High School with a Celebrity

Chapter 19

When I returned home that night, I lazily flopped onto my couch and drowned my emotions in a large carton of vanilla ice cream and sappy romantic movies, while my parents were probably gallivanting somewhere enjoying themselves .  

"So, how's your relationship with Jonas going?" Lana asked me, walking down the stairs wearing a sparkling silver cocktail dress. 

I skipped her question and asked, "Where are you going?" 

"Don't change the subject. But to answer your question, I have a date with a guy from my Psychology class. He's very nice and well mannered unlike some people I know." 

I knew she meant Joe. "You know, just because things with you and Joe didn't work out, doesn't mean you have to hold a grudge against all of them?" 

Lana stopped looking in the mirror and turned to face me, "How dare you, Aurora! Joe got me pregnant at 17! And then left me to sleep with other girls because all his friends were doing it! I have a two-year-old because of him, but I'm dealing with it! I love my son very much and even Joe may not like to admit it, I know that somewhere down inside he loves his son too. But Nicholas. He's got you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he?" 

Yes. Maybe. "No." 

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "You just won't listen to me. Look where I ended up; I don't want the same thing to happen to you." 

Just as this situation couldn't get any better, Elliot, Lana's son and my nephew, ran down the stairs and into his mother's arms.  

"Where are you going, mommy?" the two-year-old asked, looking up at his mother with his dark brown eyes. 

It was pretty amazing how much Elliot looked like Joe. And somehow, even though she never told me, I knew it pained Lana to even look at him sometimes.  

"Just going out with some friends, sweetie. Stay with Auntie Aurora, okay?" She replied. 

"Okay!" Elliot squealed and ran over to me. He jumped onto my lap and I wrapped my arms around him. 

"I'm not saying he was a mistake; he wasnt. I just don't want you to give up everything you've worked for. And Nick... I don't want him thinking that you're easy and go telling his little friends. Because that's what Joe did and it hurt." 

She slipped on her jacket and walked over to me. Sitting next to me, she took my hand in hers and said, "Just promise me something, Aurora." 

"What?" 

"If you and Nick decided to go to the next step and do you know, be careful, okay? There are so many risks out there." 

Too bad it was already too late. "Um... yeah."  

She nodded and ruffled Elliot's hair and then made her way out the door. 

I looked down at the playful two-year-old in my arms and sighed. Oh how I envied him. How badly I wished I was two-years-old again, with no worries, and no troubles.  

"Man, Elliot, I wish I was you..."