Chapter 30: 99 Problems Between Blurred Lines: Part 2/2:
Mini Update and announcement... : Sooo, I'm still stressed and busy as hell but it's my birthday so that's pretty cool. It would've been even cooler if I could've posted the chapter when Mel actually celebrates her birthday but I got pretty close to it so it is what it is. *shrug* I had this chapter sitting around for a while but I've been so busy as you all know by now. I just don't have time to sit down and play my game as much. But I'll be done with my random hiatus around June so I'm slowly coming back.. I can see the light! *corny* :P
But anyways, I have a small announcement/ spoiler to make... I guess. :S *If you want to see it, just click the little box that says 'show' below and you will see the message. I don't think it's really a spoiler but I'm still blacking it out anyways. :)
Adrianne's outfit is weird because it was her turn to wear an ugly outfit lol.
When I got home Allyson was actually downstairs, looking through the door as if she was waiting for me.
I opened the door and before I walked any further I stopped. It smelled like chicken, and something salty but I didn't exactly know what that other thing was. There was one thing I couldn't deny about Adrianne, she could cook her ass off, and still manage to keep me comfortable even though I didn't eat half the stuff she ate with Croy and Allyson. I guessed that was kind of cool.
"He made you walk home?!" She asked, with her mouth nearly touching the floor.
"WHAT?! No!" I shouted, completely astounded by her accusation. "I walked home today, is there something wrong with that?" I looked her up and down like she was the one in the wrong.
"No, I just wondered... Chill." Her eyes peered around the room, she twisted her foot on the floor. "Croy came home early so we could all talk and stuff, because you know that's what healthy families do." She opened her mouth and put her index finger half way inside it, mimicking the act of vomiting.
"Oh yeah? Cool." I knew it was rude but I kind of stopped listening to her for a second or two. The unsettling feeling of guilt had punched me in the stomach when she mentioned my uncle.
"Umm, that was weird." She lapped her eyes at me and concentrated on her fingernails. "But I shouldn't really be surprised. After all, you're pretty queer." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders like Marie Antoinette when she told the French to 'eat cake.'
She walked off and I didn't even bother trying to respond to her. I had to come up with an apology-or maybe it would've been better to speak from my heart? Rup, rup, rup. Allyson interrupted my thoughts as she made her way up the stairs.
I made it into my room and threw my back against the door. This was going to be one awkward ass dinner. Maybe I could just hide in here and act like I had the flu? Or maybe they wouldn't even care if I stayed in my room. Oh fuck that. I knew Adrianne would probably say something about me not being there at the dinner table.
My phone rumbled around in my pocket and I pulled it out, Jess was calling me. I swiped the screen with my thumb, answering the call with reluctance resonating through my voice. "Hey sis, are you alright?" She never called me for anything.
There was not one sound wave that wipped through the other end of the phone, she was dead silent. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. I forgot why I called you, I'm sorry." She was talking all slow and it honestly sounded like she was confused.
"Oh, alright then." I mumbled, feeling somewhat let down by her obscured rejection.
"It would be nice if we could talk about things, face-to-face." I could feel her apprehension and she wasn't even here. "I guess, I'm trying to say that I need your advice about some stuff."
She needed my advice? "Of course, I can try and give you advice." I paused. "But you know we're two totally different people." I said, trying to get her to rethink what she had just asked me.
"I know, and that's why I feel like your opinion would really help me." She sighed, and I heard the phone break up a little bit. "So, next week we can talk about things?" She asked with a sudden haste, as if she was trying to get me off the phone.
"Yes, next week or anytime you want to talk, I'm always here Jess. I've always been here." I was still getting used to the whole 'sister' thing, but I figured it would all come along someday. At least I was making an effort.
"I really appreciate that Mel, you have no idea." It was like she blew on the microphone because all I heard was a bunch of odd noises and clammering going on.
"Jess?" I pulled the phone away from my ear. 05:14, the call was still going on. What the hell was she doing? "Jess are you there?"
"I'm sorry Mel, I've gotta go now." She ended the call so quickly, and once I heard that beep I knew it was too little too late. She had to be okay? Right?
I thought about calling her back, just to make sure she really was okay but I heard Allyson yell at me from upstairs. "Come upstairs and eat with us before I eat your food for you!"
Ploosh. I swung my phone across my bed and trekked into my bathroom, facing the mirror. My face was all scabby and scarlet, but it would have to do for a while. There was no way I would try and cover that up with makeup, and I honestly didn't like the way makeup felt on my skin.
The slightly heavy bags under my eyes made me think about the time I went to bed last night. I was feeling a lot more lethargic and irritable lately but then again I had a lot on my mind. I didn't want to be like this but I just was.
"I'm not gonna repeat myself! Come up here and get your God damn food!" Allyson voice was so strong and powerful, it was like we were playing a game of tug of war. When she yelled she pulled at me, I came crashing forwards, right towards her direction.
"Well, look at what the cat dragged in." Adrianne nudged Croy with her elbow and pointed her shiny fork at me as I walked around the table and took a seat.
"Yeah, literally. Look at her face." Allyson held her hand out towards me.
Adrianne eyed us up and down. "You know you girls are so odd." She shook her head back and forth as she picked up her glass of water. "Just a few days ago you guys were making an effort to talk to each other but now you're back to..." She raised her eyebrows, trying to finish her sentence. "This."
I quickly peeked over at Allyson, she noticed me and looked straight down at her plate, eating some of her food. "Can you just stop talking?" She asked, frowning at her.
Adrianne opened her mouth and then her eyes shot wide open. She hunched forward and clenched onto her stomach. "Ahhh" Her eyes wrinkled up and they looked like little crows feet on her face as she winced in utter agony.
Crink. Croy dropped his fork and got out of his chair, placing his hand on her back. "What's wrong?"
"My stomach-" She shook her head back and forth and got up. "It's just part of the pregnancy, a little pain is expected. You guys can eat without me, I think I need to lay down."
"Adrianne." His voice got all low and he glared at her. "That's not something to take lightly. Some pain is expected during a pregnancy but it shouldn't be that bad, especially in the beginning stages." He looked like he was in pain before he spoke again. "Maybe you should go to the hospital."
"No!" She snapped, tugging her back away from his hand. "You know, I don't understand why you're being so negative about everything." She walked away from the table and headed upstairs.
Croy looked back at us, and just shook his head before he followed her upstairs. "I just want to make sure you're alright, is that wrong?" He called out to her, while she was still ignoring him.
Me and Allyson kind of stared at each other for a moment. I had no idea what to do and it was obvious that she didn't either.
She got up and twirled her fork around the plate, the creaking sound made me cringe. She kept swirling it around until most of the remaining pasta on her plate was looped around it. Her head shot back and she slopped the fork full of pasta in her mouth.
"You're nasty." I denounced, shaking my head back and forth as I shot her a disapproving glare.
"Yeah, I know you're nasty." She goaded, shoving more food in her mouth.
"Ugh, you're low class." I put my hand up, dismissing her.
"Oh yeah I'm the one without class, yet you're the one hanging around some guy that has a girlfriend. No one ever respects a homewrecker, trust me... I used to be in your shoes." She scooped up the remaining bits of food on her plate and just stared at me. "You remind me of myself when I was 13... it's almost scary. Sometimes I like that and other times I don't."
She walked towards the sink and put her plate inside the basin. Clunk. "Its your turn to do the dishes tonight." She said, before walking off and belching like a sweaty old man with a beer gut. "Mmm, that's the sound of a satisfied woman." She laughed before heading up the stairs.
I rolled my eyes, not at Allyson, but at myself. I was alone now, which meant I was going to have to sit here in silence with my uncle, since he refused to talk to me. Either way, I would still try and apologize, it was his decision whether or not he wanted to forgive me.
The hardest part of apologizing was coming up with what to say. 'I'm sorry I was an asshole?' There were plenty of options but not all of them were suitable. I sighed, at this point dropping to my knees and begging for forgiveness seemed suitable. What the fuck was I going to do?!?
I leaned on the table, resting my head on my left arm. There was too much going on in my life for me to even focus.
Suddenly, a tap on my shoulder made me jump. "I didn't know my food was that bad." Croy laughed.
At least he was talking to me. "Oh no, I didn't even eat yet." I turned around in the chair, facing his tired looking face. My puppy dog face was in full effect. "I'm sorry." I whimpered.
"Oh, come here." He sighed, stretching his arms out for a hug.
I got up and wrapped my arms around him, swinging him left to right as we hugged. "I thought you would be mad at me forever." I murmured, feeling my heart grow warm.
"You can get me pretty angry, but I will never be mad at you forever... That's a bit over-kill, don't ya' think?" He rubbed my back.
"Okay, maybe it was a tad bit over-kill.” I pulled away from him and smiled.
“Come on, let’s eat. We can talk more after we’re finished.” He patted me on my back and gently eased me towards the table.
****
“So you were giving me the silent treatment?!?” I asked, nearly closing my eyes as I glowered at him. “That’s very mature of you. I thought I was the teenager and you were the adult.”
He nodded his head “Right, right. You are the child and I’m the adult. What about it?” He shrugged.
I leaned in, flicking his elbow. “Watch it, firecracker!” He hollered, flicking me back.
“You could’ve just told me why you were upset with me!” I retorted. Wasn't it obvious that was the easier thing for him to do?
He shook his head like an old wise man. His hand found its way onto my shoulder and he looked me in the eye. “Melly, I’m about to teach you a very important life lesson right now so listen closely, and remember what I’m about to say.” There was the distant creak of the shower being turned on upstairs before he spoke. “In life, you won’t always agree with someone you love. You’re bound to fuck things up and say hurtful things, or maybe the person you love will disappoint you, like you did to me last night.” He frowned for a moment and stopped himself. “Don’t tell Adrianne I’m cursing in front of you.”
I laughed, “Of course not.” I said, rolling my eyes at the thought of her scolding him for using ‘inappropriate language’
With confidence, he quickly got back to what he was saying. “Like I was saying, you will hurt people and sometimes people will hurt you but the best thing to do when you want to make someone realize they did you wrong is to just leave them alone.” He spread his arms out. “Give them space, abandon them, and completely forget that they even exist until they realize you, and your feelings, and how they hurt you.” A smirk suddenly appeared on his face. “When you curse someone out and keep going back and forth with them, 9 times out of 10 you might feel better, but it will make the situation worse and you might say something even more hurtful. So just be wise and let them realize.”
“Be wise and let them realize huh?” I gave his thoughts some time to digest and it kind of made sense. “So you forgot I existed?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No of course not Mel, I didn’t mean that in a literal way.” He pulled me in close to him, and hugged me as I was curled into a little ball. “I could never forget you existed, I love you. Family is family, and we will fight sometimes.”
I had no true idea of what a family was but I nodded my head, as if I understood what he meant.
“I love you.” He kissed my forehead, patting my back as he reassured me that his love for me would never change. “And I will never stop loving you, even if you make mistakes or say hurtful things to me, that’s the true love of a family member.”
I picked my head up off my knee caps and a tender simper formed across my lips. “Thanks.” I whispered, not really sure what else to say. “I love you too.”
Without realizing it he practically threw my back against the couch when he broke away from me, it was Adrianne.
"Sweetie!" It almost sounded like she was asking him a question rather than calling out to him.
"Yes honey?!" His shouting sounded so desperate.
Without even bothering to say goodnight, he nearly sprinted up the stairs to go and check on her. I knew he loved her, but sometimes it felt like he loved her too much.
He couldn't spare 5 seconds to at least say something before getting up and walking away? I got up and walked towards the sink, getting ready to wash the dishes and crash for the night. Being sleep deprived clearly wasn't working out for me.
