Southern Heartthrob

Chapter One: Bad Blood (Joshua)

The roar of the crowd filled the stadium as my fellow classmates and I, all seven hundred and fifty of us tossed our caps into the air in celebration of our hard work. Four years of sleepless nights and hours endless studying had finally brought us to this moment. I held onto my degree with firm hands as I smiled for the camera's and took silly pictures with my friends before returning to my dorm room.

I set my degree down next to the car keys on my desk and began the task of boxing everything up and moving into a rented condo with my friends. I was beyond excited to begin the next chapter in my life. I labeled each box with a black permanent marker that sent me back to the good old days when kids could get high off it instead of the drugs you see today. Next, I wrapped up the items that were believed to be breakable and set them aside for now.

The hours flew by before I even realized it was almost three-thirty in the afternoon. About half of the senior class had already left leaving the campus empty like a ghost town. I grabbed a dollar from my wallet and went to the indoor vending machine. After all that packing I deserved an ice cold drink. I popped the top and took a swig. Ahh. I returned to my room and stared at the progress I made.

A mountain of boxes were stacked neatly in the corner beside the door while only two more remained on the floor next to the bed. I set down my Coke and went into the bathroom to grab my toiletries and put them in the box marked BATHROOM. Then I heard my phone vibrate as it moved to the edge of my desk. I walked over to the check screen and sighed at caller ID. It was my mother. What did she want now?

I picked up the phone and hovered my thumb over the unlock arrow. I learned it was rude to ignore a call from family even if it was from your own mother who didn't love you anymore. I cleared my throat and took a breath before answering the dreaded call.

"Hello, Mother."

"Joshua, sweetheart, I was afraid you weren't going to answer."

I rolled my eyes. The thought did cross my mind just now. "Sorry. I'm in the middle of packing up my dorm. What's up?"

"I know you're going to be mad with me and that you have your own life to live, Joshua. But it's urgent that you come to Nashville."

"Nashville." I muttered. "As in Nashville Tennessee? What in the hell for Mom?"

"I'm getting married again, Joshua."

I squeezed my eyes shut as I sighed in annoyance. "Who is it this time? Husband number three?"

"Joshua Perry!" She yelled. "How dare you talk to me like that. I didn't raise you to be disrespectful to your Mother."

I bit my tongue. I wasn't going to get into an argument with her. "I'm sorry."

"You ought to be. Now I except to see you first thing tomorrow night."

"Wait a minute here. Why haven't you asked Taylor if she's flying in for this wedding?"

"Because I haven't called her yet. Smart-ass."

"When's the wedding?" I asked, my voice sounding in defeat.

"A week from today."

"I don't know Mom, I mean this is all very sudden. First, I don't hear from you in almost a year and now you're telling me that you're getting married again to a man I've never even met. I don't think I can make it. I gotta finish packing up my room and move into my friend's condo. I plan to have a fun sun-filled summer before I start work in the fall.

"So you're going to miss out on helping your Mother walk down the aisle. Damnit Joshua, I tried to be the best Mother I could for you and Taylor. But if you must know I've changed. I'm not the same person I was fourteen years ago."

Old memories came rushing to the surface like a broken dam as I fought to push them back down and lock them away forever. I cursed under my breath at the slightest hope of my mother being a new person. I remained silent as I thought it over quietly for a few minutes just to make her sweat a little.

"Alright, Mom, I'll be there. But under one condition."

"Yes. Anything."

"I get to leave right after the wedding. No muss, no fuss. Is that understood?"

"Deal."

I was the first to end the call as I sat at my desk chair and contemplated what I just agreed to. Shit. Well, so much for having a fun hot summer. I guess I won't find my summer romance after all. I finished packing and pushed the last of the boxes into the spacious trunk of my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I returned my dorm key to the housing office and took one last look at the campus I once proudly called home.