Becoming Normal Again

Chapter 7

 

Jake drove me home, profusely apologizing for getting me into trouble. "Jake, you haven't got me in trouble; I will be fine once mom figures out that I have actually made a friend. She isn't used to me actually interacting with people my age again I guess."

He sighed as we pulled in my drive way. "I'm still sorry."

I smiled at him. "You've nothing to be sorry for! Thank you for what did today... I'll call you later once things with my mom settle down."  

"Bye Jace. I hope it goes well." He said backing out of my driveway.

I watched him pull down the street smiling slightly when I thought of what happened in the car. I checked my phone again. Kat had texted me apologizing for calling my mom but explain that she had no other way to know that I would be okay, that she only did it because she cared. I understood but wish that she really hadn't. I would have her to add her to my list to call later.

I walked into the house, I could cut the tension that was in the air with a knife. "Mom, I am home."

"Come here." She yelled from her office. I sighed once again and bounded up the stairs towards the office. She sat at her desk, not even staring at her computer, staring at me as I walked through the door. I sat down in the warn leather chair and waited for her to speak.

She ran her hands through her hair and then started. "Jacee, I need to know that you're safe."

"I was perfectly fine, Mom, Jake is a nice guy. You really have nothing to worry about."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Then why did you leave Kat's party so early? She sounded very upset when she called."

"Ryan showed up and he wanted to talk so we were and he said things he shouldn't have so Jake got upset and they..." I paused. "Got in a fight."

"Ryan got in a fight?" she asked, she still somewhat liked Ryan even though he didn't answer my calls and we broke up she understood where he was coming from. I understood where he was coming from but he called me crazy so right now I didn't care what he felt. I knew I wasn't crazy.

"Yes, well he didn't necessarily start it but in some ways he did." I rambled, trying to cover Jake and I.

"Explain?" she said.

"He... called me crazy and then he hit me and Jake jumped in." I said.

My mother looked shocked, once again only seeing the good side of the Old Ryan. "He hit you, Jacee?"

"Yes, mom but please just let it go... Jake took care of it."

"Jake this and Jake that." My mom said. "Well, I need to meet him and I that I need him to understand things."

I frowned at my mom. I could see the fear in her brown eyes. She had tried so hard to get back the only reminisce of the only family she had left. I felt terrible that I lost myself along with my father but I couldn't help it. Isaac was at his place right now. I would only see him in times when things got hard. "Mom, please don't, Jake knows enough and he understands just fine. This is my first time having a friend who doesn't hold me at arm's length to spare my feelings. I am okay for now just let me have this one thing. This one chance."

She sighed. "Jacee, he needs to know how to act if something happens again."

"It won't happen again, I will be careful. I will be okay, Jake is sweet." I said.

"Fine but if something goes wrong and it happens again that boy is to blame." She said. I stood up from the warn chair and smiled.

"Thanks Mommy." I said walking out of her office. For the first time since I had lost a large part of my family and myself, I was allowed a sense of freedom. I was able to be friends with someone and not have my mother interrogate them on whether or not they could keep me safe if something happened. As far as my mom knew Jake would be my friend without knowing my history and just knowing me for me. According to me, I able to be friends with Jake and possibly more... without my mother breathing down my back trying to keep me as healthy minded as possible. The thing was my mind and outlook was healthy, the people that caused problems for me were things that I couldn't avoid and wouldn't avoid. I was living my life as I should be.

As I walked into my room though I smiled to myself as I looked at the picture that was on my nightstand, a picture of my family, my father and brother smiling happily along with my mother and I. Things were so simple back then and things had changed so much. I checked my phone once more and decided to call Kat.

Before I could call her though, my phone rang. As if some friend telepathy she was calling me. "Hey Kat."

"Jacee, I am so sorry. I didn't want to call your mom but I knew she would be worried and mad if I didn't call her and I didn't know where you were." She rambled.

"Kay, its fine. Sorry we kind of ruined your party." I said.

 

She laughed. 

She laughed. "You made my party. It is all anyone can talk about... Ryan's nose is probably broken though. I think that Lance took him to the hospital." 

I suddenly felt awful. I had sent Ryan to the hospital, and then I thought of how he never came to visit me when I was there. "Oh poor Ryan."

"What did he say to you to make you so mad?" she asked. "And Jake didn't seem to mind jumping in."

"He called me crazy." She gasped and I continued. "He knew better Kat and he still said that. I was in awe and then he hit me and Jake didn't like that."

"I still cannot believe he did that... but Jake seems to like Jace, he is a keeper." She said.

"I know, I guess the old Ryan is gone. And thanks I think so too."

We both chuckled. "Anyway Kat, I've got to go. I will talk to you later, sorry for the fight again.

"Bye Jacee, and once again it made my party!" she said as the line went dead.

I decided to be a friend to Ryan and text him.

Hey Ry, sorry you're hurt but you do know that you hurt me right?

He answered a few minutes later. Jacee, I didn't mean it like that and you knew it. Your little boyfriend took things too far. I thought we could be friends Jace but this is over after what you two did. Good bye Jacee it was nice knowing you.

I was in utter shock and angrily answered. You have to be kidding me! You brought this all on yourself. But you're right Ryan, this is over because I've found something better. Good bye and have a nice life.

Hedidn't bother to answer me.

 

As if like magic, my phone rang and the name on my screen took away all my anger towards Ryan. I really was falling for Jake Towns.