Grandparents

I still haven't spoken to Mason.

After the party he texted me. He seemed concerned. Dad told me it wasn't his fault and he couldn't have possibly known that I was afraid of clowns, but it's not that I don't want to talk to him, I can't.

He's been constantly apologizing. But it's like every time I look at him, I either want to cry or kiss him and I can't do either. Not while I was with Tyler.

Tyler had been upset that I left the party early and without telling. I left without telling him and he claimed he was concerned.

I heard a door open and close and it took me a minute to realize the door was mine. Without even looking up I knew it was Mason. I felt the bed shift as Mason sat down. I distracted myself by chipping off the paint on my nails. "Charlotte."

He's never said my full name before. I continued to fiddle with my fingers and that's when two fingers were placed under my chin and I found myself eye to eye with Mason. "I'm sorry." He pulled his hand from under my chin. "I had no idea you were afraid of clowns, and if I did, I would never do that to you. I may be a douche, but I'm not that big of a douche." He smiled and I let out a small laugh.

He gave me an unexpected hug and I felt my cheeks warm up. We broke loose from the hug and he stood up from the bed and left out of the door, but not before he offered to make dinner and I reluctantly agreed.

Dad and Kelly were at work so that left Mason and I home alone. Although, this night was a lot different from our first night alone. We actually talked and laughed and watched tv. It was a relief to have a break from making out and wanting to rip each others clothes off. And we actually got to know each other.

Unfortunately, he remembered younger me and all the times I did something to ruin him. But instead of making fun of me, we laughed about it. He told me that for awhile he thought I was really creepy and then after that, he got used to me.

We talked for hours until I fell asleep.

~~

The next morning, I woke up in my room with the light flashing through my window. I rubbed my eyes fiercely before rolling out of bed. I took a quick shower and mentally prepared myself last week before thanksgiving break.

I was excited about thanksgiving but only for the food. As for the family... I'm not so excited. Each year, my dad encouraged me to spend thanksgiving with my grandparents... My moms parents... And what makes it even worse is that my mom has to be there.

And this year he's really pushing it. He wants me to get to know my little brother. And as much as I insisted I stay home, he said that he wanted to me to go. I sadly agreed. But me agreeing to it meant that I had to stay the night at their house.

And my grandparents weren't the happiest meals in McDonalds. They were judge mental and nasty. Kinda like my mom. And when I was around them, I kind of felt bad for my mom... She had absent parents who expected so much from her and my father and I were just a product of her rebellion from her parents.

She used us for years before she finally got tired of us and left. After that, she cut off communication with us, leaving my dad alone dealing with me. And honestly I've always taken it easy on my dad.

I didn't realize I was crying until I tasted salt. I wiped my eyes and continued to put on my make up. My alarm rang telling me that I needed to hurry otherwise I was going to be late.

I wiped my eyes one last time before going down for breakfast. I put on the most fake smile I could muster up and went into the dining hall where dad and Kelly were sitting at the table whilst Mason placed food on everyone's plates. There was even a plate sat for me.

I smiled and sat at the table in my designated spot. We talked for awhile before it was time for me to leave for school. As usual, I was the first person to leave the house.

I arrived at school 5 minutes early which gave me time to find my boyfriend and put my things into my locker. I went to my locker first where I found Tyler leaning against my locker talking to one of his friends. Wow, killing to birds with one stone I guess.

I threw my jacket into my locker and Tyler clasped my hand. "You look beautiful today." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. My morning kind of brought me down, mostly thinking about going over my grandparents.

"So what are you doing for thanksgiving?" Irony is a horrible, horrible thing. But then, I thought of something.

"It depends... Are you willing to spend thanksgiving with my grandparents?" He frowned for a second but then agreed. "Good. But just a heads up, they're judge mental."

"So are my parents, don't worry." He gave me a reassuring kiss on the forehead before leaving to go to his first class. I walked into class and took a deep breath before this horrible day started.

~~

Okay so the week went by faster then I had hoped for. By the end of school on Wednesday, I was home packing my bags for my grandparents house. And By 5:00 I was in the car with my dad on the way to my grandparents.

I had packed at least 4 pairs of headphones, just in case. I turned up the volume in dads car, just to let him know I was upset with him. He had agreed to spend thanksgiving with Kelly And her parents while Mason went to Lily's.

Tyler would be meeting me tomorrow and I guess he would be some type of relief. I wasn't physically or mentally prepared for seeing my mom again. It's been 6 years since the last time and I was almost positive that she would bring her new family and rub in how much she loves them and not me.

I groaned aloud as we pulled into my grandparents driveway and dad smiled. "You enjoy torturing me, am I correct?"

"Charlotte, it's going to be fine, if push comes to shove, call me and I'll be here to get you. Just try to enjoy yourself and show some respect to your grandparents."

I nodded and grabbed my bags out of the backseat and got out of the car. I slowly walked to the front door but before ringing the doorbell, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

My dad picked up on the first ring. "Nice try Charlie. Go bond with your family." I drowned as he hung up the phone and waved to me as he was backing out of the driveway. I abruptly turned towards the door.

It was a simple wooden door painted white with a bunch of designs. I slowly pressed the doorbell and a red haired women opened the door.

My mom.

The smile on her face dropped as she took me in. She stepped away from the door and invited me inside.

She looked a lot different from the last time I seen her. Happier, thinner, snottier. She led me into the living area where my grandparents sat holding what I assumed to be my brother.

My mom went over and picked up the little boy and sat him on her hip while cooing encouraging words into his ear making him smile and gargle.

My grandmother got off the couch and embraced me in a cold hug. I could practically feel the ice from her heart radiating to the outside of her body. I returned the hug and she released me.

"Well child, go put your bags upstairs in the empty room. You know where it is." Unfortunately I did. They had made me stay in the room in the furthest end of the hall every time I stayed over. It was the creepiest room out of all, and the one with the most dust.

I despised the room but it was far away from their room and my mothers. And it had its own bathroom.

I dragged my bags upstairs and down the hall. I opened the creaky door to reveal a room that hadn't been touched in the last 6 years I've been here. I threw my bag to the side fell back into the bed. A bunch of dust then spread around the room causing me to cough, a lot

I closed the door and pulled out my blanket from my bag. I couldn't go anywhere without my blanket, otherwise I wasn't going to sleep well. I was much like a 5 year old, although I didn't mind.

I tried to get all of the dust from the bed spread before laying back on it. I curled up under my blanket briefly before I was interrupted by the sound of my name being yelled. I groaned and stood up from the bed.

I called back only to be left without an answer. I walked down the hall and went downstairs where my grandfather, the only sane one in this house, greeted me with a warm hug.

"You've gotten so big. Last time I saw you, you were this tall." He held up his hand to his hip.

"Well grandpa, that's what happens when you don't see someone for 6 years." I smiled and he nodded.

"I guess so. Come sit." He lead me over to the couch and we spent the rest of the afternoon catching up, mostly him telling me that he had lost teeth and was how using artificial ones.

Later that night I fell quickly asleep.

I definitely was not looking forward to the next day.