I don't move, afraid.
"Antony, the new girl that I met with is your girlfriend," she says, in a matter of fact sort of tone. 
"Oh..." is all he says.  I hate myself.  I see Anthony's arm move out of the corner of my eye, and I can tell that he places it on the back of his neck, not sure what to say.

"I should just go," I say, turning toward the door.  I quickly walk from the situation, feeling horrible inside.    I hear Anthony behind me, calling my name.  I make it outside before he grabs my arm.

"Ally, wait." he says.  I turn and face him, staring at my shoes again.
"It'll be fine.  My mom already said how much she liked you when she first met you.  Please come back inside."  I shake my head,
"Anthony, this is so weird.  It's just so awkward."
"But we're weird.  You're weird.  You have a pet snake.  I'm weird, I have two pet brothers and a room that I decorate with my own crappy artwork that you seem to enjoy.  We are both soooooo weird that it'll be totally fine."  I stare at my shoes, still not convinced.
"I have a new artwork book that you can look at, if you come inside," he says, trying to make a deal.  He wraps his arms around my waist, making me feel small, and I breathe in his cologne, resting my head on his chest.  
"Everything will be okay," he repeats.
"Promise?" I say childishly.  
"Promise," he says, and he kisses the top of my head.  He keeps one arm around my waist as we walk back inside.  We re-enter the kitchen and Franny smiles at me, trying to recover from the akwardness a few minutes ago.  She calls for the boys to come to the table and we all sit down.  Anthony pulls out my chair and I sit down.  He goes to sit down on my left, but one of his little brothers takes it.  He shakes his head and goes for my right when the other one steals it.  They both smile at me and I smile back, raising my eyebrows.  
"I think that I should get to sit next to my girlfriend," he says, exasperated, "so Finn" he says, lifting the boy on my right, " you can sit next to Jake."  He drops Finn into the seat next to Jake and sits next to me.  His parents join the table and we all serve oursleves.  The table is silent for a few minutes other than the sound of silverware on plates.  The akwardness is so thick in the room that you could practically touch it when Jake pipes up,
"So are you two getting married?"  Anthony and his parents laugh, and I join in, but then I turn to Anthony, raising my eyebrows with a smile.  
"Not yet," Anthony says.
"Well, when?  I'm a busy guy," Finn syas, and we all continue laughing.  I take a deep breath and hope that maybe the night can continue to be this good.