Mismatched

Chapter 8

"A lot of things have happened since I last visited you, Mum," I murmured as I gently touched the photo of my mother's face on her niche. My father chose to cremate my mother because it was cheaper. Of course, it was all about the money.

I bet Mum would be willing to pay millions just to give my father a grave if he wanted. She has the money and connections and she always puts others before herself. She's always thinking about others. What the hell was she thinking when she married my father?

I woke up as early as six in the morning and drove all the way to Brooklyn to visit her. It felt needed. So many things have happened lately. I used a dating app, I met up with Jace, I'm now friends with Jace, I kissed Jace...

Okay, it's all thanks to Jace and GameSetMatch.

I pulled my coat tighter around me. It was a little cold. I placed the lilies I brought on the niche. "I know you love them a lot, Mum. But did you know they were flowers for the dead? Okay, not exactly. It's the birth flower for May and the thirtieth wedding anniversary flower but it's also most associated with funerals. Did you know that?"

Silence.

I heaved a deep sigh. I miss her voice a lot. I miss her smile. I miss her laughter. I miss how she called my name and caressed my face. I miss her cooking. I miss her nagging. I miss her taking me to and fro school every day. I miss her so much.

"Of course, you do," I muttered. "I haven't spoken to Dad for a long time. They invited me to dinner on Thanksgiving but I rejected them. It's not like it's convenient anyway. They live all the way in Queens. Yes, they moved. I can't be bothered to drive all the way there."

Silence.

"Don't worry, Mum. I didn't spend Thanksgiving alone. I went over to Yvette's because her parents knew I live alone. They know about my estranged relationship with Dad and that woman and they understand," I replied.

Mr and Mrs Jones are the best. They're so kind and understand, though they are a little protective of their daughter. Yvette is so lucky to have parents like them. At least she has a proper and uncomplicated nuclear family.

Not like me. My life is such a mess. I have a dead mother, a shit father, a weird stepmother, a half-sister and a half-brother. Nicole is about eleven now and Nigel is ten. I doubt they even know I exist. At least, I don't think they know I'm only half-related to them.

It's easy to lie when my biological mother is already dead.

"Jace is back in my life," I said. "I don't know what to do. You remember me telling you he broke up with me, right? He said he still loves me. He said he left me because he was scared I would leave him. I don't know whether to believe that."

My mother was still smiling at me.

"You're the worst, Mum. You never reply," I chuckled as tears formed in my eyes. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if she didn't die. Will we still be a happy family? Will I ever have half-siblings? Will I be who I am today?

I heaved a deep sigh and bowed my head. "Should I give Jace another chance? I just realised that I still love him like the stupid person I am. Now, I'm just scared that he'll hurt me again. What's the point in love if there's no trust, right?"

Dad would definitely agree with me that there's no point in love if there was no trust. Mum loved him but she still couldn't trust him enough to leave him with her money after she died. All the love she had for him meant nothing if she wouldn't give him her money.

How could Dad be so heartless, though? Mum spent so many years with him, loving him and caring for him. How could his heart not even be moved by her actions? In the end, all he cared about was money. I wonder if he actually loves my stepmother.

If he doesn't, he's an absolute piece of shit who makes use of women's hearts to make money and I pity my stepmother. If he does, he's an asshole who made use of my mother and I'll be sure to tell that woman one day what kind of person he was.

Why do good people suffer terrible fates and bad people live good lives?

"Am I thinking too much?" I asked. "Maybe he's serious. Maybe he genuinely wants to make it up to me and give me the happy life with him I deserve. Maybe he truly loves me. Maybe I should stop deluding myself. This isn't helping."

I groaned as I squatted down and covered my face. I pushed my hands through my hair and pulled it. Why does love have to be so hard?

Just then, I felt a vibration in my pocket. I whipped out my phone and saw a text from Jace on GameSetMatch. I chuckled at the fact that he only has that app to communicate with me. It read: Hey. And another one: Want to grab lunch?

I sighed. I replied: I'm far away. Unless you're willing to drive to Brooklyn, we can't meet up for lunch. Jace lives all the way down in Greenwich Village. It's one of the most expensive neighbourhoods to live in Manhattan as if it isn't already expensive to live here.

Our high school was in Midtown Manhattan. The only reason we attended the same high school is that Jace insisted on attending a normal high school. Due to the close proximity to Times Square, we often had dates there. In fact, many couples in school had dates there.

A reply came at that instant: I'm okay with that. Where are you? We can have lunch wherever you are. It's good to try food from other places.

I rolled my eyes. He's very eager to meet up. I replied: Okay, I'm in Brooklyn. Peacedom Cemetery. I'm at the columbarium. I laughed as I typed. He wants to try new food at the cemetery. Shutting my phone, I stood up and looked at my mother's niche.

"So, he's coming," I said.

He's willing to drive all the way to Brooklyn just to have lunch with me. His mortal enemy is from Brooklyn and he's willing to risk seeing him in order to have lunch with me. I gulped at that thought. "Oh my God, Mum. I think he's serious about this."

Of course, he is! He freaking gave you a friendship bracelet, reenacting what he did when he asked you to become his girlfriend six years ago. It's a huge sign that he wants you to be his girlfriend again but he's being subtle about it, my conscience yelled at me. Oh, it's back.

"How much I wish you could just appear in corporeal form and tell me what to do but that will be nice and scary at the same time," I sighed. "Tell me. To date Jace again or to remain as friends? Oh, what am I doing talking to a piece of marble?"

I laughed as I wiped my tears. "I'm just going to stand here and wait for him. He should arrive within the next fifteen minutes. In the end, I can only trust my instincts. You're not around to guide me anymore and Yvette can only do so much."

I smiled and touched my mother's niche once more. "See you soon," I murmured before leaving. I sat on a bench outside and took out my phone. There was a text from Jace: I'll be there in ten minutes. And another one: Wait for me.

A smile emerged on my face uncontrollably as I replied: Definitely.

***

A/N:

Is there someone you miss a lot? ㅠ~ㅠ

If you like sad stories that touch your heart with heartwarming elements, Coral Bay will be suitable for you! Yes, I'm advertising again.

And yes, Belinda's family has made a comeback! Did you expect this? Please comment! What do you think will come from this?

You can only find out when you continue ;)