Meet the Wests {On Hold}

Eruption

Jade stood there staring at the door for what seemed like an eternity. This dinner went horribly awry beyond her wild imagination. And now...

Maybe we'll talk later, the last words of her boyfriend, who she was severely worried would soon become her ex, was stuck in her mind on replay. What would he want to talk about in the mean time? How he couldn't stomach dating someone with a prejudice patriarch? Or maybe how disappointed he was in her for not doing more to defend him? The thought that she might lose her boyfriend caused her dreadful agony, but at least she knew who she wanted to take it out on.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jade hollered at her father after storming back into the kitchen. Her mother gritted her teeth and winced as if she knew this was coming. Her father, on the other hand, looked taken aback for the first time that night. He stared at his estranged daughter for a moment, then he shook his head like he was disappointed.

"See? That boy was a terrible influence on you and it's showing," Mr. West scolded. Jade, though she looked like she wanted to use the scissors Cat got her for Christmas on him, was now incredulous.

"Are you crazy?" She practically screamed. "He did nothing wrong the entire dinner. You were the one being unbelievably disgusting to him!"

"Jade, sweetheart," Ms. West attempted to comfort her, "please just try to calm down." She could tell Jade was about to fling her signature "NO" at her, but her daughter heaved a simple sigh instead.

"Mom," Jade spoke calmly, recalling how kind her mother was to Andre. "Not now." Ms. West slightly sank in her chair. She turned her attention back to her dad, and the rage returned.

"How could you?" She spat. He had the audacity to shake his head at her a second time, and she wanted to knock it off his shoulders.

"I've had no choice but to tolerate a lot of your decisions, Jade," for reasons she could not fathom, he sounded weary. "From getting piercings to pursuing art of all careers." Jade clenched her fists at her sides so tight Arthur would have been shook.

"But this," Mr. West continued, "I will not allow. I will not tolerate you dating someone like him."

"Someone like him," each of her words dripped with malice, "or someone who looks like him?" Mr. West looked unfazed.

"Either way, he won't do any good for you."

"He's done more for me in the months we've been together than you have my whole life!" Jade cried belligerently.

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous," Mr. West scoffed.

"No I'm not! You made me breakfast once! And when you did I threw up!"

"At least I tried!" he nearly shouted as he stood up abruptly.

"You barely did! And now you don't try at all cause you're too busy with you're new family and their stupid little dog," Even though she was practically screaming her voice still quavered.

"Andre was the best thing that ever happened to me, and now he might leave me because of you!" Even though she was practically screaming her voice still quavered.

"Good!" Mr. West threw up his hands. "You're already difficult enough! Believe it or not I worry about you and your future. You don't need an influence like that boy making it worse!"

Jade sniffed. Every grievance she formed against her father and submerged into her subconscious had mixed with her frustration and anger toward his treatment of her boyfriend, along with the fear of said boyfriend now being a potential ex. This dismal jumble of emotions rose through her insides and threatened to push past her eyes.

"He loves me more than you ever did," Jade spat, doing her best to keep her voice from quavering. She turned to her mother once more, for she knew she would not win this without some help.

"Mom. You support our relationship, don't you?" Her mother's eyes dropped to the table as her lips stretched into a thin line.

"Mom?" Jade's hope began to waver.

"I-I'm happy to see how happy he makes you," Ms. West stammered. Her failed fiancé crossed his arms and grimaced in grim anticipation.

"And?" Jade probed her, although she was afraid she wouldn't like the result.

"But. I uh. I just um," she tripped over her words and visibly vexed her daughter.

"Spit it out!" Jade snapped. Ms. West knew she had lit the fuse, so she figured she could at least avoid an explosion. After all, there would be nowhere for her to take cover.

"I think that Andre is a fine young man, but I also think a relationship like yours could draw a lot of unwanted attention..." She gritted her teeth together nervously as her stupefied daughter stared at her.

"What're you saying?" Her voice was dangerously low.

"That maybe I don't know. Maybe you should stick to a more... conventional relationship," as soon as Ms. West said "conventional" she knew she failed miserably at trying to carefully tread the treacherous waters, for water pooled and fell from her daughter's eyes. They were windows now wet with betrayal.

"I can't believe you," she whispered.

"Jade," Ms. West sounded painfully dejected. She stood up and walked over to her daughter with her arms outstretched. Jade responded the only way she deemed appropriate: she ran. She bursted through the front door ignoring her parents' immediate cries for her. She sprinted down the sidewalk as fast as she could in case either of them dared to come after her. The heartbroken teenager surged forward running on only adrenaline and decided she was far enough from her house once she reached a bus stop.

She plopped down on a bench clutching her arms, with tears streaming steadily down her face. Usually she would worry about someone from school seeing her so vulnerable and hideous with messy eyeliner, but the thought of that was like a paper cut compared to everything else she suffered tonight. Also, she had to figure out what she was going to do with herself next. On the way out, she didn't grab her wallet, so the bus was not an option, and Jade would not consider going back to her mother or father's house if her life depended on it.

At least she had kept her phone on her the whole time. Luckily, more for her situation than her pride, there was one person who could give her a hand. She pulled her phone out and dialed rather reluctantly.

"Hey. Do you think you can come get me?"