Invisible String

Chapter 24 - I Knew You Were Trouble

I laid next to him afterward, my skirt in an awkward place up by my breasts, but I didn't care. I just wanted to relax. Even if only for a few minutes. It was nice to have a little bit of rest. Everything had happened so fast with my grandpa, and I'd rushed out here and been busy with my family ever since. I didn't hate them or anything, but I sure didn't love this. My grandpa was the one I'd liked the most, and now that he was gone, I hoped I could still manage my family without him.

I lifted my skirt, cleaned up, and got dressed again—this time in less black. Instead, I opted for a navy blue blouse with a pair of skinny light-blue jeans. I combed through my hair and put it up in a bun and kissed Alex before going out of the room to call Sandra.

She answered quickly, "Hello?"

"Sandra, hey, it's me." I paced in the hallway outside the bedrooms upstairs.

"Oh, hey, umm... how are you? You still holding up?"

"Yeah, I'm keeping it together. I just, I wanted to apologize for earlier."

"Don't worry about it."

"But I am sorry that it happened like that." She didn't say anything, and I went on to my main point for calling, "Do you still want to go out?"

"Yeah, I'd like to."

"Okay, well, when? Alex said that it should just be you and me."

She paused for a long moment, then said, "Okay, would tonight be alright?"

"I think so. I'll check with my mom and text you."

"Alright, well, call me when you know?"

"Yeah," I said, then we said our goodbyes, then hung up.

I headed downstairs to the middle level and went into the kitchen, where my mom was busy cooking. I sat down at the island counter. It'd been a while since I'd been there. It was quiet, just the two of us. She smiled at me and finished what she was working on then came and leaned across from me on the counter, then reached out and put her hands on my own.

"How you holding up, Sweetie?"

"I'm okay right now. How are you?"

She pulled away, shrugged, and made a face. I knew what she meant. It was hard to be fine, but okay was something we could manage. Grandpa was gone, and we were sad. But sadly, life had to go on. No matter how badly you wanted it to, it didn't just stop so that you could have time. To think. To breathe. To live.

"So, what's up?" She grabbed some cleaned vegetables and began chopping them up.

"Well, I was wondering if it would be okay if I left Alex here while I go have dinner with Sandra."

"That would be fine, I suppose." She turned her head slightly and said, "Now, I don't mean to pry... but, she and Alex don't really get along, do they?"

"No, not really," I said, picking a carrot from her plate and crunching into it.

Turning back to the vegetables, she asked softly, "He's not... the 'h' word is he?"

I snorted. "Homophobic? No," I laughed, and she let out a visible sigh of relief.

"Then what is it? Sandra is the sweetest girl, how could he not like her?"

"It's complicated... but she didn't really like him at first, either."

My mother nodded. "Hmm... Sandra doesn't like him?"

"Mom," I said, attempting to warn her away from that subject.

She looked at me, her voice hushed, "He seems nice, don't get me wrong. But your best friend doesn't like him, and that's not setting off any alarms for you?"