Cupid's Daughter

Chapter 24~ Reunions & Decisions

The following morning passed in a blur of my dad yelling at me for not telling my mom or him that I was coming home and a sullenly silent hour's drive back to New York in the backseat of his car. Apparently my school had noticed my absence this morning (it was currently 12pm) and called my mother. After failing to get hold of her as she was probably filming, they called my dad, who had absolutely no idea that I was in his house and totally freaked out, not knowing where I was and why I'd skipped school.

Suffice to say when I popped out of the hallway and greeted him like I'd never left, he was a little pissed.

He dropped me off in front of my mother's trendy apartment and waited for me to leave without saying a word, and I watched him tap the steering wheel with his fingertips. With a sigh I jumped out of the car and closed the door behind me, knowing that I'd really screwed up this time. Cutting school to drive back to Connecticut with JC to see a boy without telling anyone? Wasn't really my father's favourite past-time of mine...

I slumped through the double doors and up to the apartment, suddenly greeted by a bunch of crew members and cameras as they filmed my mom lounging on the sofa and talking to a client. They all stared at me curiously as I walked past, aside from my mother, wanting to film me interacting with my mom but knowing that they couldn't because I hadn't allowed it. As it turns out, my mom hadn't even noticed that I wasn't at home yesterday and she'd been less than worried; something which my dad was not impressed by either. I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I changed out of yesterday's clothes-- which happened to be my school uniform-- and flopped down onto my bed.

The one thing I hadn't done while back in Stratford but had wanted to, was talk to Sam. Our argument was so ridiculously stupid, and having spent the past few days here in New York with absolutely no friends, I was starting to miss her despite what she had said to me. To some extent though, I kind of understood why she had lost her head about me cheating on Noah. Sam's dad had cheated on her mom and it had broken their family apart, thanks to Sabrina. In her own way Sam was just trying to stop the same from happening to Noah and I, because Sabrina would certainly crank her bitch level up to me then.  Now that I thought about it, the common denominator in both of those scenarios seemed to be Sabrina. That couldn't be a coincidence. I stared at my phone for at least five minutes before finally typing up the text message.

Isabelle: I'm in NYC. I miss you. 

My phone vibrated less than a second later, and I smiled as I read through the message.

Sam: What? Why? Not because of me right? I'm so sorry Issy. Noah told me everything; the deal and your recommendation, and how you didn't cheat on him. I was such a bitch and I should've heard you out.

Isabelle: Yes, you should have. But it's okay. I get why you were mad... your dad cheated on your mom and it destroyed everything; you didn't want that to happen to us. But you're my best friend Sam, whatever happens. Truce?

Sam: Truce. PS. Come back to Stratford?

My heart felt full as I read her previous message, not knowing what to say. I had made a commitment to my mom that I would finish the rest of my Senior year here in NY, and I had to. Besides, things still hadn't blown over completely with Sabrina and seeing Noah was only going to make things worse. I had to stay here at least until the Summer.

Isabelle: Wish I could Sammy. Come and visit this Saturday? Bring Kiely too if you like x

***

"Hey mom, can I ask you something?" I asked quietly, the words sounding strangled and forced as I spat them out.

My mother raised her eyebrows and looked at me in almost astonishment, having never heard me ask her a civilized question before. "Of course."

I rubbed my finger along the stitches of the suede couch, pulling my knees closer to my chest.

"What do you do when you like someone who's in love with someone else?"

Courtney slid the magazine in her lap closed slowly and lifted her eyes to the heavens momentarily, before settling her gaze back on me.

Dear lord, I never thought the day would come when I'd actually be asking my mother for relationship advice. I'd always thought her 'guru'-ness was a load of baloney, but what other choice did I have? Replaying Noah's three month deal in my head was like torture, but I couldn't get it off repeat.

"Well," my mom chewed on her lip cautiously, as if choosing her words very wisely, "the first rule of unrequited love is to decide whether he's worth it or not. Is he completely in love with the other girl and never so much as glances your way? If so, you're probably wasting your valuable time waiting for someone who is never going to reciprocate. It's all about reading the signs; seeing how he looks at her and how she looks at him. Do they talk a lot? Laugh together? Do you talk with him a lot? Does he seem happy around her? Happy with you? Read the signs."

I ran my tongue over my teeth as I considered her words, checking off the things in my head as she said them.

WasNoah completely in love with the other girl? Check.

Did he never glance your way? Cross.

Did they talk a lot? Now that I thought about it, I'd never seen them have a proper conversation. Cross.

Did we talk a lot? Check. Practically everyday. Or at least we used to.

Did they laugh together? Well... Cross.

Did we laugh together? My mind wandered to the nights Noah had snuck in my bedroom window or took me on a weird trip to prank Sabrina or made my giggle in Biology or at lunch.

Check.

"Would this question have anything to do with a certain Jones boy in Stratford?" My mother probed not-so-subtly, making my cheeks flame up scarlet as I stared down at my hands.

My mother already knew about Charles and Sabrina; I'd heard her discussing it with my father. But I also knew that she didn't want me to get involved with Noah... not that that had stopped me or would stop me. She'd stopped being able to dictate my life a long time ago.

"When Sabrina cheated on him he was heartbroken, but he also told me that he had feelings for me. I told him that I didn't want anything with him because he was still in love with Sabrina." I admitted.

"But that doesn't change how you feel about him." My mother finished for me, and I nodded in agreement.

She sighed and readjusted the cushion behind her so that she was more comfortable. "You were right in saying that you don't want a relationship with someone who is still in love with an ex, then you risk being a rebound." She hesitated. "I know my job revolves around relationships, but it's okay to just focus on you. Don't put your life on hold to wait for a boy who may never get over her."

I considered her words for a moment, suddenly hit by the truth behind them. She was completely right. It didn't make anything any easier, but suddenly it was clearer. Noah and I both needed to heal, as he had said, no matter how much it hurt.