Friends Don't

Chapter Twenty-seven

We all sat around the living room and kitchen as it was an open floor plan and the dining table wasn't large enough to hold everyone, but I didn't mind.

The table at my parents' house was large enough to hold twenty people and you could only talk to the ones right next to you. It always felt so weird to sit there and feel like you needed binoculars just to see who was sitting at the other end. Not that we ever sat at it often, unless my parents had special guests over, and I was forced to sit there and pretend I was enjoying my time with strangers.

Sitting around the living room all spread out randomly at Grayson's parents' house was better. It was so informal, but it felt nice. The conversations, while random at times, felt genuine, and the laughs sincere. It felt like a real family enjoying their time together even if it meant sitting on the floor.

Which I was. I was sat on the floor leaned up against the couch in between Grayson's legs while I talked to Lucas who sat beside me.

He was young, but he was smart for his age. He already knew that he was going to go to college for law and judging by the way he spoke and carried himself I had no doubt he would make it into law school and become one of the best lawyers there was.

I felt stupid sitting beside this kid who already had his future planned out and I was in college with still no idea what I wanted to do with my life. When I was younger, I thought I had it planned out. I, actually, looked up to my mother when I was little. All I saw was this strong business woman who had built a wealthy company and I wanted to be just like her. From a young age she told me that when I got older, I would work alongside her and I wore such a proud smile to think about that, but then I did get older, and I realized just what kind of woman my mother is. I didn't want to be like her. I didn't want to work alongside her.

The room was loud with different conversations going on and I was trying to have a good time whether that meant just listening or joining in on certain topics, but my phone kept buzzing beside me on the floor making it hard to concentrate.

My mother was calling for the fourth time in the last ten minutes and I thought about throwing it across the room but then everyone would look at me like I'd lost my mind. I thought I was going to lose my mind if she kept calling.

I denied the call and then heard Grayson whisper in my ear, "is everything okay?"

I nodded, even though it wasn't really, and then it started to buzz again and I picked it up. "I'll be right back," I told him before standing up and walking off. I could feel his stare on me as I stepped out of the room to the place I did earlier when talking to Aaron.

"What do you want?" I asked her as I answered.

"Why are you ignoring me?" she asked and before I had the chance to answer she asked, "where are you? It's loud."

I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't matter."

"Are you at that boy's house?"

"What do you want?" I asked blankly. "I'm kind of busy right now."

"I figured I would hear from you by now." I knew what she meant. She figured as soon as she cut me off from all money, I would reach out to her begging her to change her mind and help me.

I laughed. "And why is that? Because you cut me off? I don't need your money, mother."

"Eleanor, I think we need to get together and talk."

I shook my head even though she couldn't see. "I think not."

"Honey, you're letting this boy cloud your judgement," she began and I looked up to see Grayson make his way over to me looking down at me concerned. "I don't know what you think it is you have with him, but it will pass. You already have a good thing, don't mess that up all because of that boy who will get what he wants from you and leave you."