Jumbled Heartaches

Morning

The sound of an iPhone ringing rips me out of sleep. I groan softly, reaching for my phone.
I grab air.
I rub my eyes, opening them. Ian's back is the first thing I see. I sit up.
The sun is shining through the windows, gleaming into the pool.
Everyone starts sitting up. I see my phone sitting on my tank top on the floor between Ian and I's chairs. I grab it, my eyes blurring from sleep.
I blindly press answer and lay back down, shutting my eyes, resting my phone on the side of my head.
"Where the hell are you, Jennifer?" Dad yells. "I've got Ian's Aunt up here, the Ray's, and the fucking Clark's up here! All of them are looking for you guys, and nobody is answering the goddamn phone! So where the fuck are you!"
Like I said, my Dad can have some anger problems.
"Can I talk to Mom?" I ask.
"No." He says.
He gives her the phone anyways.
"Where are you sweetie? I'm worried."
"I'm out by the pool Mom."
"You went out there last night."
"Yes, and the guys met us out here and we were in the pool and we fell asleep."
"You're by the pool?" She asks.
"Yes."
"Well you guys need to come upstairs to your rooms and get ready for breakfast. Now."
"Okay."
We get off the phone. I pull my shirt over my head.
"We need to go get ready for breakfast." I say.
Everyone nods. We make our way upstairs. In the elevator, I rest my head back and close my eyes. I'm exhausted. I feel myself start to fall, and I feel arms grab me, steadying me.
"Are you okay?" Ian asks me.
He has his arms around me. His skin is soft and warm. He straights me up. I rub my eyes.
"Yeah." I say.
"Did you fall asleep just now?" Zoe asks.
I yawn, nodding.
The elevator dings and opens on my floor. It opens and we stand there, facing our parents.
"I hope you guys had a nice night." Ian's Aunt Amelia says, her arms folded. "Have you got any idea how worried I am?"
"You know what punishment is?" Mr. Clark says. "You get to stay in what you're wearing. All of you."
"It's like negative ten degrees outside, sir." Ian says.
"You should have though about that when you had me up all night and didn't answer the phone." His aunt says as she gets on the elevator.
It's not a choice.
Ian looks genuinely sorry.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Amelia. I didn't mean to make things harder."
"It's okay, just don't do it again."
Everyone gets on. They have our bags.
We make our way downstairs, and our parents check us out, and we go outside.
Immediately, I start shivering.
We get in cars and head to get breakfast.
Ignoring my parents protest, I change in the back seat. I put on black skinny jeans and a black push-up bra and a loose sweater. My jeans are high rise and they show off part of my stomach with the sweater. My Dad isn't looking because I told him not to.
I touch up my hair and straighten it out.
We're at the restaurant and I'm in the back seat leaning over the middle console, putting on makeup. I finish it and move to the back. I put on socks and my boots.
I grab my phone and get out.
They're all still in their ice cold clothes.
"Why did she get to change?" Zoe asks my parents.
"Because I don't want her to get sick." Mom says at the same time Dad says, "because she doesn't listen."
He's being really pissy today.
"Okay then..." Zoe looks at me. I shrug.
We go inside and get a table, and I'm seated between Ian and Zoe.
We get drinks and order our food.
My parents are sitting across from me.
"I'm sorry for being rude, Jennifer. It wasn't right and I should have had more patience." Dad says.
"It's okay Dad." I say. "Where do you live?" I ask Ian. Everyone Is talking amongst themselves.
"Gatlinburg." He says.
I study him.
"I'm an hour from there." I say.
"I know." He says.
We're both quiet.
"You know I'll probably never see you again after this, right?"
After this breakfast, we're going home.
He looks at me.
"Excuse me." He says. He gets up and walks to the bathroom.
What the hell?

Ian

It's not fair.
I lean against the sink, gripping it so hard that my knuckles are white.
I stare at myself in the mirror.
What is wrong with you?
Frustration sets in, and I want to punch something.
I don't know what to do.
I might never see her again after this, and why would she care? Zoe told me what she said yesterday. She doesn't like me.
I want to know everything about her, but she wants nothing to do with me.
I'm drawn to her presence.
I grit my teeth.
If this meal is the last time I ever see her, I'm not going to waste seconds standing here in the mirror.
I force my feelings aside and walk out of the bathroom, back to the table.
Everyone slightly eyes me.

Jenny

It's abundantly obvious that something is bothering Ian.
"Jenny, we need to talk about your schooling." Mom says.
I nod.
She takes a deep breath.
"You know Grandma and Grandpa live across the town." She says. I nod. "And Daddy and I have work in the mornings and we can't drive you. Which means you need to walk, and the only school close enough to walk is-"
"Jefferson County?" I say. She can see the horror on my face. "No."
"Honey, you need to graduate."
"I'm not going to JC. I will drop out first."
"Then go online, or go to JC."
"I can't do online school."
"All the other schools are too far." Mom says. "You're going to Jefferson County. You're just going to have to learn to stand up for yourself."
"No." I say, my voice rising slightly. "I can take a bus."
"Then pick another school in the county."
"I don't want any schools in the county." I say angrily.
"Well you can't go to SMBS. Do you want to find a normal boarding school?"
"Mom, I just want to be normal." I say.
"I know honey, I know, but you've only driven a few times and you haven't driven in snow. You can't get your license until you are completely comfort-"
"I'll drive home." I say.
The waiter puts the food down.
"Jenny, no, that's too far."
We're in Chattanooga, right outside of where Signal Mountain is.
It's around three hours from home.
"Let me do it." I say. "I can do it."
Mom looks at Dad.
He shrugs.
"I don't see a problem with it, Isabella." He says.
Mom looks hesitant.
"Fine." She says. "If you get your license before the fifth, what school do you want to go to?"
"The only school within a half hour that I haven't gone to is Cosby."
"That's where I go." Isaac says.
"Which means that's where Ian goes." Aunt Amelia says.
Mom sighs.
"See? I'll already have people there."
"Jenny, and Ian, no offense, but every time you mentioned Ian, it was about how much you dislike him." Mom says.
"Ouch." Ian says, rubbing over his heart.
"I haven't mentioned him since before I tried to kill myself." I say. "It's different now."
"I don't want you to be so far from home. What if somebody tries something? You can't run home from school, and I don't want you driving while crying."
"If something happens..." I hesitate. Shit.
"I'll take care of Jenny, Mrs. Scott." Ian says.
"Yeah, I'll just find Ian."
"What if you don't have lunch with anyone?"
I know Zoe will end up where I end up.
"I can't be in fear my whole life." I say.
"But you're afraid to go to JC." She says.
"I'm not afraid." I say. "I want a fresh start."
We're all eating and talking.
Mom sighs.
"Jenny, I will think about it. I'm not promising anything."
Dad winks at me.
I smile.
"Okay." I say.