I place my head on his shoulder and say, “I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better my asshole father came to your game.”
He starts to laugh. “Yeah I saw that. Why was your dad here?”
“Come on, get in. I’ll fill you in on the way to his house. I promised him I would go home right after the game.”
Logan drives me to my father’s house, which is on the other side of town, while I fill him in on everything Farrah already knows.
“That really sucks,” Logan says, taking a hold of my hand.
“Wow, nice house,” Farrah observes, sitting up in the backseat. “Is it just as nice inside?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been in it.” I look at the huge light grey two-story house, and realize I don’t even know how many rooms are in there or anything.
When my dad first moved out he moved into Trisha’s small one bedroom apartment over a bakery. I only went over once when Trisha was out and only lasted a few minutes in there. I ran out crying hating my new reality. I vowed that day I would never step into a home my father shared with that woman. Little did I know I was going to be forced to a couple of months later.
I wonder what my bedroom looks like, if I have a bedroom, that is. It’s probably a small room with white walls and a twin size bed in the middle of it. My dad did say Trisha decorated it, and knowing her fashion sense it’s either going to look like a padded room or a strip club.
“Are you ok?” Farrah asks cupping her hand on my shoulder.
“I’m not sure.”
“Do you want me to take you somewhere else? I don’t mind. I’ll take you anywhere you want,” Logan says.
I want to tell him yes. Drive me to a place where I don’t have to worry about seeing my dad or the thing growing in his ugly idiotic girlfriend’s stomach. Drive me to a place where everything will feel like it’s normal again. But I know I can’t run away from this.
“Thank you, but I better get inside.”
“Kay, We’ll see you tomorrow.” I give them both a hug goodbye and get out of the car. This is going to suck!
I walk into my father’s new house in amazement. The foyer is huge. A wood-floating stairwell, kind of gives it the appearance of a loft. To the right there is a huge living room, which has a wall made up of French doors. I’m sure they lead to a pool. To the left is the dining room and there’s probably a huge kitchen that follows it.
“Do you want a tour?” Trisha asks with a bubbly smile.
“Actually I’m kind of tired. Where’s my room?” I ask looking at my dad who has the same goofy smile as the evil bitch.
“I’ll let Trisha show you. She’s been so excited to show you what she did,” my father proudly says putting his arm around her shoulders. Why does he always have to touch her? Do they even know what they look like together? She looks more like his daughter than his girlfriend. They really are ridiculous.
“Oh Dad, there’s a party tomorrow at Derek’s. Can I go?” I ask him, while he’s in such a good mood.
“Do I know this Derek?” Is he kidding? Why is he acting like he cares about me?
“I don’t know. But you do know his parents. The Mitchells.”
“Oh Barb and Ted. Are they going to be there?”
“What do you think?” I have no idea. I’m betting they’re not, but there’s no way I can tell him that if I want to go. I swear even my mother doesn’t ask me this many questions.
“I think I should call them.”
“Dad?!” Oh God, what have I done.
“Stewart, you can’t do that. Just let her go.” Here we go again. I can’t stand that Trisha has to be my hero once again. Maybe this is a sign I shouldn’t go. I didn’t really have a good time at the last party. At the same time there’s a little piece of me, which for some crazy reason, wants to see Austin there. I must be losing my mind.
“Fine, but you have to be home by midnight.”
“One. Please.”
“Twelve thirty and you have to spend the day with us,” my father states.
“But I have to work tomorrow. It’s my last day at Delights.”
“What time do you have to be at work?”
“Five.”
“Perfect. We’ll spend some time together until you have to go in and then you can head to the party and be home no later than one. Okay?”
“Okay. Thank you.” I run over and give him a hug. I quickly step back realizing what I just did. The last time I hugged my father was a few days before he left us.
The smile on his face sort of melts my heart, and for a minute I think he might actually want me here because he loves me and not because he’s trying to have some control over my mother.
“Are you ready to see your room?” Trisha asks, wrapping her arm around my dad’s arm reminding me he’s all hers now.
“I guess.” I wait for Trisha to go up the stairs, but to my surprise she walks into the living room. Ohmigod, do they want me to sleep on the couch? We walk through the very modern living room into a room just off a small hallway.
“I thought you would like your privacy,” Trisha says opening the door to my bedroom.
My jaw almost hits the floor when I see what she has put together for me. The walls are not plain white, but instead a beautiful shade of deep purple. One wall seems to have black and white velvet fabric on it. A curvy black iron headboard gives the king-size bed a gothic princess feel. It is adorned with the perfect black and white bedding. It’s beautiful. If it were at mom’s house it would be perfect.
I don’t want Trisha to know how impressed I am so I try to hide my smile. “Thank you,” I mumble.
“Do you like it?”
I nod, but inside I’m jumping up and down.
“I’m glad,” Trisha adds looking upset I’m not more thrilled. “Well I leave you to unwind. Have a good night.”
“Okay.”
I look around my new room and hate how much I love it. The best part is the double French doors that lead me to the pool in the backyard. I wish my parents lived in this house and not my dad and Trisha.
My father was not kidding when he said I would have to spend the whole day with him and Trisha. First we went out for some fancy breakfast. My father gushed about all the delicious food the restaurant has. He told me to order anything I want, so I did. I ordered plain cornflakes.
As thankful as I am for him letting me go to the party tonight I’m not happy to have to spend the day with him and his Barbie doll.
After breakfast I had to spend the next three hours with them at the baby store registering for things she wants her dumb friends to buy her for her baby shower. I don’t understand why they thought I would want to be part of this. I don’t even want to know that stupid baby.
At one point Trisha gave me the registering gun and told me to pick things I thought she might need. I tried to find a brain, but they didn’t seem to have any in stock. So I settled for some ugly cheap looking blankets and plastic bibs.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse my father drops Trisha and me off at the bridal store and has the nerve to say, “Have fun.” Is this why he wanted me around? So I can be Trisha’s gopher.
This sucks. I look over at Point Park across the street and remember when I was little and my dad would bring Carrie and me there to play. We would both look over at Bella’s Bridal Boutique and dream about our own weddings. Who knew years later I would be walking into it with my father’s mistress, I mean fiancé.
“I can’t wait to see my dress. I had to make it big because I don’t know how huge I’ll be in April,” Trisha laughs as we walk into the very expensive bridal shop. My sister was looking at dresses at this store, but realized they were way out of her price range. “I have also picked out a dress for you.”
“What?” Why would she pick out a dress for me? I’m not planning on going to their stupid wedding. They can’t make me go.
“Well I was hoping you would agree to be my maid of honor.” She bats her eyes.
>
Is she fucking kidding me? “Don’t you have a friend that could do that for you?” Even Carrie didn’t ask me to be her maid of honor.
“Well, I wanted you to do it. I think your father should have his daughters involved.”
“So you asked Carrie to be part of this too?”
“Not yet. Your father told me to wait for her to have some more time to accept everything that is happening.” She smiles her perfect smile making me want to punch her in the face. She broke up my family and now wants me to be part of putting the final nail in the coffin.
“Is this her?” An older lady dressed in black with pearls around her neck asks.
“Yes,” Trisha says showing off her new teeth that are really starting to irritate me.
“Wait until you see the dress your stepmother has picked out for you,” the lady says, bringing me towards the back. My heart thumps loudly with anger. I need to get out of here. I don’t want to do this anymore.
The fancy lady brings me into a dressing room and unveils a lavender sweetheart silk chiffon gown. It’s twice as beautiful as the yellow one I’m wearing for Carrie’s wedding and three times as expensive.
“This color is going to look so good on your golden complexion and really bring out your green eyes,” the silver hair lady says unzipping the dress. “I’ll leave you to change.”
She walks out leaving my mind spinning. There is no way I can get into that dress. I lean against the mirror and slip down onto the carpeted floor. I grab a hold of my legs and pull them up tight against my chest as I fight the urge to cry.
If I accept trying on this dress I accept that I’m okay with what dad has done to all of us. I accept letting Trisha become my stepmother. This is not right. I can’t do this. I jump up and run out of the room.
I run out to Trisha standing in front of a three way mirror in her loose princess ball grown wedding dress with so many crystals I think they are beginning to blind me, or maybe it’s my tears that are causing it.
She is grinning from ear to ear disgusting me. “Where’s your dress?” She asks furrowing her perfectly shaped eyebrows.
“I’m sorry, but I can’ be part of this.” I run out before I have an emotional break down in the middle of the bridal store. Why would my father do this to me?
12
Party Time
Without thinking I pull out my phone and dial Austin’s number. I have no idea why, but I need to hear his voice right now.
“Hello,” he answers.
I can’t say a word. All I do is sob. I try to say something but nothing comes out of my mouth but sniffles.
“Jade? Is that you?”
Sniffle.
“What’s wrong?”
More sniffles.
“Jade, you’re scaring me. Where are you?”
“Point Park,” I manage to utter.
“Stay right there. I’m on my way.”
“Okay.”
I cross the street to the park and sit on the stonewall staring at the store. I wait to see what reaction everyone is going to have. Just as I thought my father pulls up and tries to walk into the store, but the older lady stops him. I see him moving his arms all around and I can only guess he’s asking what happened. Maybe I should go talk to him.
He runs his hand through his wavy dark hair and takes a deep breath in. He slowly turns his head and his eyes widen when he sees me. I’m in trouble now. I quickly wipe my eyes. I refuse to let him see me cry. He crosses the street with his green eyes turning darker the closer he gets to me. “What happened in there?” He huffs out.
I shrug my shoulders while trying to hold my tears back.
“Trisha called me all upset. She said you ran out of the store. Why would you do that to her?”
I’m so scared my tears will come out that I don’t realize it’s my anger that’s about to explode. “How could you do that to me? I don’t want to be in your stupid wedding! I don’t even wanna be there as a guest!”
Pain enters his eyes. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I better go check on Trisha.” He turns around and walks away. I dig my head into my legs crying harder. Once again he’s chosen her. I wish I could go home to my plain bedroom and my mother.
I hear a car door slam, but I don’t look up. “What happened?” The voice I was waiting to hear says. I look up and see Austin standing in front of me. He looks so worried. I lean forward and begin to cry harder into his warm chest. Between sobs I explain it all to him.
“I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this.” He rubs the back of my head as I continue to soak his navy blue t-shirt in my tears. “Why don’t you just go home?”
“I wish I could, ‘cause every minute I have to spend with him makes me hate him even more.”
Austin holds me tighter making my heart feel safe again. I look up just in time to see my father and Trisha walk out of the store. She looks upset as my father tries to comfort her. She is such a phony bitch. I hate her.
He snaps his head towards me. His eyes widen when he notices who is standing next to me. He opens the car door for Trisha and then begins to cross the street again. I pull away from Austin before he can reach us.
“So I see you and my daughters are friends again,” my father says with a wry look in his eyes. My father knows exactly how Austin broke my heart when we were kids. I remember he told me I was better off knowing what a jerk he was before it was too late. Years later he turned around and used his dad to handle his divorce.
“Yes we are,” Austin says, putting his arm around my shoulders. I quickly battle with either pushing his arm off me or letting him keep it there. I decide not to move. “I called her and noticed she was upset. So, I came to see if I could do something to cheer her up.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. Do you think you can do me a favor?” My dad says still with some doubt in his eyes.
Austin nods his head.
“Can you take my daughter out for a while before she has to go to work. She’s had a hard day. I think she could really use a friend.” I’m speechless. That’s the last thing I thought my father was going to say.
“Not a problem.”
My father turns to me and says with warmth in his eyes this time, “Sometimes I do things without thinking and I apologize for that. I love you and nothing will ever change that.” He opens his arms and I rush into them. For this small moment I’m his little girl and I still believe he can do no wrong. “Go have a good time.” I hug him tighter. I wish I could hold on to this feeling forever.
He crosses the street, gets into his car, and drives off.
It really sucks that my parents are no longer together. I wish I could rewind time and try to fix whatever was wrong with them, or at least stop Trisha from meeting him.
“I hate seeing you cry,” Austin says, wiping my tears off my face.
“I hate crying. These last couple of months I feel like all I’ve done is cry. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Well I’m here now, and I’m gonna make sure you do a lot more smiling than crying.” He takes a hold of my hand.
“Thanks. But I’m sure you have better things to do than take care of me.”
“Not really. Well, actually I have to go help Derek with the party, but I can do that later. I just wanna spend time with you.”
I know he’s just trying to be nice. “It’s cool. You can drop me off at Logan’s house.”
“Are you sure? I did promise your dad I’d make sure you have a good time.”
“It’s really okay. I’m just thankful you came to rescue me,” I say getting into his car.
“You promise we’ll hang out tonight?”
I nod. There’s nothing more I want than to be by his side tonight. There’s no part of me that wants to fight this bond we’re building anymore.
“Good. I’ll make sure you forget all about your horrible day.”
I nod again, trying not to make my smile so wide. It’s weird how in two weeks Austin has gone from being my enemy
to my personal hero.
I enter Logan’s house and am shocked to see Jesse sitting there. Jesse quickly tells me how he had a fight with his mom and headed down here to see his dad. I don’t care how bad the fights with my mother get I would never choose my dad over her.
I guess for Jesse it’s different, he doesn’t only have his father in Cisco Beach, he also has Logan. It must have been twice as hard for him than me. He didn’t only leave his dad he also left his friends when he moved. I don’t think I could make it if I didn’t have my friends around, and now Austin.
I decide not to tell Logan and Jesse anything about what happened earlier. They didn’t even realize it was Austin who dropped me off. If Logan would’ve seen me step out of his car he’d be lecturing me right now instead of playing video games with Jesse.
I know I’m eventually going to get that lecture but I want to avoid it for as long as possible.
After an hour of watching Logan and Jesse play Call of Duty we finally head to work. Before I start my shift I text Farrah and ask her to bring me something to wear for the party tonight. I don’t feel like going back to my dad’s, at least not until I have to.
I can’t believe it’s my last official day at Delights. As much as I couldn’t stand working here I’m going to miss this place. It has been an escape from my reality.
Not that I’ve been able to escape everything that happened today. Most of all it hasn’t helped me from not thinking about Austin. He’s been on my mind all evening long. His brown eyes and his smile have been engraved into my head. My pulse quickens every time I think about seeing him tonight.
“What’s up?” Logan asks looking at me suspiciously as he closes the door after our last customer exits.
“Huh?”
“You’ve had a smile on your face the whole shift. I never thought you like serving ice cream this much.”
“I’m just in a good mood.”
“I like seeing you like this, but it also scares me. Is something going on?” I wish I could tell him about the new friendship I’m building with Austin, but I’m afraid he’ll have a negative reaction and feel like I’m betraying him.
Because of You Page 8
