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Chapter 6: An Unexpected Alliance

After I got home, I said hello to my mom and then excused myself to go upstairs, with the idea homework torturing me. I had hoped to be free for the night, unfourtunately my english teacher hadn't had the same idea.

I pull open my binder and read over the assignment sheet, sighing at the thought of having to write another essay. I open the book and begin to jot down notes about Hamlet.

When my phone beeps I jump, startled at the sudden noise that fills my quiet room. I put down my book reluctantly, wanting to just be finished with the unit already, before checking my phone.

1 New Message

Hey Ivory, it's Kennedy. I was wondering if u could come pick up Hailee and I, Aubrey kicked us out

I groan, wondering why people only ever text me when I'm busy.

Sure, be right over. What's the address? I send back.

It takes a couple of minutes before Kennedy replies again.

394 Oakland Ave.

I close my binder and put it on my bedside table, and picking up my car keys. I rush downstairs and pull on my jacket before going into the living room.

"Hey ma, I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back by dinner." I say.

"But I thought you had homework?"

"I'm nearly done, I've just got to go pick up one of my friends and drive her home, she doesn't have a car and her friend ditched her."

"Oh. Okay, just don't lock the door behind you, it's less work for Helen to get in that way."

"Sure. I'll see you in a little bit!" I call before exiting the room and tugging on my shoes.

*****

I pull onto the side of the road and see Kennedy and Hailee hudled under a canopy of plants. I honk twice before letting my head fall onto the headrest, cringing at the thought of the music that would be played by Hailee.

"Hey, thanks for picking us up." Kennedy smiles weakly when she pulls open the passenger side door.

"No problem." I reply.

"Hi." Hailee says, appearing suddenly in the backseat.

"Good to go?" I ask, and they both nod. I put the truck into gear and merge back onto the road.

"What's your address, Hailee?"

"121 Cleaveland Street." She replies sullenly.

I look to Kennedy in confusion. I'll explain later, she mouths. I nod and turn my attention back to the road. Kennedy silently plugs in her phone and plays a song I've never heard before. I glance at the dash to read Animals- Marroon 5 on it.

"This is my jam!" Kennedy proclaims before singing along with the song. Within a few short moments, Hailee joins in as well, and when we arrive at her house, she exits with a thank you and much more enthusiasm than when I had picked her up.

"Where should I drop you off?" I ask Kennedy after seeing that Hailee was safely inside the house.

"Can we go get coffee before you take me home? I'll buy you some." She offers.

"I don't drink coffee." I reply.

"Hot chocolate, then." She persists.

"Alright."

And then she changes the song and we drive without speaking.

*****

"Here." Kennedy places my cup on the small cafe table. I take a sip while she seats herself across from me and tries to think of something to say.

"Aubrey and Hailee got into a fight," she starts.

"I assumed as much." I reply. "What I'm confused about is what they fought about and how you got dragged into it."

"Well, Aubrey brought up the fact that Sean asked her to go out on Friday night, and then Hailee got upset because they were all pissed at her when all she did was look at him. She snapped."

"And that involved you... why?"

"I don't let people stand by themselves. We used to be close, despite how we act now. I couldn't stand to let Hailee leave alone, and she knew that, which is why she called me out when she could have asked anyone to leave with her. She knew I was about to break."

"You do tend to argue with them a lot more now then you used to."

Kennedy looks at me curiously.

"What? Just because we aren't friends doesn't mean I don't notice anything. I'm not completely oblivious. You guys make it painfully obvious when there's an argument. Anyways, what are you guys going to do on Monday with no ride and no group?"

"I'll probably get my mom to drop me off, Hailee's neighbor goes to our school so she'll probably get a ride with him."

"And once you get to school?"

"Hailee will probably try to apologize to Aubrey and they'll make her suffer alone through lunch and then take her back, but I'm done with them. I don't want to have to grovel at their feet for once. If they want me back, they can come ask me for a change. Otherwise, I want nothing to do with them."

"I'd say you can eat lunch with me, but we have lunch different periods."

"No, I just normally go out for lunch. At least I used to." She replies.

"Well, feel free to come find me during lunch, but I rarely go out."

"That's fine. Eating in the cafeteria will probably do me some good, get the salad and croutons out of my system."

"Seriously?"

"They wouldn't let me eat anything else."

"You're getting pizza for lunch tomorrow, they sell it in the caf."

"Sure." We finish our drinks and then get into the truck.

"Address?"

"56 Swinley."

And then Kennedy checks her phone and we drive to her house without music for the first time.

*****

"Mom, I'm home!" I call.

"In here!" Calls back Helen from the living room. When I walk in the first thing I see is my mom hooked up to an oxygen tank, trying to take deep breaths. I rush over to her and rub her back, and after a few minutes she begins to breathe normally again.

Helen leaves the room to get her some water, and my mom relaxes against the bed, wanting to leave the mask on for a few more minutes.

"What happened?" I ask once Helen returns.

"I don't know what triggered it. I came and the door was unlocked, and when I walked in the room she was gasping for air. I put the mask on her as soon as I could."

"Thank you." I squeeze my moms shoulder and then go into the kitchen for a snack. I pull out some blueberries, strawberries, banana's, granola, and youghurt and pour them all into a bowl. I carry the dish into the living room and turn on my moms favourite t.v show, and then put the oxygen tank back into it's space in the corner of the living room in between the lamp and the potted tree. I eat my food and my mom drinks her water, and Helen just sits in a chair and watches the television, and for a minute, everything seems kind of normal.

Until a thump followed by a string of curses sounds from above us.