Ice: Part I

by Penny Hawking

  She walked over to her bathroom, knowing she was in dire need of a shower and also she was famished. Her stomach was growling. Hunger pains were alerting her, but cleanliness first.

  **

  Ice ate her sandwich as she picked up her phone. No missed calls or messages from anybody. Strange. They were probably all over her being sick for so long huh?

  She chewed heartily and clicked on her contacts. School was over. What were they up to? She’ll join them.

  “What the hell?” Ice scrolled through her phone. No contacts. Her call log was blank. She checked her message box. No received or sent text messages. She tried to open up her email, it required her to log in. She looked her phone over in confusion. Had it factory reset itself? How was that----

  “Fuck.” She whispered Peyton’s favorite word. Melissa got to her phone. Sometime between yesterday morning and this afternoon. That was a long span of time where she was knocked out to the world. “NO!” Her mouth dropped open as she scrolled through her messages again. Nothing. Had she factory reset her phone, or had she read the messages before she deleted them? Ice gasped at the thought and groaned. She’d sent some really provocative text back and forth with Peyton. Not something she would want anybody else to read. Especially not her mother.

  She angrily slammed her phone down on the counter and stuffed her sandwich in her mouth. She was sick and tired of Melissa’ shit. This invasion of privacy left her bare to the world. She felt violated. Exposed. She had a lot of stuff on her phone. Private stuff.

  Here it was again. The controlling. The power.

  Ice hopped off her stool and stalked towards the stairs and up her room. She’ll go out and hopefully find them at the usual spots. She passed by her mirror and stopped and came back.

  She stared at herself in the mirror.

  She was Melissa’s daughter.

  Melissa’s puppet.

  She blinked as she looked herself over.

  Her mother controlled every aspect of her life. Every little part. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at herself. She blinked several times.

  Melissa’s perfect daughter.

  That’s what she was.

  She yelled and hit the mirror. Not enough to break it, but enough for it to hurt her fist.

  She’ll never be able to get away would she?

  She’ll never make it to California.

  Never have a life with Peyton.

  And she couldn’t even count on her father. He saw no wrong with his wife at all. To him Melissa was just an overprotective mother, with the most intense of love for her child.

  “No more.” Ice whispered.

  She brought her hand up and ran it down her long hair. Hair identical to Melissa’s now. Hair that she kept nice and straight and always perfect.

  She was Melissa’s puppet.

  Her pride and joy.

  Ice chuckled and reached in the cupboard besides the mirror. She took out a pair of scissors and stared at herself seriously.

  She was hesitating. She liked her hair. She liked it a lot. She’d always been taught to like it.

  But Melissa liked it more.

  Ice grabbed her hair and cut a huge chunk off by her shoulders. She gasped as she stared at herself. “Shit.” Her hand shook as she stared at the cut off chunk of hair. She scoffed in disbelief. She reached for another chunk and cut again. She sighed and put the scissors down. “Okay, I’m going to the salon now.”

  **

  (Peyton)

  Peyton sat on the floor and looked at the text message again.

  Cheryl walked by the couch and saw her son on the floor again. “Peyton come on stop moping around. Two days feeling sorry for yourself?” She held the paintbrush in her hand and looked around for the other paintbrush. “I told you wait until she’s better. Give her time to recuperate. Go apologize, be sweet and charming and bam you have your wonderful girlfriend again. And you can stop moping around my house.” She joked.

  “She broke up with me.” He whispered.

  Cheryl froze. “What?” she asked in a surprised tone.

  “Last night…she broke up with me.” He said staring at the blank T.V, in front of him.

  Cheryl retraced her steps carefully until she stood in front of her son. She sat down next to him.

  “Are you sure?”

  He blinked and handed her his phone.

  -Hey. I’ve been thinking and this isn’t a good idea. We can’t be together. You’re not a good person. I made a mistake. I’ve realized that now. Please don’t call me, don’t text me. I just don’t want to be around you anymore. This is over.

  “Ohhhh.” Cheryl whispered in shock.

  “I told you. I fucking told you.” Peyton said his voice shaking. “I shouldn’t have said anything. God, I told you mom.” Peyton said bringing his hand down and covering his eyes.

  Cheryl reached behind him to rub his back. “I don’t…. oh my God….my poor baby.”

  “Fuck.” He groaned.

  “It’s okay baby.” Cheryl said in a soothing voice.

  “I’m over here waiting to apologize to her like a fucking bitch and she doesn’t even want me.” Peyton lifted his head. “She told me to trust her.” He shook his head.

  Peyton turned to his mom. “She looked me in the eyes and said she loved me. She told me to trust her and she had me so fucking whipped that I believed her.” He rested his head on his mom’s shoulder as she gently caressed his hair.

  “I’m so sorry.” Cheryl said holding back her own tears.

  Peyton was silent. He pushed his mom away. “Fuck her.” He cried.

  “Peyton. Don’t say that.” Cheryl pulled him back and he let her wrap her arms around him. She stroked his back and his hair as if he was her five-year-old boy once again.

  “How the fuck do I get her back?” He asked quietly.

  “Maybe you should talk to her…” Cheryl whispered. “Communicate.”

  “Communicating’s what got me in this fucking mess.” Peyton replied.

  (Ice)

  “You sure you don’t want me to get them roots coming through?” Tory asked as He clicked the flat iron. “It’s gonna be a completely different texture to these keratin ends.”

  Ice shook her head and looked at her medium straight formal bob haircut with the blunt cut bangs. She liked it. She liked it a lot. She ran her hands over her hair. She’d never had it this short, a little longer than her chin. Her bangs were cut just above her eyes.

  “You look like a sexy spy.” Tory grinned. “I love the new look. I love it. Time for a change is right!”

  He put his hand up and Ice laughed as she high fived him.

  Melissa was going to kill her.

  “If you’re serious about stopping the Keratin treatments then come here every two weeks and we gonna trim little by little and work with your new roots okay.”

  Ice nodded and give a big sigh of relief.

  “You are out for blood.” Tory winked. “Who’s the lucky man?”

  “My boyfriend.” She giggled and laughed even harder when Tony fanned himself and whistled.

  **

  “Fuck this. Fuck her. I don’t care. It’s all bullshit anyways.” Peyton said descending the stairs.

  “Peyton what are you doing.” Cheryl asked grabbing her son.

  “I’m suffocating mom, I need to get out of here.” He said angrily as he tore his arm away from here and went down the rest of the stairs.

  “Peyton Joseph Stone stop it right now. You know I don’t like it when you leave the house emotional.” Cheryl said hurrying down the stairs to catch up with her son.

  Peyton opened the door. “I’m not emotional, I just need to get the fuck out of here.”

  “Peyton!” Cheryl yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

  Cheryl yanked the door open. “Peyton please!” she ran towards her son.

  But Peyton had already mounted his motorcycle and sped off right in front of her.

  Cheryl stopped as she saw his
motorcycle disappear around the corner.

  **

  3 hours later

  The doorbell rang and Cheryl jumped off the couch. Priya and Bam-Bam were cuddled with her watching a movie.

  “Who’s that?” Bam-Bam asked sticking his thumb out his mouth.

  “I don’t know.” Cheryl replied going to the door. She rubbed her hands nervously. “Please not the cops.” She whispered in pain as she grabbed the doorknob. “Who is it?”

  “Hi.” Ice smiled waving at her.

  Cheryl stared at the teenage girl in shock. She blinked rapidly. “He-he-hey.” She said breathlessly. She tried to recover. “You uh----”

  Ice grimaced. “I cut my hair.” She smiled nervously.

  “No, it looks great. It looks absolutely amazing.” Cheryl smiled brightly to cover her confusion.

  “HI ICE!”

  Ice giggled. “Hi Bam-Bam.”

  “DO you uh---do you want---do you want to come in?” Cheryl opened the door wider and Ice stepped in comfortably.

  “Hi Ice.”

  “Hi, Priya.” Ice waved at her.

  “Where have you been?” Priya asked standing up on the couch. “We haven’t seen you in a long time.”

  Cheryl crossed her arms and stared at the young girl.

  “Yeah, I was pretty sick.” Ice explained.

  “Oh no are you better?” Bam-Bam exclaimed.

  Ice giggled. “Yes, yes, I am, I’m all better.”

  “I don’t like it when I’m sick.” Bam-Bam replied. “I feel like shit.”

  Priya gasped.

  Ice’s mouth dropped open.

  Cheryl snapped her head to her son. “Princeton!” she scolded. She marched over to the couch and in a second two fingers hit her youngest song against the mouth. “Don’t use that language.”

  “Ooowww.” He pouted as he touched his lips in surprise. “Pey-Pey said it today.” He whined, his eyes tearing up.

  Cheryl sighed. “Don’t repeat that.” She wagged her finger at him, and he nodded.

  “Peyton’s been sad all week.” Priya offered up to Ice. “Maybe you can make him feel better.”

  “Priya.” Cheryl put her hand out to her daughter. “Mind your business. Watch T.V with your brother.”

  Priya stared at her mom in confusion but turned around to sit on the couch.

  Ice shrugged nervously. “Well actually…I came for Peyton.”

  Cheryl turned to her. “You did?”

  Ice hesitated. “Uh…yeah….is he here?”

  Cheryl paused for a second and then shook her head. “No…no he’s not. He uh…..he went for a ride.”

  “Oh.” Ice said softly, she ran her hand over her new haircut.

  Cheryl watched as Ice’s face fell.

  “Okay...” She said laughing shyly. “I uh…um…I guess, I’ll catch him another time.”

  “Okay…. sure…” Cheryl whispered even more confused. “I’ll let him know you stopped by.”

  “Great. Thanks Cheryl.” Ice smiled gently. “And can you…can you tell him to call me.” She asked nervously. “I…uh…I don’t have his number anymore…” she shook her head. “All my contacts got deleted…” she swallowed hard and looked around. “Otherwise I would have called and not just shown up to your house and interrupted----”

  “No, no, no sweetheart it’s okay.” Cheryl cut her off with a gentle smile. She put a hand on Ice’s shoulder. “Remember you’re welcomed anytime.”

  Ice smiled and nodded.

  “You said you don’t have his number?” Cheryl probed.

  Ice’s phone vibrated and she reached into her back pocket to take out her phone.

  Cheryl looked down and noticed it was just numbers with no name.

  “Hello?” Ice answered.

  Whoever was on the other line cause Ice’s face to drop, and the smile to disappear.

  “Yes. Okay…I’m coming.” She whispered hurriedly and hung up. Ice forced a smile on her face and looked up at Cheryl. “It’s my uh…my mom..” she sighed. “I gotta go home.”

  Cheryl nodded. “I’ll tell Peyton you stopped by.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Wait Ice are you coming to my recital on Monday?” Priya asked excitedly.

  “Recital?” Ice replied.

  “Yeah it’s on Monday night. Come please, pretty please. I’ve been practicing really hard.”

  “Priya.” Cheryl warned.

  Ice laughed. “I would love to come. I’ll be there.”

  Cheryl turned her gaze to Ice. Did she just agree?

  “Bye Cheryl.” Ice smiled at her.

  “Bye.” Cheryl said walking her to the door. She said another goodbye before closing the door behind her.

  She turned and walked back to the couch with her two younger kids and sat in between them. They resumed watching the movie. But Cheryl could not get her mind off Ice and her behavior. She didn’t act like a girl who’d sent such a blunt break-up text to her boyfriend. She had looked eager to see him.

  Priya smiled and looked up at her mom. “I like Ice. She’s so cool.”

  “She’s great, isn’t she….” Cheryl whispered.

  Priya nodded. “She makes Peyton happy.” She paused and stared at the T.V. “He doesn’t think about dad when he’s with her.” She added as an afterthought.

  Cheryl stared at her daughter. “Do you think about dad?”

  Priya kept staring at the T.V. without answering. Cheryl kissed her head, not trying to pressure her. After about two minutes, Priya opened her mouth. “I try not to because I know it makes Peyton sad. He doesn’t want me to remember what happened. But sometimes I wish he talked about when daddy was happy. When we all were happy.”

  “Are you not happy sweetheart?” Cheryl asked.

  “I am.” She said smiling at her mom. “But we’d be happier if Peyton talked about him.” Cheryl smiled and kissed Priya’s nose.

  “You’re way too smart.” Cheryl said softly kissing her daughter’s forehead.

  **

  Ice opened the front door and had to admit the house smelled delicious.

  “Hurry up and sit down.” She heard Melissa’s voice. “I cooked all your favorite food.”

  Ice walked to the dining room. “Really?” She asked. “Kind of like fattening the calf before you slaughter it huh?”

  “Everything I do is for your own good.” She said sincerely as she served the mashed potatoes.

  Ice looked at her. “And that’s the scariest part of it. The fact that you actually believe that.”

  “Sit.” Melissa said motioning to her seat.

  “Where’s Dad?”

  “Here, I’m here.” Charles said taking off his jacket hurriedly. “I swear another accident on Randolph road.” He shook his head. He loosened his tie and kissed Melissa on the cheek. He automatically moved to kiss his daughter’s forehead and stopped. “Ice….”

  Ice looked up at him and smiled.

  “You look gorgeous sweetheart.” He beamed and kissed her forehead. “Beautiful haircut.”

  “Haircu----” Melissa dropped her fork as she stared at her daughter.

  Ice looked up seeing her mother’s gaze on her.

  “What did you do to your hair!” Melissa screeched, bringing her hand to her chest.

  “I cut it.” Ice replied confidently.

  Melissa sat down slowly, unable to take her eyes off Ice. “You’re rebelling.” She whispered.

  “I think it looks wonderful.” Charles grinned. “You know when I first met your mother and her sister, they both had almost this exact same haircut.” He beamed at Melissa. “Summer of ’88 remember that?” He nudged her playfully. “You were playing hard to get.”

  Melissa slowly turned to her husband. “She cut her hair.”

  “It’s just hair.” Charles remarked. “This is delicious.” He heartily ate his mashed potatoes and gravy. He cut into his medium rare steak and moaned in appreciation. “Darling…you weren’t joking when you said you were maki
ng our favorite.”

  Melissa was a great cook. Always had been. But now Ice was weary. Her mother was such a great cook that she could poison them, and they would never know.

  Ice hadn’t touched her plate. She looked down at it. It smelled great. It looked delicious and she knew it probably tasted great too.

  “Why aren’t you eating?” Melissa asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know mom…I kind of want to wake up to see my 18th birthday.” Ice replied.