Crossing Paths

Chapter 1

I couldn't believe my eyes as I slammed the laptop screen closed. Just a week ago we'd been dating, now on some girls Facebook they were exchanging numbers adding winky faces. It shouldn't bother me, it wasn't like I loved him, I didn't lose my virginity to him, he had nothing keeping me there and so while the initial breakup sucked, it wasn't a lock-yourself-in-your-room-for-days-cause-he-was-the-one parting. But still it hurt to see that, and she was a slut, what did he even see in her?

I called my best friend "That asshole! Go look at his profile!" I shouted into the phone.

I could hear her clicking on the computer "Ew, she's not even pretty" Juliet commented, obviously scrolling through her pictures.

"Jule, I have eyes, I know she's pretty" I sighed. It wasn't like she was unattractive at all, she was a cute little height with long blond hair and green eyes. Not to mention her boobs were probably twice the size of mine.

"Yeah, if you're into hoes maybe" she retorted as I laughed. I seriously had the best friend ever.

"I just don't understand how he bounced back so quickly, and wound up with her."

"It's probably just because she threw herself at him and told him she would suck his... uhm yeah." Normally she would finish that sentence but her sister was probably close by. "Trust me Vannah, he's not worth your time if that's the kind of girl he's after."

Just then my mom called up the stairs for dinner. "Jules I gotta go, talk to you later" I said as I hung up. I hated family dinner time, it never went well. I was interrogated about every part of my life and it drove me nuts.

Trudging down the stairs I got hit by the sweet smell of curry and I picked up my pace a little more. I was a European mutt but international foods made my mouth water. I grabbed some plates and set the table quickly, wanting to eat as soon as possible. When we had finally all gathered and served ourselves I grabbed a huge fork full of coconut curry chicken and was just about to put it in my mouth when my father shot the first question of the night at me.

"Savannah, what clubs are you planning on joining this year?" he questioned.

Not bothering to be polite I shoved the food in my mouth anyways and pushed it off to the side while I talked. "I dunno" I mumbled, trying not to spit food everywhere "I still have a few weeks to think. SRC maybe"

"Vannah, how many times have I told you to not talk with your mouth full?" my mother questioned me. I shrugged, at this point I was really beyond caring. I shoved even more in my mouth resisting the urge just to stick my tongue out and show her the chewed up food.

"Well a few weeks isn't very long. Decide tonight.  And how was swimming today? Are you getting faster? Maybe you should start going every day. Did you practice violin yet today? The season is starting up soon and I want you practicing three hours a day, one at six am, one at noon and one at seven pm." This is how every dinner went, I never got a word in edgewise so I learned to just smile and nod. I started thinking about how summer time was starting to draw to a close. Lost in thought I looked up to my father yelling at me and my mother giving her infamous glares. Shit.

"SAVANNAH MARIE JONES. LEARN TO LISTEN" his eye was twitching and there was a vein that started to pop out on his forehead. This look didn't work for him and it always made me laugh "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE FINDING SO FUNNY, YOU MAY JUST BE THE MOST DISRESPECTFUL CHILD I KNOW" I couldn't help it, to control my temper I needed to laugh, maybe he should try it sometime.

"I know for a fact that I am nowhere near disrespectful to you, I zoned out a little. I'm sorry" those last two words cut my tongue like knives, I wasn't sorry at all but I couldn't freak out again tonight. My dad had little patience for anyone and my mother never was a fan of teenagers, she likes children and grownups, my age group was apparently non-appealing. 

"THAT'S NO EXCUSE! YOU REALLY NEED TO START THINKING, USE THAT BRAIN! NOT THAT THERE IS A WHOLE LOT IN THERE THAT WE CAN TELL WITH THE WAY YOU ACT SOMETIMES!"  That was it, I needed to get out before I started screaming back. I was a very bright student, straight A's. I came first in all my violin concerts, I did extra clubs at school, my parents friends always commented on how polite I was. And yet my dad always was putting me down, telling me that I was dumb and I couldn't take it.

"Well I need to be excused now." I said trying to keep my cool.

"YOU SIT YOUR ASS RIGHT BACK DOWN, WE'RE NOT DONE" but I blocked it out, I couldn't turn around and I just kept telling myself that. I walked out of the door, not slamming it, and just walked. I walked passed the park, I walked past Juliet's house where I knew she was having a lovely peaceful dinner. Laughing with her mother and sister and father. I walked past the coffee shops and the ice cream stands. Finally the river came into sight, I climbed down the rocks to the sandbar and I sat trying not to cry. The sand was so smooth beneath my hands and then I felt the tear drop out of my eye. Deciding it wasn't worth it to hold it back considering nobody was here I sobbed, knowing I probably looked like a total mess. I just closed my eyes and put my head into my knees, listening to the river move past me, and the cars roar around me. 

When I finally looked up the sun was setting. I'd been out longer than I thought and I pulled out my cell, checking to see if anybody had texted me. Sure enough I had 5 texts from Juliet, however one was from before dinner, and 14 missed calls and texts from my parents. Standing up I brushed the sand off of myself and I walked home, looking at the texts and listening to the messages.

Julie-Booley: Hey, Talli is having a party on Sat. wanna go?

Julie-Booley: Where are you?

Julie-Booley: Seriously, your rents have called me 5 times now demanding to know where you are

Julie-Booley: You better get home soon, or you're gonna be grounded for life

Julie-Booley: Can you please pick up your phone, I'll come pick you up and we'll get ice cream or something. Nobody knows where you went 

I was too late to call for a ride now so I walked home, desperately trying to slow down time but far too soon I could see my house. Inhale, exhale, open the door. 

Silence, that's all I heard. "Mom, dad?" still nothing. I walked into the house, looked in the kitchen, knocked on their bedroom, checked the family room. Nothing, the house was quiet. I walked downstairs and I was planning on hopping into the shower when I finally found them. They were sitting on the couches waiting my arrival. My dads dull blue eyes became piercing when he was mad and my moms brown ones became dark and endless. How I wound up with a blue eye color I will never know, somewhere along the way the dominant brown gene got lost. Then my father spoke, obviously trying very had not to get up and grab my shoulders shaking me and screaming to get his point across. 

"You're grounded. For a month" He said in a harsh voice, still angry from earlier "No discussion. You may still have your phone as it is a safety item but for the next moth you have to pay the bill." I couldn't freaking afford my cellphone bill! I wasn't allowed to have a job because of my academics and extra-curricular activities, I only had money that I was saving to go to a concert in the Spring. I opened my mouth to protest but he interrupted me "I said no discussion. You are forbidden from going out, you may not go to the park to see Juliet, you may not go to any birthday's, no school team games. Nothing. Now go to your room and get to bed. Your new bedtime is 10 pm sharp. 

I wanted so badly to protest but I knew it would get me nowhere but in a bigger hole so I nodded and turned on my heels, headed for my room. I pulled out my phone and responded to Jules texts

Saturday? I'm in.

She responded quickly.

Julie-Booley: What? You're actually going to come for once? Your parents are letting you go? Did they not ground you for what happened tonight?!

How do I begin to explain this to her? I decided against even trying to and responded with

I've got it taken care of. 

I knew I shouldn't, I'd never been to a party before and on top of it I was already in trouble. And yet I didn't feel the slightest twinge of guilt, Saturday couldn't come soon enough