Something that changed everything

°3•Garlic, please

Viola

Finally, school is over for today. I park my Toyota beside my mother’s car. Looking at the house, I can’t believe how much our lives have changed. My mother married a man named Angus Philips. He was already a father of two children younger than me. His previous wife died even before he met my mother. I never knew my biological father. Angus is a father figure for me, and I love his children. I have a lot of respect for him. Angus never abandoned his children, not like my father.

“Hey mom, I’m home,” I shout, loud enough for her to hear me.

“Viola, is that you?” She shouts back.

I put my school bag on the couch. “Yes, mom.”

“Can you come here, please? I have a favour to ask you.”

I step inside the kitchen as she’s cutting some carrots. “What can I do for you, mom?”

She stops what she was doing to look at me. “I need some garlic and I realize that we don’t have any. Can you please go to the Ramseys’ house and ask them if we can borrow none?

What? She wants me to go to Ian’s house. No. No, way.

“Don’t look at me like that.” She says to me. “Go, and do what I asked you to. Please.”

I cross my arms before me. “Why?”

“Because I said so.” She let out.

I roll my eyes. It was always the same answer, she was giving me. As if it was an answer.

I know I don’t have a choice here, or she will find something, to make me regret it later if I won’t go. Ugh!

I take a deep breath. “Fine, I will go.”

As I turn my foot to step out of the kitchen, I hear my mother say thank you.

Seriously!

I can’t believe that I’m doing this. I mumble to myself.

I breathe deeply before I knock on the door. I’m not ready to see him. I don’t want to see him. My mother sometimes, ugh!

I sigh with relief as I see his mother answering the door. “Viola, it’s so good to see you.

“Hello, Mrs. Ramsey." I give her a genuine smile. “My mother was wondering if you could give her some garlic. She needs it for her recipe.”

“Of course. Come in, come in.” She opens the door enough for me to step inside. “Ian, come down to see who is at the door.”

Oh, no! Why did she call for him? I wanted to avoid him while I was here.

I hear him run down the stairs. “Who is it, mom?” His eyes widen as he sees me standing beside his mother. “Viola?”

Mrs. Ramsey put her hand over her sternum. “It’s so good to see you both in the same room again.”

“Mom!” Ian complains.

“Can you stay and give some company at Viola until I come back.” She steps away before he refuses.

How on earth did I get myself in this situation? My mother, that's who. I hope she didn’t deliberately concoct this. Ugh! I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.

Ian grins, looking at me. “So, you couldn’t stay away, huh?”

Seriously, he’s going there. That bastard!

“No, my mother asked me to come here to see if your mother could help her with something.” I try not to shout as I speak with him. “The world doesn’t revolve around you, Ian.”

He steps closer to me. “You know, you missed me.

I’m about to let him know what I think of his remark when his mother comes back with a bag of garlic in her hand. “Here, you go sweetie. Tell your mother I say hello, okay?

I nod. “Thank you. Uhm, I think my mother only needs one.” I opened the bag to take only one.

Mrs. Ramsey put her hand over mine to stop me. “Keep them all. I don’t mind.”

I nod, thanking her. I don’t look at Ian while I step out of the house. I let out a breath. My stupid heart is pounding so fast. Why can’t it get the memo that it will never happen with him?

“Here, mom. Mrs. Ramsey said that you can keep them all.” I give her the garlic bag that I have in my hand.

She takes it from my hand. “Thank you.”

I lean my body to the counter. “Please, mom. Don’t make me do this again.”

She titles her head to the side. “Weren’t you happy to see Ian again?”

I knew she did this on purpose. Why am I not surprised? I love my mother, but sometimes she annoys me. I guess all mothers do that to their daughters at some point.

I tap my feet on the floor, feeling annoying. “Mom, I already told you not to interfere where Ian is concerned.”

“Honey, you were both inseparable from each other. What happened between you to behave this way?” She sigh. “I ask because I love you.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Mom, please, I don’t want to talk about it. Can’t you respect that?”

She peels the garlic. “Don’t get mad, Viola. I just want you to be happy. Ever since you lost Ian as a friend, you seem sad all the time. I worry about you, that’s all.”

I want to change the subject because Ian is a hard subject for me. “I made a new friend today.”

She smiles at me. “You did. I’m happy for you.” She cuts the garlic into tiny pieces. "Who is it?”

“A new student at school. Her name is Hanna Parker.” I take a carrot in my hand to eat it. “I’m going to do my homework.”

She nods as she puts some oil in the pan.

I take my school bag from the couch and go upstairs to my room. The moment I step inside my room, I go in front of my window to close the curtains. I can see Ian’s room from here. I saw enough of him for today.

I remove what I need for my homework inside my bag. I sit on my chair to start. I try as hard as I can to do my homework, but my stupid mind won’t let me. I can’t stop thinking about him.

I’m so mad at him. It’s all his stupid fault.

Everyone thinks that it’s because of what happened between us a couple of years ago. It's the reason we aren’t friends anymore. That’s the reason yes, but they don't know about the other thing.

I don’t even know if Ian remembers. That’s why I’m so mad at him and why I still love him. I don’t even know if Ian remembers. We were so drunk that night.

About a month ago, I don’t know how I ended up at that party. I don’t even know why I even went there. I lost my V card that night. I was with Ian and it was so wonderful. The morning after I ran out of there before he woke up.

I can still remember that night as the memory comes back in my mind.