the Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Chapter 2

Hailey's POV

"How have you been Mom?"I placed a hand on my erratic mother's shoulder, a solemn expression resided on my face.

My mother chuckled "I'm good, kid. Thanks for not telling your father and brother and sister about this."

I pursed my lips. The situation was scary, and nearly impossible to keep to myself. Just yesterday I'd almost told my history teacher.

"Ya mom, about that. Is this really the best way to handle the situation? I know it's probably nothing, but isn't it best to tell them?" I asked in an irritated voice.

A few weeks ago after My parents divorce had been finalized, my mother had found an odd lump on her back. A biopsy had been performed and the results were about to be shared on what the verdict was. Of course my mother had left that information out in her daily phone calls to 12 year old Katelyn, my older brother Josh, and my father whom the lot of them had sided with in the divorce. This had been a large part of the fact that my mother had decided not to tell them of her dilemma.

"Mrs. Katherine Evans?"

"Ms," my mother corrected flirtily. I rolled my eyes a look of disgust present on my face.

The man was in his late thirties and had a full head of blondish hair, his face was particularly striking. But what through me off was his triumphant smirk and the egotistical shine in his eyes.

"Well Ms. Evans, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dr. Avery, but you can call me James."He flirted back.

"Can we get on with the results please?"I snapped hotly, breaking up their flirt fest.

"Yes, you'll be pleased to know that I'm nearly certain that the mole is benign, but lets have the results tell us that."

He opened a manilla envelope, and his dazzling smile was wiped away. I visibly frowned, noticing Dr. Avery's look of bewilderment. At this point I knew it wasn't nothing.

Dr. Avery cleared his throat, "Ms. Evens it appears that we were wrong before, the mole isn't nothing, I'm so sorry."

His forlorn look was a stark comparison to his normally confident smirk. I could feel the lump build up in my throat before I picked up my bag and practically running out the door.

"Um Mom I've gotta go, school and all. I'll see you later.

"Hailey, wait, don't tell anyone." I turned and my eyes flicked over my mother's brown ones. Tears were running down her face and her expression look unusually serious. I nodded my head, and strode out the door. As I turned towards the elevator a stray tear escaped my eye.

This definitely wasn't where we were a month ago.

"I can't believe this, how could you?" Jeff Evans screamed, his face redder than the auburn of his wife's hair.

"Well Jeff, did you really give me any choice? You were gone for weeks on ' working' I thought it was you who was cheating on me!"

Hailey's mother current string of infidelities had recently come out, at a family dinner table no less. The situation hadn't gotten any better, but the worst was yet to begin.

"We shouldn't have even gotten married, If you hadn't turned into another teen pregnancy story, we wouldn't even be here!" Her father seethed.

"You can't blame that on me, it takes two to tango! Anyway, it was YOU who asked ME to get married!" Her mother rebuttled, her face close to Hailey's father's. Under any other circumstance she was sure they would have done it right there on the kitchen table.

"Yeah well, it wasn't without persuasion from your father." Katherine looked ready to cry, it was evident that she still cared about Jeff.

"Fine, I'm done. Tell the kids whatever you want." She scooped up her coat and slammed the door.

Two weeks later the divorce papers came in the mail, and so did a frantic call to Hailey from her mother.

____________________________________________________________________

Ivy's POV

"Class, today we will be electing our 10th grade representative and Activities coordinator, any nominations?" Mr. Forester announced in his gruff elderly voice.

I glanced at Hailey, her head buried in her phone there was obviously something bugging her. I mentally reminded myself to ask her. For the past three days she had been distant, and kind of off. I wonder if it was about. It was probably nothing, and my thoughts drifted off.

I glanced over at Ben, my gaze cut short by a glance back as he suddenly raised his hand.

"I vote Ivy." he said. His speaking wasn't speaking, it was poetry, performing, I hardly even noticed that it was my name he called.

"I second." Hailey said, her face out of her phone. It was obvious she was surprised, so was I.

"Well it seems as though Ivy is in the running, anyone for activities coordinator?"

Still in shock, I jumped out of my seat. "I nominate Ben!"

Everyones eyes were on me and I shrunk back down into my seat. To say this was out of character for me to have been an understatement. I wasn't one to have an outburst like that, and people sure looked confused.

He shot a playful look at me and shook his head.

The bell rang and I made my way out the door to go home.

As a warm hand tapped my arm, Ben's warm voice spoke, "Hey um, sorry for putting you on the spot like that. I just figured that since you know practically everyone in our grade you'd make a good representative."

I tried to hide my disappointment, I should have known it was just that.

“Well thanks, so I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other now. Maybe we can carpool.â€

I gazed at him, a little bit awkwardly. As Ben glanced at me I held his gaze, and felt extremely embarrassed.

Ben chuckled a little, "See ya Ivy."