Not What it Seems

Chapter Sixteen

~Jane~

"Where are we going?" I asked Cash as we drove out of the school parking lot. "And whose car is this?"

He grinned. "It's my Mom's car. I asked if I could use it because we have soccer tryouts later today, and I'll be a captain next year, so I'm gonna stay late and help out." I grinned.

"You must be excited about that," I said, and he nodded.

"Very. Ever since I was a freshman, it's been a dream of mine to captain the varsity team. The captain is always so well respected. He calls the shots, calls the plays, takes the team to victory. I've been waiting for this for a long time."

I reached over and took his hand. "Well, I'm very happy for you," I said honestly and he smiled over at me. "Where are we going?"

"To the lake." I grinned.

"Do we have food?" He nodded.

"I have my lunch, do you have yours?"

"Yup," I said and we cruised along the highway together.

Once we came to the woods, Cash parked the car and we walked hand in hand to the pond.

"Jane, can I admit something?" he said and I frowned.

"Of course," I said and he looked down at the floor.

"I'm so very ashamed that you found out I'm poor." I shook my head at him, sitting in the grass and looking up at the sky.

"I don't see why, Cash."

"Because! You thought I was the great guy, and all of a sudden I'm just some poor oaf!"

I looked over at him, my cheek against my knees. "Money doesn't make a man," I whispered. "A smart guy once told me, that being poor is something to be proud of, because you've struggled against so much more than the average person, yet you've achieved just as much."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "Jane I -"

"Do you see me different because I'm poor?" I asked, and he shook his head quickly.

"Of course not, I just feel like -"

"Cash," I said slowly. "I do not believe that individuals should be defined by their material possessions. I think we should be defined by our actions and our words and the traits we exhibit."

He smiled gently. "When did you get so wise?" I shrugged, leaning over and pressing my lips to his. He grasped the back of my head leaning into me.

"Can you teach me some of your ways, oh wise one?" he joked, kissing the corner of my mouth.

"Mmm, I can try." I giggled, pulling him closer. Just as he was laying me back onto the grass, my phone chirped.

~Cash~

I watched as she pulled out her phone and answered, the color leaking from her face. I heard shouting over the phone and she stood up quickly.

"Shit," she murmured, hanging up. "Shit, Cash, my Mom's having a panic attack and my Dad doesn't know what to do. I need you to get me home."

I nodded, and we quickly rushed back to the car, our footsteps padding through the dirt.

I drove as fast as I could and pulled up in front of her house five minutes later. She fled from the car and up the front steps, shoving the front door open. I followed her in cautiously.

The living room was a disaster, and her Mom was in the corner, wielding a lamp like a weapon. She swung it and it smashed into the wall.

"Richard, who the hell do you think you are, ruining my life like this!?" she screamed, pushing the coffee table over. She spun on her heel and faced Jane. "And you! God, you just had to be born, right? You ruined everything! My marriage, my body, my life!"

She went on a rampage, chucking the couch cushions around and kicking the television stand. She didn't see me, and I was thankful for that, but she screamed when Richard came down the steps.

"Alice, calm down. I'm not trying to -"

"You just walked in and screwed me over, asshole! Twice!" she screeched, and Jane flinched.

"Mom," she whispered, and from the look in Jane's eyes, she knew how to handle this. "Mom, listen to me. It's alright. Everything is going to be alright." She approached her mother, arms stretched out.

"He ruined everything," her Mom cried, quieter than before.

"I know, Mom, believe me, I know." Her Mom let out a sob, and then a hiccup, collapsing onto the couch.

"It's so unfair," she murmured.

"Shhh, I know. It's going to be okay."

Her Mom shut her eyes, finally subdued, and Richard heaved a sigh as Alice's eyes drooped shut slowly.

Jane flicked her eyes between me and the door and I picked up on the message. She discretely blew me a kiss and I smiled, heading out of the door quietly.

I only hoped she'd be okay.

I couldn't help but think about the things she'd said earlier at the pond, as I drove back to school. My whole life, I had been ashamed of my wealth, or lack thereof, but Jane assured me that she didn't care that I was poor.

So why was I still so rattled? Why was I still ashamed?

~Jane~

After my Mom had calmed down, she'd fallen asleep right on the couch.

I didn't know what had happened before I'd arrived because my Dad was being very secretive about the whole thing.

I walked into the kitchen and Dad looked up at me from where he was sitting.

"Dad, tell me what's going on, now." He grunted in response, rubbing his face.

"I just... I wanted to reconcile our marriage, and she lost it! She said all she wanted was a casual fling and that having me back in her life was going to ruin her."

"Wait, you're planning on staying here? I thought you just wanted custody, Dad!?"

He groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Jane, your mother isn't fit to take care of you -"

"Oh, really?" I snapped. "You just noticed? And you think, what, that the two of you here will make me one happy camper?" He sighed heavily.

"Jane, I just want the best for you and -"

"Then you wouldn't have left without me in the first place! You would have come to get me the first time I tried to call you!"

He gritted his teeth. "All I want, is to try to fix things with your Mother and give you a happy home again."

I laughed bitterly. "Well good luck," I fired at him, saluting him. "When a wall crumbles to the ground, you can't rebuild it with the same materials, Dad. But hey, who am I to stop you if you want to try?"