The Outcast

Chapter 26: Surprise!

Chapter 26: Surprise!

“The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us” –Francois de La Rochefoucald

River Quinn

There are two kinds of surprises; the good ones and the bad ones. It’s logical to look forward to the good ones like a surprise party or a pleasant visit from an old friend and to dread the bad ones. But, if you think about it, life wouldn’t be as interesting without these unexpected events coming to knock on your door. They add spice to our daily lives. I had never been the kind of person who hated surprises but of course never had I imagined I’d receive such a life changing surprise like the one I’d just gotten. And trust me moving from Canada to Florida had been a pretty life alternating experience so I knew what I was talking about.

My mom had always been a rash person. She was someone who tended to act on impulse and then usually ended up regretting whatever decision previously made. So far, she didn’t seem to be regretting the move but then again we’d only been here a couple of months. I couldn’t blame the whole move on her though because I knew our relocation depended mostly on her job.

I really didn’t have much to complain about considering I had gotten Nirvana out of this entire ordeal and she was enough to make me happy. I couldn’t deny that I had missed my old friends-since they were the kind of people who were irreplaceable- but it had also been a relief to leave her behind.

Towards the end of our stay in Canada it had become almost unbearable to have to see her face every day at school. We had also shared the same group of friends so I’d also had to endure hanging out with her. And who was this girl that had made my life misery? Her name was Ivy Skies and she had been my first love. She was one of the most sarcastic blondes I’d ever met. She was also beautiful in an edgy kind of way. She didn’t take crap from anybody and she had a really attractive personality. It was hard to explain but something about her just drew you to her, like magnets to metal. We were very alike in a lot of ways and we had been best friends for a while before we got together. So what happened between us? Well, She was the first girl I ever said ‘I love you’ to and right after that she broke up with me.

You’re probably wondering why she ended it….so am I. According to her she wasn’t into commitment and she’d gotten worried about things getting too serious between us. I only wished she would’ve told me that before I gave her my heart and she stepped all over it. She’d turned out to be a complete b*tch. Not even a week after we broke up she started dating another guy and I swore I’d never love another girl like her again.

I think that was another reason why I’d gotten attracted to Ana so quickly. She was the complete opposite of Ivy and I knew she wouldn’t hurt me like Ivy had.

Anyway, getting back to topic, what I had been told yesterday had turned out to be more of a surprise than Ivy breaking up with me or the move.

***********Flashback*************

Yesterday afternoon….

I had just come home from school and was in the kitchen making myself a sandwich. I had both my headphones on as I jammed along to a song so I didn’t exactly hear much of anything from the outside world. Logically, I didn’t hear the door open. Just as I was about to add the tomato slices to the bread I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I glanced up from what I was doing and was surprised to find my mom walking into the living room. I quickly took out my headphones.

“-Home honey,” I heard her half sentence.

“Either the sun forgot to set today or your home incredibly early,” I said back with a grin. Don’t get me wrong. I was ecstatic that my mom was home so soon since I’d barely been able to see her lately, thanks to her crazy schedule, but I was a bit confused at her arrival. I hoped nothing bad had happened at work.