by Blythe Reid
Chapter 22
Scarlet
Lexie and I left class that day arm in arm. Over the past month, we’d grown closer. My relationship with Lucien took up a lot of my time, but when we weren’t together, I was with Lexie. She quickly became my best friend, and I couldn’t imagine not having her around to talk to. Whenever anything new happened with Lucien, Lexie was my first call. Before moving to New York, I never had a girlfriend. I was beyond grateful when I found Lexie.
“So,” she said as we walked. “Finish telling me what happened.”
“I don’t even know,” I said weakly. “He came into class this morning and he was just, weird. He brought me coffee, which was sweet, but we barely talked. Then, he practically ran away from me after class. He said he wasn’t feeling well, but I don’t know. It was just weird.”
“Sounds like it,” Lexie said thoughtfully. “Maybe he really was sick.”
“Maybe,” I said, nodding. “I’m probably just reading into it.”
“You are,” Lexie said with confidence. “Lucien cares about you.”
I laughed. “Since when did you become such a Lucien advocate? You used to hate him.”
“I never hated him,” she defended. “I just didn’t trust him, but he’s proven himself over time. I mean, he wouldn’t have stuck around for an entire month if he wasn’t really into you.”
I smiled. “This is true. God, Lexie, am I crazy?”
“For what?” she asked.
“For totally falling for him?”
My fear was evident in my voice. Lexie leaned close to me and shook her head.
“No,” she said. “You are not crazy. You’re just a normal girl.”
“That doesn’t sound like a compliment,” I groaned.
She laughed. “It’s not.” I nudged her with my hip and she laughed harder.
It was easy to be with Lexie. I could talk about my feelings without fear of judgement. She told me everything about her love life, and I did the same. We talked about everything with an open-minded policy. No matter how emotional one of us was, the other just listened. I had no idea what I would do without her.
While we walked, my phone began to ring in my pocket. I detached myself from Lexie to pull it out. When I looked down at the screen, I saw that it was my mom. We hadn’t talked in a long time, and I was actually happy she was calling. I couldn’t wait to tell her about my new life and how happy I was.
“I should take this,” I told Lexie. “It’s my mom.”
“No worries,” she said. “I gotta go.”
I waved at Lexie and then answered the phone.
“Hi,” I said brightly. “I’m glad you called.”
“You are?” my mom asked. She sounded pleasantly surprised.
“I am,” I said. “We haven’t talked in forever. How are you? How’s work?”
“Work is fine,” she said. “Just busy as always. How are your classes going?”
“Really well,” I said proudly. “I shouldn’t have any problem graduating on time.”
“Are you learning anything?” she asked suspiciously. My mom always hated American schools. For some reason, she believed them to be inferior to European schools.
“I’m learning a ton,” I promised. “And not just in class.”
“Oh?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “This city is teaching me so much. I learn something new every single day. I’m obsessed, Mom. I love it here.”
“I’m glad to hear you’re doing well,” she said without emotion.
“I’m doing great!” I gushed. Now that we were talking, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to tell her everything. “I met this amazing girl named Lexie. She’s my best friend. You would love her.”
“I’m sure I would,” Mom said.
“And, I’m seeing this guy. Lucien,” I said. “He’s… Mom, he’s perfect. I know that sounds cliché and immature, but he’s so amazing. Every time we’re together I get butterflies. I can’t even tell you how much I—”
“You have a boyfriend?” she interrupted.
“Um,” I paused. “I’m not sure if I would call him a boyfriend. I mean, we’ve been seeing each other for about a month now.”
“You didn’t think that was something you should tell me?” she snapped.
“I would have,” I said. “But we haven’t talked lately. I’m telling you now.”
“After a month,” she said.
“Well,” I began, but I didn’t know what else to say. My mom was never supportive of me having a life, but I thought things would be different now. After all, I was almost twenty-two and living in a different country. I didn’t think boys were really a concern anymore.
“I’m extremely disappointed right now,” she said. “I sent you there to help your grandmother, Scarlet, not frolic around with some boy.”
“I am helping,” I said quickly. “Grandmother and I spend time together all the time. She really likes Lucien.”
“She’s met him?” Mom asked.
“Of course,” I said.
“She didn’t tell me, either,” Mom said, speaking more to herself than to me.
“It’s not a big deal,” I said. “It’s just one guy, Mom. I’m not out sleeping with half the school.”
“Are you sleeping with this boy?!”
I realized my mistake too late. Despite my desire to tell my mother about my life, I never intended to divulge so much. The fact that I lost my virginity was personal and no one’s business but my own.
“I—” I said, but she didn’t let me finish.
“You need to come home,” she said firmly. “You’re obviously not doing well in New York. This was a mistake.”
“No,” I said. “Mom, you’re overreacting. I’m halfway through the semester. I can’t leave now! Besides, Grandmother needs me.”
“I can’t trust you to make the right decisions,” she said. “You’re coming home.”
“This is insane!” I snapped. “You’re just angry because I’m finally living my life! You never wanted me to experience anything, and now that I am, you’re throwing a hissy fit. Grow up, Mom. That’s what I’m trying to do!”
“Don’t you dare speak to me that way,” she snarled. “I am your mother.”
“You’re not my mother, you’re my prison guard!” I yelled. “God, I had to travel halfway across the world just to go to my first frat party. Do you see how ridiculous that is? Mom, you’re out of control. I’m an adult.”
“That’s enough!” she yelled back. “First, I find out you’re dating some strange boy, and now, you’re saying you went to a frat party. You are completely out of control. What frat party was this?”
“It was Delta Pi,” I said. “It was their first party of the year, but what does that even matter?”
My mother didn’t answer. Instead, she hung up on me without a word. The line went dead, and I was left standing in the middle of the sidewalk, staring open-mouthed at my phone. My heart was pounding from our fight, and I couldn’t believe what just happened.
When I saw my mom’s name on my phone’s screen, I’d been excited. I couldn’t wait to tell her about my life. I was so sure she would be happy for me. After all, I was an adult now, and she was my mom. Weren’t mothers supposed to want the best for their daughters? Weren’t they supposed to encourage and support them?
When I was finally over my shock, I stuffed my phone in my pocket and made my way back home. My grandmother would be waiting for me to start dinner. Monday nights were my night to cook, and I didn’t want to let my foul mood keep her waiting. She didn’t deserve that. I hurried through the streets, not slowing down until I reached the front door. With a sigh, I stepped inside and tossed my bag to the ground.
“Grandmother!” I called.
“In the kitchen, dear,” she called back.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said as I walked over to her. “You won’t believe what just happened. Mom called me.”
“I know,” she said. �
�She called me, too.”
I stopped dead and stared at my grandmother. Her eyes were already on mine, and she looked serious. Her forehead creased with worry, and her green eyes were darker than I’d ever seen them. I immediately knew something was wrong. Slowly, I sat down beside her and waited for her to tell me what happened.
“You mother called me after she spoke with you,” Grandmother began. “She’s insisting you go home, back to France.”
I nodded. “I know. But, it’s only because—”
Grandmother held up her hand to silence me. “She filled me in. And I don’t want to get in the middle of you and Claire, Scarlet. That’s not my place. All I’m doing is relaying the message. Your mother wants you home.”
“What about you?” I asked. “You need me here.”
“Claire already called an in-home nursing service,” she said. “Apparently, she can get someone out here quickly.”
I felt the wind knocked out of me. I stared at my grandmother in utter shock. Nothing about this made any sense. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I was doing well in school and making friends. I’d even found myself a nice guy to spend time with. Everything about my life was perfect here. New York was the first place that ever truly felt like home. I knew who I wanted to be and who I was. I couldn’t just give it all up and move back.
“Grandmother,” I said softly. “Do you want me to leave?”
“Of course, not,” she said kindly. “This isn’t my decision.”
“Okay,” I said with a nod. “I’ll be upstairs.”
“All right,” she said.
I got up and hurried to my room. Closing the door behind me, I fell on my bed and set my emotions free. Tears of anger and sadness streamed down my cheeks as I remembered my mother’s harsh words.
She told me she was disappointed in me. That, more than anything, cut me like a knife. After all the effort I put into building a life for myself, it broke my heart that she would just dismiss it like that. And not just dismiss it, but actually be angry at me for it.
I couldn’t stand the idea of just leaving New York behind. My classes were interesting, and I was doing really well in them. My grades were great, and I was happy. If I left now, I would lose credits, and it would take longer for me to graduate. It didn’t make sense to leave, but I knew my mom wouldn’t care about that. All she cared about was keeping me in line. If she wanted me home, then she wouldn’t give up until I obeyed.
Still, as I laid there thinking about my options, one thing kept circling through my head. I didn’t have to listen to her. At twenty-two years old, I was an adult. I could make my own decisions about where I wanted to live and who I wanted to spend time with. My mom, despite her controlling nature, held no true power over me. If I decided to stay in New York, there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.
For the first time in my life, I considered disobeying my mother. Other than a few white lies here and there, I always did what she said. She spent my entire life making sure I feared her, but now, that was no longer the case. I wasn’t afraid of her anymore, but the idea of telling her no still made me nervous. I didn’t want to sever ties with my mom if I didn’t have to, but I couldn’t just blindly listen to her anymore.
I didn’t know what to do. My head was spinning, and I grew more confused by the second. I decided the only way I could make this decision was if I talked to Lucien. Sitting up in bed, I grabbed my phone and dialed his number.
Chapter 23
Lucien
I didn’t leave my room all day. After my morning class with Scarlet, I couldn’t face anyone else. I blew off the rest of my classes and hid in my room. I knew it was immature, but I didn’t care. Today was a shitty day, and I was beyond ready for it to end. It started out great, with me eager to see Scarlet. I couldn’t wait to get to class. Then, Adam intervened and everything changed. I no longer knew what to do.
When my phone rang that night, I knew it was Scarlet before I even looked at it. I turned it over and stared at the ceiling. I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet, not after today. She knew something was wrong after class, and I lied to her.
Lying wasn’t new to me. I could spin my words better than most people, but I’d never lied to Scarlet before. It made my stomach clench painfully. As I remembered the confused look on her face, my phone rang again. I turned it over. It was her again.
I sighed and tossed it to the end of my bed. My frustrations weren’t her fault, but I couldn’t bear the thought of hearing her voice right now. I closed my eyes and prayed she would stop calling, but when I heard my phone begin to ring again, I knew I wouldn’t get that lucky. She was being more insistent than usual. I could tell she wasn’t going to stop until I answered. Reluctantly, I grabbed the phone.
“Hello?” I said, resting it against my ear.
“Lucien,” she said. Her voice was tight. “I’m sorry to call so much, but this is really important. I need to talk to you.”
“Now isn’t really a good time,” I said lamely.
She sniffled on the other end, and I felt my heart ache. I didn’t want to hurt her. “I know,” she said. “I’m sorry. Can you meet me at the park? Please. It’s really important.”
I closed my eyes and put my hand over my face. She was pushing me too hard, and I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t ready to see her, but I couldn’t just say no. There was obviously something wrong. She sounded like she’d been crying, and I knew she wouldn’t have called so many times if it wasn’t important.
“Okay,” I said. “Sure. I’ll meet you there.”
“Now?” she asked hopefully.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I’m on my way.”
“Thank you,” she said. I could hear the relief in her voice. It only made my guilt that much worse.
“See you in a minute,” I said, hanging up before she could say anything else.
It took me a few minutes to climb out of bed. I’d been lying down for so long that my muscles were sore and tight. I had to stretch for a few minutes before I could leave. When I did, I took my time, walking slowly down the stairs and out onto the street.
The park was only a few blocks away, positioned perfectly between the Delta house and Scarlet’s grandmother’s place. We’d met there a million times before. In a way, it was our spot. Scarlet said it reminded her of being by the lake at my parent’s house. I used to find that charming, but now, I felt tense as I approached our usual bench.
Scarlet was already there, staring ahead and waiting for me. When she saw me, her face lit up, and my guilt worsened. I hated feeling this way. I didn’t want to hurt her or myself, but I didn’t know what to do or say. Scarlet’s feelings for me were strong, that much was clear, but mine weren’t as clear. I cared about her, and if it weren’t for Adam, I wouldn’t have second guessed anything.
Still, as I sat down beside her, I found myself wishing I was anywhere else. Just looking at her face made my stomach clench painfully. Her eyes were red and swollen. My suspicions were right. She’d definitely been crying.
“I’m sorry to drag you out here,” Scarlet said. “I just really needed to see you.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“My mom called me today,” Scarlet began. “I was so excited to talk to her. I wanted to tell her everything about my new life, you know? But when I did, she freaked out. She lost her mind over the fact that I went to a frat party and that I’ve been seeing you. She demanded that I come home.”
“She what?” I asked. My emotions were suddenly put on hold as I registered what Scarlet said.
She nodded. “Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either. She hung up on me, and when I got home, Grandmother told me my mom called her. Apparently, she’s setting up an in-home nursing service for Grandmother so that I can leave. She wants me back in France as soon as possible.”
My mouth hung open as Scarlet spoke. I closed it slowly, shaking my head back and forth. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Scarlet’s mother sounded completely insane.
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br /> “You said your mom was strict, but I had no idea,” I said. “That’s fucking crazy.”
“It’s insane!” Scarlet said angrily. “I can’t believe she would do this to me. I moved here to help Grandmother, and that’s what I’m doing. Why shouldn’t I have a life in the meantime? I’m doing well in school. I’ve made friends. Most mothers would be proud, right? I don’t understand why my mom can’t just let me live my life.”
I shrugged. “Because she’s a mom. They’re controlling sometimes.”
“She is beyond controlling,” Scarlet argued. “I thought it was bad before, when I lived with her, but now? I never imagined she would do something like this. She went so far as to call my grandmother. She’s demanding I go home immediately.”
I shook my head again and looked around us. The park was basically empty. The sun was already setting, and everyone was going home. This was our favorite time to be here, at dusk when the world was still and silent. It was our reprieve from the lights and noises of the city. Every other time I sat on this bench with Scarlet, I felt at peace. Now, I felt uncomfortable in my own skin. She was upset with her mom and wanted comfort, but I couldn’t give it to her. All I could do was sit there and let her talk.
“I don’t want to leave,” she whispered.
I looked back at her quickly. Her eyes were brimming with tears again. I couldn’t move a muscle. Part of me wanted to slide over and wrap her up in my arms. I wanted to hold her tightly until she calmed down. It was within my power to make her feel better, but I couldn’t do it.
Instead, I just sat there and watched the tears roll down her cheeks, waiting for her to say more. At first, she didn’t. She just cried silently for a while. When she finally turned to face me, her eyes were open and vulnerable.
“My life is perfect here,” she said. “I have everything I could ever want. School is amazing. Lexie is such a good friend. And you. I don’t want to leave you, not now.”
