We Can Start Again

2

The Blossom Twins walked slowly up the steps of Thistlehouse, trying to hold back the inevitable hell that was soon to rain upon Jason.

"We don't have to tell her, you know?" Cheryl suggested to her brother as they reached the door.

"She's gonna find out sooner or later. Might as well be now," he sighed.

Jason slowly turned the knob, walking over the threshold with Cheryl close behind him.

"What took you two so long? I was beginning to worry." Their mother got up from her chair in front of the fireplace where she was previously reading. She rushed over to Jason and hugged him, then made her way to Cheryl kissing the top of her head after she hugged her as well.

"Just um, got caught up in a few red lights," Cheryl could see Jason's confidence shrink. He scratched the back of his neck, leaning back and forth on his heels.

"Is that so?" Their mother looked at Cheryl, searching for any truth in their story. The Blossom Twins weren't known to get in trouble or lie, but Penelope for sure suspected something was going on.

"Yeah, just bad luck I guess." Cheryl looked down trying to avoid her mother's gaze.

"You know, that's really interesting because I got a call from your coach." Both of the teenagers' jaws dropped to floor. They had no idea how to respond or what to do. "He told me you got kicked off the baseball team. I want to know why. What happened?"

Their mother didn't seem angry, but just like Cheryl, this was never a good thing when something bad happened.

"R-Reggie-"

"Reggie what, Jason?! This wasn't Reggie's fault, this was yours. Don't go blaming your mistake on Reggie!" As expected, she wasn't as calm as she seemed.

"But mom, Jason was defending me!" Cheryl yelled back, getting closer to her mom. As soon as the words left her mouth she knew she made a mistake.

"Cheryl Marjorie Blossom, never raise your voice at me again. Now Jason, tell me what happened."

"Do you really want me to tell you, or are you just going to cut me off again?" He snapped. Noticing the way his mother's eyebrow twitched he knew made a mistake. "Sorry."

"I know, proceed."

"Reggie said some gross things about Cheryl, a-and I put him in his place." His confidence grew as he became angrier thinking back on what the boy said. He clenched his fists, recalling the smirk that appeared on the jerk's face.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing." Jason still hadn't told his sister what Reggie said about her, he couldn't.

"Tell me now, or you're staying inside all summer."

"Mom, that's not fair!" Just like Cheryl, his mother stood by her words. God damn these Blossom women. "He fucking said he could make her like dick!" Maybe he shouldn't have said it like that, there was surely another way he could've put it.

Penelope gasped, unable to believe the words that left her son's mouth. They were foul, they disgusted her.

"D-did he really say that?" Cheryl stuttered, tears already flowing down her flushed cheeks.

Jason looked down at his feet, noticing the dirt covering his cleats. He couldn't look at his sister, he knew it'd break his heart. "Yeah, he did. I'm sorry, Cher."

"Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault," she choked out, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hands. "I'm going to bed."

"Cheryl-" their mother started.