Chapter 19: Summer Wine Part 3/3:

****Some pretty offensive things are said in this part and I debated on whether or not I should leave it out but I figured that would be silly, obviously I don't agree with  the things some of my characters say and some characters just aren't really meant to be liked anyways but if I offend anyone, I'm sorry :( ****

'The Modern Restaurant', It amazed me how a restaurant with such a bland name could be so striking and majestic. There was something wrong with this picture though, I wasn't worthy enough to even be at a restaurant like this, or at least that's how I felt. I was having a really, bummy night. An image of Denver and that Abigail girl, made it's way through my mind and for a moment I wondered what they were doing right now but I shook the thought out of my mind and focused on something else. 

There was a statue of a man emerging from a fountain, the man looked depressed and dismal. The man was hunched over and appeared to  be praying, or perhaps he was in deep thought. Either way, something about that statue stunned me. The water propelled out of the jets and the water surrounded the man, it was beautiful and even though we had a table all the way up at the top of the restaurant, I could still hear the wissssh sound that was springing from the jets. 

The menu was ridiculously expensive, and I knew David's parents didn't really mind the price of everything considering what they ordered themselves but I was a vegetarian and I didn't want to make them feel weird and I didn't feel like explaining myself so I just ordered a salad. Zzzzzing , my phone vibrated in my hands and it almost startled me. My face was glowing from my phone screen which was shining underneath me, I was texting my uncle and he still managed to make me laugh even though he wasn't right next to me. David's parents were busy having a serious conversation about boring stuff like politics. I knew it was rude to text during moments like this so, I stopped texting and put my phone in my lap while we continued to wait for the food to arrive, but David was already looking towards the direction of our waitress. I wasn't sure if he was actually that hungry or if he just found the waitress to be that attractive. 

"Okay, that's everything. Enjoy!" the pink-haired girl said to us as she put all of our plates down on the table. A piercing hung down from between her nostrils like a horse-shoe on a ring and freckles were dotted all over her face like rain. It seemed like she would never stop smiling at us, and that made me unsure of whether she was really just a bubbly person or if she was just good at kissing ass, after all that was kind of her job, it must suck being a waitress. "If you need anything else, just let me know" she said before she turned away and walked swiftly through the door. 

I had started eating my salad and David's mom was eating some lobster, and you could hear the occasional clink from our plates as we ate. "David!" I jumped a little, his fathers voice was already pretty deep and when he shouted it just gave me the chills, he was very intimidating. "For Christs sake could you show that girl some respect? It's bad enough that you're looking at a girl that's obviously so tainted" he said arrogantly as he continued on.

"You know David, you have the lowest standards I've ever thought a person could have!" His dad shrugged his shoulders and lowered his eyes at David. "Look at that nasty piercing hanging down from her nose and her pink colored hair, she looks atrocious and disgusting. Do you know what piercings used to be associated with back in the day?" David didn't even bother to respond, obviously showing his frustration. "Well I'll tell you anyways, piercings used to be associated with gangs and drugs and all other types of bad things, only losers have piercings" David sighed and moved around a little in his seat. "Dad, can you please stop being so judgmental...You're really starting to anger me, and you know how I get" David said to his father, as if it were a warning. 

"No I won't stop! Look at your girlfriend now, you know your mom told me about all the stuff you guys have been doing...How many times do I have to tell you to keep your di-" David's father was about to go on before David's eyes grew wide and he cut his father off. "Dad! That's enough, this is not the place to discuss this-" David's father cut David off this time and said the most awkward thing I could ever imagine. "David do you realize that I am your father and you're my son? That means you're below me so you OBEY me, the sooner you realize that the better off things will be in this family, your mother realized she's below me and we don't have any problems so maybe you should start respecting my authority also" David's dad looked down at his plate, grabbed a fork full and hummed Mmmmmm loud and obnoxiously. "Anyways, let me get back to the point. Your girlfriend is the epitome of white trash I mean seriously just look at her, she looks more like a Mexican every time I see her" 

His dad suddenly got even more enthusiastic about the horrible things he was saying. "Ugh! Those God damn Mexicans, make me sick! All they do is hop over the border and come here to America and sit on their ass and expect the government to take care of them, I hate those bastardly, illiterate wet backs that bring drugs into OUR country.... MARK MY WORDS, when I become governor I will do WHATEVER it takes to keep those vermin out of Florida." His father said which only made David's face grow even more dreary. His mother put her hand over her mouth and tried to calm down his dad. "Now, now, honey calm down...Not all of them are like that, some of them just want better opportunities" David's father let out an aggravated sigh and looked away from her "Don't say another word Elizabeth! YOU don't get it...And I don't expect you to because women are too sensitive, when it comes to things like this" I looked over at David's mom and she did as he said, not uttering to speak. It was astonishing how someone could be so obedient, like an animal just because he was her husband. I was  mind blown at the fact that such a bitter man was running for governor in a few months,I didn't give a shit about politics and who ran for office because to be honest I just looked at it as imaginary power but now I hoped when it came time to vote ,no one voted for him because  after hearing all of this stuff he just said, it really showed what he stood for. It wasn't like he would actually be able to go to the extremes of what he probably would like to do, but it would really be a shame to see him make it in to office with such a vile mindset. 

There was a moment of silence and all that could be heard was the classical music playing on the speakers. "You know when you were pregnant with David, there were so many times I wanted to leave you...You acted so stupid and emotional all the god damn time and it really hindered your ability to think straight. You women go crazy when your hormones are messed up" After his father said that David's mom gasped, in shock. "You're pushing it dad and maybe mom won't say anything to you but I will" David said while frowning and shaking his head in disagreement. 

I couldn't believe what his father said, I sat there pretending to look at my nails, trying to hide any possible emotion I was feeling at that moment. I felt like I shouldn't of been hearing this, I wasn't part of his family so this technically wasn't any of my business even though his father was a pretty harsh and ignorant man. David's dad started trying to lighten the mood by asking David "What song is playing right now, isn't it lovely, David?" 

David looked confused, and tense as if he wasn't sure he should answer his father. "Umm is it Bourrée in E Minor?" I had no idea what he was talking about but who would've known that David was into classical music. 

Brink! I jumped again as David's father slammed his fist on the table and made the plates nearly jump up and come back down. "You're damn right it is! You know I can't believe I wasted all that money on your classical guitar lessons, it was only supposed to be a hobby! Now you play that silly rock and hippy trash! You even started smoking pot everyday of the week... You know they say music helps children grow up to be more intelligent and disciplined  but I'm not quite sure that was the case for you, David....I don't know where you went wrong in life, you're well on your way to becoming  a loser"

David turned to his father and said "Dad, I didn't go wrong in life, I just realized how silly it is to be so closed minded...I don't smoke pot everyday, I'm an athlete...That would just be stupid and I don't listen to 'hippy' music, it's called indie AKA independent music" He looked at his mom for a moment and she didn't say anything. "Dad, I'm really getting pissed off, right now and it would be best if you stop" 

His father  pointed his finger in David's face again and kept going on and on about how David would equate to nothing. "Music takes you no where in life, sports takes you no where in life but money and logic does, so get your shit together while you can" I watched as David sighed and rolled his eyes the entire time. I was unsure how to feel but I knew how he probably felt. "And I'm never going to stop just because you say so David, I'm your dad and I'm going to tell you the truth whether you like it or not. It's a cold world out there son and you need to learn to quit getting so angry over the TRUTH...Did you take your pills this morning David?" Things grew silent for a moment and I could feel the awkward tension all in the air. 

Quick like a lightning bolt, David stood up and made a decent amount of noise while doing so. "You know what, maybe I won't be that successful in life but at least I won't be an asshole like you...I can't be near you any longer, because I know I'm about to fucking lose my mind...Did you take your pills this morning dad?" David asked him insolently before he flashed through the door. 

I followed where David went and saw him standing around near a few pool tables, just pacing back and forth. I walked over to him and said "I don't want to bother you bu-" He didn't let me finish my sentence. "I want to be alone right now" Immediately I closed my eyes, wanting to hide. I felt so invasive and embarrassed "I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone okay" I said to him quickly and nervously.He sighed and stood there for a moment, looking at me as if he felt bad. "No-I-I'm sorry I don't need to be alone right now... if anything I need someone to help me calm down right now" He sure had a way of being erratic at the worst times. How was I supposed to help him calm down? I had no idea what it was like to have anger issues, or at least that's what his dad made it seem like he had. "Well, umm....Let's go outside because I can't stand to be in this room much longer, It's making me have overwhelming nostalgia" 

David looked at me harshly and asked me "What do you mean?" I looked down at the ground and back at him, and he was still staring at me. "You know, the arcade" After I said that David's eyes grew wide and he covered his face "Oh yeah, that...You still remember that?" He asked me as if he thought I had some underlying feelings for him. "Well, of course I remember it, that was my first kiss" I said to him and he avoided eye contact with me and I did the same, scratching my head, regretting the fact that I even mentioned all that in the first place.  

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The coolness of the wind sent shivers up my arm, summer sure wasn't going to be around much longer and  soon fall would be approaching. There would be multi colored leaves on the ground just like the multi colored lights people would be putting up on their Christmas trees later on, time sure moved fast. David and I were sitting on the bench outside of the restaurant next to the statue, I saw earlier that night. I listened to the things he said which was pretty much a series of stories. He told me about all the times he pretty much became a monster. 

He leaned over a little more and sighed looking out at the statue and I looked down at him, unsure of what to say. "When I take those pills everyone else is happy but I feel like a walking dead man...No one understands, it's like I'm in another world, it's like I'm just there, living...I feel like I'm on drugs or something...It's a nightmare, I wish I could control my anger but nothing helps, I tried that little counting method but that's bullshit...when I lose it, I lose it" He laughed for a moment and told me about how his father had anger issues also, which kind of explained why he was such a bitter man. "He acts like he has his anger under control but he doesn't...He acts totally different behind closed doors and that's why I hate when he's around."

I shifted around on the bench, placing my hand on my arm and distanced myself from David a little bit. David stopped hunching over and sat up straight. "Well, sometimes your family will get to you...You know, I broke my grandmother's mirror with my bare fist... it's a long story but I was pretty fucking angry, and I didn't even realize what I had done until I was sitting on the floor looking at all the blood on my arm" David looked at me and frowned "Gheez, I would never imagine some one as introverted as you, doing something so...harsh...No offense but you don't seem like the kind of person that can handle pain very well" He said to me and  it made me laugh "Well ,I was angry and I wasn't thinking straight. I hate pain but I reacted so quickly, it didn't even phase me" It felt good getting that out in the open, even if I didn't say the whole story it felt good, telling someone even if there was the possibility that they didn't care. David looked out into the open, staring directly at the statue. "Sometimes, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get to the point where I can control my anger, properly" I looked at him the way he looked at me a few moments ago when we were near the pool table. "Don't say that, you will get there someday...It might not be tomorrow or next week but, you will get there" I meant what I said, he just had to keep trying because, he wasn't a monster at all ,he just had his moments. "Wow, thanks" He said to me and then we sat there in silence for a while before I decided to get up.

I crossed my arms behind my back and looked at the ground. Wisssh wissshhh the fountain jets hissed out behind me, which made me a little nervous because what I was about to ask left room for rejection. This night was already awkward enough and I didn't want to make it worse. How was I going to say this without making him feel weird? I wanted to know and, I couldn't just ask anyone. I couldn't ask my sister, because she would technically be bias and so would everyone else in my family, well except my grandmother. I needed a guys opinion and David seemed pretty honest. I feared rejection but if I didn't ask I would never know. Oh stop being such a baby, I said to myself. "David, do you think I'm pretty?" I asked slowly with hesitation all in my voice, and could feel my heart sink in my stomach. 

He lowered his eyes at me with his head in his hand, leaning over again. "Is this some kind of trick question?" He waited for me to say something back but I didn't, I was too anxious to hear him answer my question, or maybe he wouldn't answer at all. "Okay...No you're not pretty" My heart dropped instantly, and I became lost in my thoughts before he decided to speak again. "You're more than just pretty, you're stunning... but your attitude doesn't match your looks sometimes...Why did you ask me that?" I laughed, relieved because I was so nervous a second ago. Even though I got the answer I wanted, I still didn't believe it. He could've just said that not to make me feel bad. David kept eyeing me up and down because I didn't answer his question, I guess now he knew the feeling. "Okay then, you don' t have to answer me but do me a favor....don't ever ask me that again"