Every Rose Has It's Thorn

Part 3

"Any new messages?" Lucas asked his sister, stuffing some mac and cheese in the microwave.

"Yeah." Ava nodded as she pressed a button of the phone to play their newest voicemails, just as their mother entered the house.

"Bongiorno, I am Marcello Viviari of the Genoculudidian Insitute in Florence." A male voice spoke through the phone. "I am calling for Signora Karen Roe."

"He's Italian." Ava grinned at her little bit of knowledge of the foreign language, making Karen smile and ruffle her hair.

"When does that 'do not call' list kick in?" Lucas joked.

"Excuse me, but we haven't heard from you." The man continued. "We sent a letter inviting you to start next week and, uh, we haven't heard a word so would you be kind enough to call me back?" He finished before Karen reached over and deleted the message.

"Isn't that that school you've been talking about forever?" Lucas moved towards the table with the bowl of food and two spoons, handing one to Ava.

"Yeah."

"Mom, that's great!"

"It's no big deal." Karen shook her head. "I'm not gonna go."

"It's a big deal, Mom." Lucas insisted. "Come on, it's a huge deal."

"Well, maybe I'll just go some other time." Karen wiped some cheese off of Ava's cheek and stole a spoonful of the food.

"No, Mom. Now's the time. Come on, you've put your whole life on hold for me and for Ava. Every choice you've made has been about us."

"That's the way it's supposed to be. I'm your mother "

"And, Ava and I want you you to have this. Right, Squirt?" Lucas winked at his sister.

"Do it, Mama." Ava nodded, still eating as if she hadn't had a meal in days.

If Lucas didn't stop talking, and start eating, there would be no food left at the rate she was going.

"See? It's time for you to do something for yourself."

"I'll think about it."

"Don't think about it, Mom. Do it."

"Bastard! Bastard!" Sarah and Eliza sang as they teased Ava the next morning during recess.

Usually, the teasing was tolerable, but ever since Lucas joined the basketball team, it had only gotten worse with every passing day.

Ava didn't know how much more of this she could take.

"Cut it out!" Maddie crossed her arms.

And even though Sam really didn't like confrontation, she defended Ava, too. "Leave her alone!"

But the two bullies continued their verbal attacks.

"How's it feel to have a dad that never wanted you?" Sarah asked. "Why do you have his last name if he doesn't even care about you?"

Ava just didn't understand why she was the target of all their aggression.

She had never done anything to them. She had never given them a reason to harass her everyday.

But bullies never really needed a reason, did they?

"I heard that her mother was a home wrecker, and her father regrets ever meeting her......at least that's what my mom says. My real mom." Eliza smirked. "She tells me everything. You wouldn't know anything about that, because you don't have a mother, not really."

"My dad said that your mother only took you in to get back at your dad for what he did to her." Sarah shrugged.

That sly comment was the last straw.