Him and I {Chuck Clayton}

Chapter 16

I feel like I have been punched in the chest. Hard. I get up to try and leave the kitchen and my breath gets short, almost as if someone has sucked it out of me. I cling onto my shirt and start hitting my chest, hoping that somehow, my breathing would come back and I could leave this house and never come back. Everything within my vision fades to black and I'm lying on the cold tiled floor trying to get my breathing and life back.

"Serena?! What's wrong?! Angel what's wrong with your sister?" I hear my mom panicking and shuffled feet pushing chairs back and rushing over to me laying on the floor.

"Mom, Serena is having a panic attack. We just need to sit her up so she's elevated and give her some room to breathe. Naomi grab some water please," Angel commands and I hear more shuffled feet running to the opposite end of me, a sink turning on and a sound that tells me something is being filled up with liquids.
I feel two pairs of cold hands run across my back and I feel myself being lifted off the ground and moved to a soft cushion with a supporting neck cushion to match.

"Hey, I need you to try and drink this," Naomi tells me as she brings something cold and wet to my lips.

I take small sips of the liquid and I feel my vision gradually coming back. I see that I have been moved to the living room and I'm sitting in Daddy's chair. His favorite chair and to sit and relax in it. I look up at my sisters and my mom and my vision gets blurry again and tears start pouring out of my eyes.

"Why are you now just telling me? We live in the SAME town mom and you never said shit to me," I yell and I feel my anger rising and rising.

"Serena I didn't want to worry you.. You work so hard and you have sacrificed so much. I didn't want to add another to your list," my mom spits out breathlessly near tears.

"Well you do realize that by not telling me you inadvertently added it to the "list" anyway right?" I snap trying to muster the energy to get out of the chair and put the house.

"HEY, cut mom some slack!" Angel snaps at me and I look at her in shock. "Mom wanted to tell you so bad but I told her to hold back. She doesn't need to be more stressed than she already is. LOOK AT HER!"

I glance at my mother and it's like I can see the sickness overtake her within minutes of her. My mother, still beautiful as ever, looks tired and stressed and could collapse at any moment. I gather what's left of my strength and grab my purse and walk outside to my car. Getting into the car, I scream and bang on the steering wheel, tears wildly flying out of my face.

tap tap tap

I look out of the passenger side window and see Naomi breathless and motioning for me to unlock the door. I do so and she slumps in, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying too.
"Well, that didn't go well," Naomi says after a moment of silence.

"Yeah," I say shortly staring at the house.

"It's always something back in this town. It's like we can never have pea—"

"Why didn't you tell me Mom was sick?" I interrupt Naomi blowing my nose but still glaring at her.

"I wanted to tell you so many times. Believe me. I was told to keep it a secret by mom and Angel. I guess they wanted to tell you themselves."

"Well that doesn't make me feel fucking better," I snap turning on the car ignition. I glance over at my little sister and she's in tears and I instantly feel bad for snapping on her. I reach over and rub her knee cap and give her a small smile.

"I'm not mad at you," I say slowly. "I'm sure Angel strong armed you into not saying anything. I'm more-so mad at them."

"Yeah," Naomi muttered under her breath followed by a heavy sigh.

We just sit there in silence, lost in our thoughts and letting the slight breeze enter through the ajar passenger door.

"I'm going to check on Mom. Are you coming?" Naomi announces leaving the car but turning around to see what I'd do.

"Yeah I'll be there in a minute," I call out and Naomi walks back to the house.

I sit in the car in reverie once again, sad and hurt that once again I was the last person to find out important information about the family. When Daddy died, I was told last to "spare my feelings." No one even called me while I was work or anything. I had to come home with a with a blueberry pie, Daddy's favorite, in my hands just for him to not eat it, because he died. All my life I feel like I was the last to know everything or what I had going on in my life was last on the list. Angel was the brainiac and medical school scholar and Naomi was the beauty queen and model of the family. I wanted to pursue acting and was on my way to doing that when Dad died. I had to get a job and help with bills because Mom never worked. I worked and slaved at Pop's to get Naomi into modeling classes and flights to New York for gosees just to be left behind while everyone in my class was pursuing their dreams. It sucks. It fucking sucks.

Taking a deep breath, I finally leave the car and my mind flashes to Chuck and our conversation this morning. I grab my iPhone and call Chuck, just to get his voicemail. I call right back and still no response. I send a text for him to call me when he gets a chance and I head back into the house. I reach the door and feel my pocket vibrate. Chuck's name flashes on my phone screen and I answer eagerly to talk to him.

"Hey," I answer putting on my softest voice to hide the hoarseness from earlier.
I don't hear Chuck respond to me but I hear background noise and then Chuck's voice but he's still not talking to me. I then hear a soft familiar woman's voice and my wheels start turning and I feel my heart sinking lower and lower in my chest.

"Come on Chuck, gimme some," the girl teases.

"Here Josie," Chuck responds and I hear Josie swoon about how good it is, whatever he gave her.

"Come on babe, give me a kiss," Josie says seductively and I hang up the phone before hearing the outcome of that request.

I feel fresh tears pouring out of my eyes and I blink rapidly trying to reign them back in. I don't understand how Chuck can say all those things to me this morning but still continue to be around Josie like everything is okay. Does he not care about her harassing me every time she sees me? Am I just something for him to pass by until he's ready to take Josie back?

I pat my eyes dry with my shirt and with another deep breath, I walk into my mother's house and face her and my sisters. I sit down on the couch and deep another deep breath trying to reign in my emotions.

"Okay. You guys are going to tell me EVERYTHING about mom's cancer," I demand looking at all 3 of them in the eyes.

Angel looks nervously at the other 2 and then she
clears her throat and sits up a little straighter.
"Alright," Angel starts. "This is what happened."

AN: 564 reads of Him and I?! You guys rock! This means a lot to me as I just started recently to start writing again and I was really nervous about my story and if people were going to receive it well. I hope you guys continue to read and love Serena and Chuck as much as I do and share it with your friends (: 💙