Mum slides into an old pair of stilettos and splashes on a load of makeup. Dinner parties at the Joseph's are not a casual affair. I wear a frigid rented suit, and the fanciest back shoes I have, which end up to be black Converse high-tops.
"Do we have to go?" I moan in one last attempt, while fervently scrubbing the brown mud caked on the bottom of my shoes.
"Yes." Mum replies firmly, still painting her lips bright red with an old tube of lipstick.
Mum picks out the fanciest wine and bouquet of flowers Walmart has to offer and we head off to the grand Kleinman mansion in our old dusty Mini Cooper.
Mrs Joseph stands at the door, gushing over us, like she actually cares. She keeps straightening her tight crimson dress and beckons us in. Mum shoves the wine and flowers into her hands, flashes a polite smile and waddles into the living room, awkward as me.
"Mrs Monse. How are you?" Mr Joseph's voice booms around the room, while Jared stands behind him like a shadow.
Jared waves to me and I nod in reply, purely to be polite. Jared Joseph still isn't my friend. And, I doubt we'll even come close to what we had before the accident, even if I forgive him.
Mum and I are told to sit on the couch behind us, which is adorned with intricately painted flowers and looks like it should be in a museum rather than resting underneath our butts.
"So, Bradley. How's it going, bud?" Mr Joseph asks me, while Mrs Joseph has rushed off to the kitchen.
"Good, thanks." I smile meekly.
"How are you, Jared?" Mum asks the shivering boy opposite me clad in a definitely not-rented suit.
"Good, thank you, Mrs Monse." Jared replies.
Silence fills the room and we can hear Mrs Joseph scuffling about in the kitchen. We all try to grasp topics of conversation, but none come. The sad truth is a lot has changed, and we barely know eachother anymore.
We wait anxiously until Mrs Joseph shouts: "Dinner is served!" from the kitchen.
We walk in single file to the kitchen, smiling at Mrs Joseph. A wonderful smelling lamb rack is placed on the table, surrounded by an army of very crispy potatoes. We all take seats at the long dining table, with Mr Joseph at the end.
"So, Bradley, how's school?" Mrs Joseph asks.
"Pretty good." I reply after swallowing my potato, although school is not pretty good.
"We understand you've been helping Jared cope with losing his ex-girlfriend." Mr Joseph says, while Jared twitches and gulps uncomfortably.
I nod.
"Jared's been through quite a rough patch and we're glad you've been there for him, like he has for you." Mr Joseph adds, carving into his lamb.
Like he has for me? What? By taking my girlfriend or completely ignoring me? Jared flashes me a guilty look.
"We understand that this crash has been hard for you. And we want you to know we'll be by your side to help you through your problems, Brad."
I wish it came out that nice, but instead Mrs Joseph's remark sounded snarky and made me feel as if I was a puppy dog getting trained.
"Especially, the alcohol." Mr Joseph laughs. He laughs, as if he's made the funniest joke ever.
I don't laugh. Instead, my cheeks boil with anger. I breathe deeply, but I can't control my urges. I want to slap him across the face, but someone get's there first.
"Excuse me! Don't you dare joke about my son!" Mum screams across the table. Her face is aflame.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend him." Mr Joseph mumbles, his eyes planted on his bloody lamb.
"No! You meant full well to offend him! Your perfect son? Well, I could tell you the not-so-perfect things he's been doing!"
Mum grabs her purse containing her car keys. "Let's go, Bradley." She says.
Gladly.
We walk out the front door into the cool night air and head towards the nearest McDonald's drive-thru.
●●●
Dr Chris is spinning around in his chair and comes to an abrupt stop, when I walk into the room.
"Hey, Bradley." He says, frantically searching the desk for his glasses.
"Hey." I reply, taking my seat on the brown couch.
"How was dinner last night?" He asks, chewing on a piece of gum.
"The McDonald's was great, yeah." I joke, knowing full well he means dinner with the Josephs.
"I mean, how was the dinner party?" Dr Chris adds flipping open his notebook.
I purse my lips. "Mum got really angry with the Joseph's."
"Why?" He scribbles in his notebook while talking to me.
"Mr Joseph made some horrible joke about me. It probably wasn't intentional, but I felt really angry too."
"Hmm." He puts on a thinking face. "So, you didn't lash out?" He raises an eyebrow in anticipation.
I shake my head.
"So, you controlled your emotions?" Dr Chris asks.
"Yup." I nod, casually leaving out the fact that Mum just beat me to it and Mr Joseph would probably be in hospital with a bruised face if she hadn't.
"Awesome, Bradley! Way to go!" Dr Chris says, smiling dramatically.
"But, this isn't an anger management class?" I add. "Why do you care?"
"Because, this is a feelings class. My job is to help you control your feelings." Dr Chris says like some yoga guru.
"God, you're turning into Christopher!" I blurt, knowing Dr Chris will be deeply offended. He's no doubt conjuring up a sarcastic remark now in his crowded brain.
But, before he can open his mouth to let the sarcastic remark tumble out, the phone rings loudly.
Dr Chris answers it and after a series of nods and 'yes, I understand' he places the phone back down in it's receiver.
He opens his mouth again and I think he is going to come out with the sarcastic retort.
But, instead he says this.
"Isla Woodley is awake."
And nothing else in the world matters.
YOU ARE READING
After the Crash ✓
Teen Fiction"It's day 10, Isla. I wish you would wake up. I've lost everything and you're the only person who understands." Bradley Monse used to have everything. He was the star basketball player. He dated the most popular girl. He had good grades and friends...
