Fire and Ice

Chapter 22: Conversations with Parents

The closer I get to my home the faster my heart pounds in my chest with the odd occasion that it skips a beat. Not in a good way like when you and a special person share a sweet kiss of passion. No, this skip is one of fear and worry. I reach the driveway and stand as still as a statue looking up at the house filled with liars. My breath quickens as I take slow and reluctant steps toward the front door. When I go into that house and tell them that I know about what we are they will question me as to how I know all the things I do and I will have to tell them that I talked to Seth which I know for a fact will send my house into chaos. Taking one last deep and shaky breath I reach for the doorknob and open the door. 

The distant sound of my parents talking draws me to the kitchen where I find them standing by the counter cooking together, or at least trying to. 

"Hi," I nervously say. 

Both of them look up at me, probably surprised by the fact that I'm even talking to them. 

"Hello, honey, how was school today?" my mom asks with a smile on her face. Looking at how happy she is that I'm speaking to her makes me feel guilty for the way I was treating them this morning, but this guilt quickly vanishes when I remember what I need to talk to them about. They have let me live a lie, made me believe that I was normal and then said nothing when I started to feel different. They are the reason all these strange things are happening to me. 

I shrug and lean against the doorframe with my arms crossed over my chest. "It was fine I guess. Listen, there's something I need to talk to you guys about-"

"Sweetie, if this is about Seth you are not going to change our minds about him. Okay, he can save your life as many times as he wants that won't change the fact that we think he is bad for you and that you need to stay as far away from him as possible," my dad snaps as he slams his utensils on the counter. 

"Tim," my mom hisses as she hits his shoulder with the spatula in her hand. 

"I'm not here to talk about Seth." They both look at me surprised, and I can't help but notice the glimmer of relief and happiness in my dad's eyes. It won't be there for much longer, I think.

"Why don't we go to the living room and you can talk to us about whatever it is you want to talk about," my mom suggests as she points toward the doorway to the living room. 

My father switches off the stove while my mom pushes everything to the middle of the counter so that nothing might fall off. Together we make our way to the living room, and I take a seat on the sofa across from my parents. My breathing quickens once again and my heart starts dancing in my chest. My hands shake as I try to come up with the best way to start the conversation that I never thought I would be having with either of them. 

"What's going on, honey?" my dad asks. 

I look over at my dad, "I know what you guys have been lying to me about."

Panic floods their faces and my father, now awake and fully alert, leans forward on his side of the sofa. 

"Honey don't be ridiculous, your—"

I hold my finger signaling for him to stop talking and allow me to continue. Much to my surprise, he does just that. 

"Over the last few weeks, I've been noticing a lot of strange things. You and Mom having secret conversations in your bedroom in the middle of the night, Chris and the creepy ways he was speaking to me," My father tries to step forward again, but my mom pushes him back so that I can continue, "But, mostly I've noticed a lot of strange things happening to me- the cold rushes I've been getting. I know what they are all about now."