CHAPTER 47: A prisoner with junk food and Netflix allowance

My pride and ego – yes, I admit I have a huge one – are not ones to be ever let down. I reckon everyone who knows me closely, very well know this fact. So obviously, I had to stop Maddie from treating me like a charity case and get out of her house.

I think her mom probably had enough with how much I bent her cutlery into the plate, imagining various faces who I desperately wanted to stab for real.

Going back to my house wasn't an option. After my suspension, my so-called mother tried endeavored numerous times to get the truth out of me – why would her daughter be suspended?

I have not uttered one single word to her ever since she stepped foot into this house. I just cannot bring myself to it. Seeing her face in my house, living how a normal mother would with her children, is more than overwhelming. No. I did not consider myself as her child. She lost that opportunity and position in my life as soon as she walked out that door, leaving infant me all alone with my father. Not even one single attempt at communication even. Nothing at all. I could have even not known her face were it not for Jason's photos of her paired with his unshakeable hope for her to return one day.

I can still say he is her favorite. Or rather vice versa. Jason seemed disturbed, alright, that day she arrived at our doorstep. But he still conversed with her – though less – it was still a civil conversation.

I brushed off the task to talk to her, assuring myself that it is better to stay away from her, lest all my anger strikes like a lightning bolt and I say or do something people often frown upon. I mean, people don't just go hitting their parents, right?

She is not your parent, Summer.

Yes, she is not.

So, after a weeklong of torture of staying holed up in my room, not even getting the chance to sneak some wine out the kitchen without the risk of running into that woman, I finally found some peace when I heard the front door open and close.

I strut out my bedroom, stretching like a feline as if I just received freedom after being locked up like a prisoner.

A prisoner with junk food and Netflix allowance. At least.

Judging from the lame reality show the TV is playing and no rapt audience near it, I deduce she finally went out of the house. I do a little Chandler-style happy dance and waltz clumsily into the kitchen, eager to pop open a wine bottle I purchased weeks ago.

"I see my dancing genes weren't passed on to you."

I flinch slightly, turning around to glare at Jason for almost making me drop my precious bottle of wine.

"And I see honesty wasn't passed on to you." I stare at him for a second before moving past him and plopping on the couch. One more person to my 'No talking to them because they are shitty people and they lie to me. A lot' list. It's not like I am dead certain that Jason does drugs. The fact that he didn't even bother explaining to me about that dreadful day's drama, vexed me to my core and I started giving him the cold shoulder.

I flip through the channels, finally settling on a re-run episode of Friends. As much as I tried concentrating on how Joey stared at Rachel with love-struck eyes, my attention span broke as soon as the space next to me dipped, and Jason stared at me intently.

"Why are you not talking to me?"

"Oh, was I supposed to? I'm sorry I forgot the role of a sister whose brother was apparently caught in a loop with drugs. Oh, wait. Or was it the brother's fault who did not just come up to me to explain everything?" I furrow my eyebrows, tapping my chin exaggeratedly. Jason huffs and snatches the remote from my hand, switching off the TV and tossing the remote somewhere behind the couch.

Damn it. That was like the 17th remote replacement.

"I messed up, okay. And I'm not talking about the drugs. I kept quiet because... because I know who was behind it. And judging from the reason for your suspension, I think you do too."

"You know about Veronica?"

"That bitch hated me from the moment I turned her sex offer down. It's been long but I didn't think she would exact her revenge like this." He looks at his feet and sighs. I frown, realizing how much he loves soccer just like me, obviously due to the same reason.

Dad.

"Jason...I don't think this was revenge for you saying no to her." I tentatively state, mildly afraid of what his reaction would be after knowing that this was all for a guy who Jason repeatedly advised me, to stay away from.

"Then what do you think it was?"

I take a breath and fidget with my fingers. "Veronica's hated me ever since I became friends with Caleb. She always ordered me to stay away from him but I..." I shake my head and look up at him. His jaw is tight and he was glaring at the floor.

"Look, I'm sorry this happened because of me. If I listened to you, this would never have happened."

I hear a sigh from him before he envelops my hand with his own and offers me a ghost of a smile.

"It's okay. It really isn't your fault. We don't have proof against her but..." He pauses a beat. "It's fine now. If you look at this way, now I can concentrate on my studies better." He grins but I could sense the tension between his brows and the small sliver of disappointment in his eyes.

"You don't need that, idiot. You're too smart already." I cross my arms and think of all the pending assignments and upcoming tests I have.

"Well, if you stopped hanging around with dumb Caleb, you would have improved on your grades, dumb ass." I slap away his hand that is about to hit my arm and glare at him.

"Low blow, Jason, low blow."

"Ah. I always hated that son of a bitch."

I bite my tongue to stop myself from spewing all the good things I had ever thought of him. I want to tell Jason that no, he is a good guy. He is smart, annoyingly attractive, sarcastic, quick-witted, compassionate, trusting...

Oh my god.

What the hell is in this wine?

Grimacing at the corny thoughts swarming my mind, I close the bottle of wine, concluding that I have had a lot and it is legit affecting my cognitive and logical thinking. After rebuking Caleb not-so-spontaneously on the soccer field, I have not spoken to him. He did send me a few texts, all in capital letters, saying that he wanted to talk to me urgently. But I know it was a ruse. Maybe he would show up with that vicious bitch and make fun of my tragic life story. So, yes, Jason, abuse Caleb as much as you want. It is not stirring any kind of emotions in me.

Not at all. Not even anger. Not even violence. And certainly not melancholy.

"So...when were you planning on talking about the elephant, who is currently absent, in the room?" I say while sprawling my legs across Jason's lap and resting my back on the headrest of the couch, eager to get Caleb out of my head. But my stupid brain cannot conjure up any sensible topic to talk about.

You dug your grave, Summer. Now lie in it.

"You mean-

"Yeah, yeah. Her."

"You know you can call her mo-

"Yes! I very well know that. I just don't want to." I sigh, suddenly feeling apprehensive and hot. I rub my forehead and cheeks, trying to get rid of the heat rushing to them.

"Summer."

"I know that tone. I don't need a lecture on this, Jason."

"I'm not giving you a lecture. I just want you to see my viewpoint."

"No can do, Jason."

"Listen to me." He presses my feet together, giving me a stern look and I have no option but to concede to silence.

"I agree that it was wrong on her part to leave us alone when we were young."

"Wrong is an understatement, brother."

"But..." I roll my eyes at his ignorance. "She is back. And she is willing to start over."

"Well, I'm not." I furiously stand and pace over to the window. Starting over? She can do better than that.

Something like getting out of the damn house.

"Stop being stubborn about this, Summer."

"How can you be so ignorant about this, Jason? The woman left us, for god's sake! We were left alone. Do you get that?"

"I get it. I do. I'm not saying we delve straight into happy family shit and rainbows and unicorns. I'm just saying now that we have a chance, we take it step by step. Such chances are once in a lifetime, Summer." He comes up behind me and wraps an arm around my shoulder. "We have the perfect chance to reunite our family. Why don't we just get to know her?" He looks into my eyes pleadingly and squeezes my shoulder gently.

Reunite our family? That's what she is back for, huh? I went through a lot these 17 years of my life. It was twice as hard without a mother to talk to, to turn to when you're having mood swings or a shitty day. What the hell did I turn to? A practically empty house, considering my brothers and I barely talk like family, and the repetitive torturous memories of dad leaving us too. I had no real family and now, I guess I might have to abandon the stupid idea of getting closer to my brothers since they are so hell-bent on playing mommy-son again.

"17 years is a lot, Jason," I whisper and look down immediately, desperately trying to control the heat pricking the corner of my eyes. That woman cannot just waltz back into our lives after shutting us off and she cannot, for the love of God, expect me to just welcome her with open arms with my dilapidated heart, courtesy of her savagery.

"I know. But she is our mother. We need her, Summer."

I look at him, appraising the despair on his face. I break out of his grip and walk slowly towards my room.

"I have my family right now, Jason. But if you guys want to accept her, then go ahead. I will certainly not be a part of it. I'd rather stay alone."

***

Stubborn little tiger, isn't she?

Do you think Caleb actually supported Veronica in sabotaging Summer and Jason's life? What do you think of Summer's reaction to the return of her mom?

VOTE AND COMMENT! :)