My mouth dropped open as I slammed my mom’s yearbook. “What did you say?”
“I said yes.” Brittany said simply.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. “Brittany you know something’s going on with Jazmine and Nico right?”
“Of course you would ship Jazmine and Nico.” Brittany said annoyed.
“No!” I said quickly. “I mean yes….I mean….you said you didn’t like him like that anymore.”
Brittany sighed. “I know…it’s just…he’s fun to hang out with you know…”
“I know.” I said. “But Brittany this is all our friendship on the line here….don’t act irrational, don’t be horny, don’t be impulsive.”
“So in other words don’t act like you.” Brittany said dryly.
I opened my mouth and closed it. “Hey now.” I said slightly offended.
“I know O.J.….besides if I was truly going to do something, I wouldn’t have told you about the meeting.” Brittany said.
Way to be honest Brittany. I sighed. “Well if you want to fuck Nico, because you didn’t get to last time because Jazmine beat you to it, then do it. I mean do it and get it out the way. Maybe that will help you get rid of all this sexual tension.”
“And once again, I call the friend with the worst advice ever.” Brittany said.
“And I only say it because unlike Jazmine, you never take my advices.” I said knowingly. And thank God for that, I would have sent her on the path of destruction years ago.
Brittany laughed and I smiled into the phone.
“I gotta go O.J. I’ll talk to you later…oh and did you get in touch with Andy?” Brittany asked.
I looked around in confusion. “Umm yeah I guess…why?”
“Well he was asking for your mom’s number the other day…I guess cause he couldn’t reach you or something….”
“He couldn’t reach me?” I repeated. “I just talked to him yesterday…and this morning…”
“Oh well than I guess it’s solved.” Brittany said quickly. “Okay talk to you later babes.”
“Bye.” I said hanging up the phone in confusion. I quickly shook my head and put that thought to the back of my mind. It was probably some sort of miscommunication. I dialed Nico’s number and put my phone to my ear.
“Sweetheart talk to me.” Nico said happily.
“What are you doing?” I asked sternly.
Nico paused. “Uh….talking to the most beautiful girl in the world?” He asked confused.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” I said.
“Playing basketball with my cousin.” He tried again.
“With Brittany!” I said sharply.
“Oh….that….” Nico said softly.
“Yes, oh that….what’s going on?” I asked. Don’t do what I think you’re doing Nico. Come on not you.
Nico took a while to answer. “I just…I thought….well….I just….after last time, I thought I should apologize and you know….”
“No I don’t know.” I told him.
Nico sighed. “Orange juice.”
“Don’t orange juice me.” I said scolding him. “If you’re with Jaz, don’t string Brittany along….if you want Brit, don’t play these games with Jazmine…they’re my best friends and so are you AND I AM NOT GETTING CAUGHT IN THIS MESS!” I finished yelling.
Nico didn’t answer.
I took a deep breath. This kid was seriously like the little brother I never had. “Look Nico…” I said calmer. “The last thing I want is for you to get hurt too, so figure out what you want before it’s too late.”
“Well the game’s a little different now Ornelia.” Nico said seriously. “Because it’s not about what I want, it’s about what I can have.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked confused. What was that sudden change in his voice? Since when was Nico serious?
“It means I gotta go. We found another guy to play with us.” Nico said quickly.
“Nico….” I said softly.
Nico laughed. “Hey Orange juice don’t sweat it….I got it.” He said returning back to his old self. “I seriously just wanna apologize to Brit and chill.”
“Okay.” I said.
“Aight see you later gorgeous.” Nico hung up and I slowly brought the phone down to my lap. What the hell was going on with my friends? You would think a few days after Christmas more people would be in their right frame of mind. I lifted my phone again and scrolled to find Jazmine’s number. Let me make sure she’s still alive.
“Hey this is Jazmine, sorry I was unable to take your call…leave a message love! Muaahhh!” Her voicemail went on.
“Hey Jazzy, it’s me, the one and only…call me when you can okay.” I hung up and put my phone back when it immediately vibrated.
I looked down, it was a text from Jazmine.
At work babes, wassup?
Nothing just checking up on you. I texted back. Call me whenever
Sure thing.
I put my phone down and stared into space. Why did I have this sinking feeling that everything was just going to go downhill from here?
“Hey sis….” Cece said climbing up the ladder.
I turned and barely acknowledged her. “What are you doing here?” I said turning my attention back to the box in front of me. Shit, I promised her that I would try to be nicer to her. Oh hell, that was during Christmas, I had been in the Christmas spirit and shit. Besides she’d looked like her dog had died again or something, it was the least I could do. I mean I didn’t like Cece but I didn’t hate her. If my older sister looked like hell, it would be normal for me to try and cheer her up right? No? Yeah didn’t think so either…back to being a bitch I guess.
“Better question is what are you doing up here? Mom is looking all over for you.” Cece said crawling towards me.
“I’m looking for my dad.” I said nonchalantly. The same thing I’ve been doing for a good two weeks whenever I’m hiding from mom.
“Found anything yet?” she asked as she looked over my shoulder.
“If I had, I wouldn’t still be up here.” I said annoyed. God, just leave already…your perfect presence is annoying.
Cece looked me over and sighed. She looked around her and squinted to see the box I’d opened. “Oh cool.” She said as she reached into the box. I quickly pushed the box out of her reach.
“You can leave.” I said stonily.
Cece sighed and put her hand down. “Let’s not do this…remember Christmas you promised mom we would…you know get along.” She said sadly.
I looked away and ignored her as I put the yearbook back in the box.
“I need to tell you something…I mean I don’t know who else to talk to…it’s kind of…well I--” Cece started as though it was invitation for her to speak. Apparently my silence nowadays meant speak when really it just meant go away.
“Not interested.” I said shutting her up. Bitch? Hell yeah, I was in full beast mode.
To my utter surprise Cece didn’t say anything. Even though I tried really hard not to, I still turned around to look at her, only to see her staring off into the distance. That’s when I noticed the bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her face clear of any make-up making her look like a little kid and not some graduate student.
“Fine.” She said softly, admitting defeat much sooner than I’d ever imagined…I mean this was Cece…the soon to be amazing lawyer of the family...she didn’t do defeat. Without another word, I watched her as she crawled back to the ladder and stepped on it. A part of me wanted to apologize and the other half, really didn’t give a fuck…but yet, this whole break Cece hadn’t been her regular bitchy snappy self.
“By the way, mom took a box out of here last week and put it on the top shelf in her shoe closet.” Cece said shrugging. “Maybe it’s something she’s trying to hide.” She looked down and descended the stairs as I watched.
First off, what the hell is wrong with Cece
…and secondly, mom put a box from the attic in her shoe closet? That was definitely where I needed to go next. My phone vibrated again and I looked down.
I’m sorry I just got your Merry Christmas wish. We barely have any service here, we’re in the middle of nowhere. I hope your Christmas was amazing O.J. thanks for being the coolest friend I ever had.
I smiled at Candace’s text. That girl was truly a sweetheart. I felt something on my leg and screamed as I violently brushed it away. I saw the invading black spider wiggle away and I scooted back. That was my cue to leave. I didn’t bother to put the box back where I found it, as I kicked it to the side. I hurried over to the ladder and made my way down.
“Fuck!” I yelled in pain as I felt a huge slap across my ass. I bite my lip as I was rewarded with another one. I jumped down the rest of the way and turned violently to my mom. “What was that for?” I asked in disbelief as I grabbed my butt.
“Did you clean your room?” she asked as she held the wooden spoon.
Are you kidding me? I thought as I stared at her in shock. “Yes! Why are you spanking me like I’m seven?”
“Did you change the sheets?” she asked in a calm voice.
“Why would I change my sheets?” I asked her. “I happen to like rolling around in my sheets saturated in my own wetness.” I said.
My mom raised her spoon and I quickly moved out the way as it came down missing my arm by an inch.
“This is abuse.” I told her.
“You are my punishment.” My mom said as if she had an epiphany. “That’s the only explanation as to why you act like this.” She said as she shook her head and ranted off in French.
I sighed and turned around. “I’ll go change my sheets.” No need to fucking try to kill me.
“There’s no hope for you if you keep acting like this!” My mom yelled to me as I made my way up the stairs.
I rolled my eyes. This was the reason why I could never stay home for more than 2 weeks. My mother and I’s personality clashed to the extreme.
“You should just do what she says, amuse her, so she doesn’t keep nagging at you.” Cece said from the top of the stairs.
I looked up and smirked. “That’s your job, I wouldn’t want to take the best daughter award away from you.” To my surprise Cece’s face paled. She looked slightly uncomfortable and abruptly turned and walked briskly to her room and shut the door. “What the hell?” I said as I reached the top step and looked at her door down the hall to the right. What was wrong with her?
*******
“Deacon Wright said thank you for the photos you took of the children and how you decorated the east wall with it.” My mom said.
I moved my broccoli across my plate as I looked down at my phone. That was so weird. Andy hadn’t texted or called me in the past 6 hours. I was tempted to just text a ‘hey’ but that was so desperate. I mean that was desperate right? It’s not like he promised to call or text back or anything…if he had than I should have been concerned.
“He wants to know if you can go back a couple more times and finish the rest of the walls, they like your artistic input.” Gisele said proudly.
I mean what am I even getting all worked up about? I mean so what if this is the first time in 2 weeks he hadn’t sent a text or call at least every hour. I put my phone down and stared at it. Shit what am I doing? Who cares, drop it, he’s probably celebrating with the band.
Cece turned to Nee-nee aware that her little sister wasn’t even paying attention as she looked at her phone.
“Ornelia!” Gisele yelled.
“What?” I asked my head snapping up. “Yeah sure whatever.” I said agreeing to whatever conversation had just happened. There was no need to yell. My eyes involuntary slid back down to my phone.
“I wanna go decorate too!” Fleur said happily.
Everybody at the table turned to look at her.
“Or…I could play with the little kids while Nee-nee decorates…” she said sheepishly. She moved her food around her plate. “Or…can I help decorate Nee-nee?” Fleur asked
“Of course you can.” I said smiling at my little sister.
Gisele sighed. “Ornelia stop installing false hope in the child. You always do this. She can play with the little kids... that’s what she can do.”
“Mom if she wants to decorate she can.” I said annoyed at her. I shook my head and moved my rice around my plate.
“Ornelia….”
“What?” I asked. “I have a lot of things that don’t actually require sight, especially on the west wall, Deacon Wright said I could put whatever I wanted on it.”
I turned to Fleur who lifted her head and smiled at me brightly. I tapped my fork against my plate twice to let her know I was smiling back at her.
“Mom, I think it’ll be a great opportunity for Fleur to do something a little more challenging.” Cece said chipping in.
“And of course, since Cece has spoken you’re going to agree right?” I said smirking at my mom. I was waiting for Celine’s comeback but it never came. What? I turned to look at her.
Gisele put her fork down and glared at me. “That’s enough.” She said.
“I barely got started.” I muttered as I popped a broccoli in my mouth. I narrowed my eyes at Celine…what was wrong with my sister? Well at least she didn’t look like a walking corpse anymore. She’d put some make-up on and put her hair down like she usually wore it.
“Fleur if you don’t think it’s too much to handle than you can accompany your sister to go decorate.” Gisele said.
Fleur beamed at her mom as she chewed. “Yeah! I bet Andy would want to go too!” She said excitedly. I smiled at her and she stopped abruptly as though she’d gotten caught. “Uh…I mean…”
“If he was here then he’d probably want to go decorate with you guys.” Cece said quickly jumping in.
“Yeah, that’s what I meant!” Fleur said nodding. “If he was here.” She repeated. She put her head down and stuffed her face with some rice.
“Okay….” I said trailing off as I looked at my two sisters. Fleur was practically squirming in her seat and Cece was not making eye contact with me. Something was off here…why couldn’t I put my finger on it.
“Well I think the desert is ready.” My mom said loudly as the timer in the kitchen went off.
“I’ll get it.” Cece said quickly and got up. I was just about to nag Cece. I narrowed my eyes at her…she’s up to something.
Bubbles all of a sudden stood up and barked. He barked again joyfully.
The doorbell rang and everybody froze. Fleur grinned as she seemed to bounce in her chair. She reached down and patted Bubbles golden fur. What the fuck was wrong with my family?
“Ornelia why don’t you open the door?” My mom asked drinking her wine.
“Cece’s up, she can get it.” I said putting a fork full of rice in my mouth. Oh shit, in those three minutes I’d forgotten how good this was. I took another forkful and chewed annoyingly. Cece looked at my mom as my mom stared at me. I rolled my eyes and dropped my fork. “Fine…geez fine, I’ll get it…because apparently nobody else can walk to the door.” I said getting up. I took a gulp of my wine and scooted my chair back. I murmured to myself as to how slavery was over and yet I was still being treated like one in my own house. I rounded the corner and made my way to the front door.
“Who is it?” I asked with an attitude as I opened the door, not waiting for an answer.
“Hey.” A more than familiar voice said.
My mouth dropped as I looked up from the black skinny’s to the black fitted pea coat. I saw the pink lips and those ethereal deep blues. “Andy?” I whispered. No, this is not Andy…no he is not standing in front of me right now…I’m dreaming. I have to be dreaming. I turned my head and looked back into the house and then back at him. He had a slight smile on his face.
“You said you missed me right?” He asked as he took his hands out of his coat. That voice, that low nonchalant tone he used, God how I
missed that voice. Andy brushed his bangs out of his eyes.
I squealed as I let go of the door and lunged myself at him. I tilted my head and met his mouth full on. His lips were cold and soft, and ever so inviting. Andy’s arms immediately wrapped around my waist as he held me tight. I pressed my body against his making him stumble back as I moved my mouth against his. I backed my head away slowly to stare at him. His blue eyes stared right back down at me. It was really him. I smiled warmly as I kissed him again.
O.J. Page 44
