chapter thirty two: together
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The two days went by and it was quietly relaxing, not thinking about the trustful situations of everything! Daniel and I kept our distance but when we weren't we were spending our time at school and even sometimes after school, studying or just fooling around. Since the library where Daniel used to work got badly damaged, they announced in the school newspaper about the state rebuilding it with the help of money from his mother.
The idea was his mother and Daniel's grandfather signed it off and approved of the transaction of the hotel's money to be used to rebuild the library.
Not even that I find Eric and Jessica getting closer, sharing whispers now and then but I don't find any of it flirtatious, just suspicious. It's nice to know he isn't alone. As for Thetic and my brother, they're pretty normal and my grandma went home this morning before I left for school, everyone woke up extra early to say goodbye.
She reached out for my hands while looking me into my eyes, "Remember what I said, girl. Your life is precious, don't risk your life for that boy."
"Goodbye, grandma. I'll miss you," I said, kissing her forehead.
She warned me and I still didn't listen. Over and over again, I did what she told me not to.
After watching my grandma leave over to the airport with my dad driving her, I got my car back and drove to school. I confidently called Daniel on my way to come and meet me in the school cafeteria very early which he hated. And this is where I am right now and surprisingly sitting here writing about it on my phone on my notes. I don't know where this is going to lead me but one step at a time, it feels good.
"What are you smiling about?" Daniel appears, taking his seat across the table.
I shut my phone off from the shocking surprise of Daniel just popping up on me, "I thought you text me when you got here, instead, you scared the life out of me."
"Ahh, it slipped my mind...even so why are you so easily scared? You knew I was coming here....are you hiding something?"
"Tell me what's really on your mind, huh!"
"About what happened two days ago. I heard the conversation you were having with Thetic upstairs...in your room...about me," nervously taking a deep breath out, "I wasn't made that day."
"Then what was it? Because you can't just leave when you hear things you don't like, Daniel. The world won't wait for you to cope with everything that's unpleasant with the world for you to get used to."
"And you're right. I'm still trying to be open about my feelings and not shut people out! I'm jealous of you, of your family, and your friends. Everything that you have makes you perfect, Renesmee."
"I'm nowhere perfect.."
Daniel stopped the flow of words that I wanted to spill though it stopped when he stood up and sat next to me, sliding his legs between mine, and turning to face him, "But you are...in my eyes. I could outline every inch of your body on paper but your soul is something I want to hold inside of my soul as well."
My heart raced the way he talked about my body and my hands began to sweat. I got flustered wiping the sweat from my hands on my jeans, looking away Daniel touched my hands drawing me back to his eyes that were set on me, "When I overheard the conversation I thought about how much she cared for you and how I'm putting your life at risk just being with you...isn't it selfish of me to want to stay with you?"
"No, no Daniel this isn't..."
"Shhhh," he softly says, touching my lips with his fingertips, "Either way If I left you it would be selfish of me to not tell you the truth about how I feel for you, all I want to do with you is fight with whoever is against us. My mother and all, this time I won't be too late to protect you and I won't walk away from you when you tell me something."
"And I won't be so worried about something to not tell you."
He leans forward, touching his forehead to mine as he pats the top of my head, "Why didn't you tell me? About our grandparents."
"I mean I didn't think there was much to tell you. Kylo didn't give me much to work with and I kept making guesses because my grandma was acting strangely during everything and after the situation plus the family dinner and she not liking you....." I blabbed on until Daniel pulled away from me.
"Say that again."
"Which part? The part where my grandma didn't like you when she caught us or the part that my grandma was acting strange with the whole running into Mr. Choi and Kylo to when Kylo dropped us off-uueeehh, I see where I went wrong here," I realized, biting my bottom lip.
"Kylo knew about it?"
"He knows everything...that happened with our grandparents."
"And you didn't tell me?" He said, raising his voice.
I let out a stressful breath looking at Daniel, "We just went through this. I told you I didn't think there was much to talk about since I didn't know there was more to the story, not until my grandma was acting even more rude to you when she found out who your grandfather was, ok."
"But you didn't think to go to Kylo and ask him to tell you their history?"
"No, I didn't! Because it's not his story to tell so leave it alone Daniel. We should respect whatever they had in the past, will forever stay there plus it shouldn't make a difference for us, right? If we know it or not because..."
"We're making our own history," he finishes for me.
"Yes," I smiled, hugging the stubborn boy close into my chest.
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The three mockingbirds arrived, successfully ruining our cute couple's activities, "OH DANIEL! Let's run away from our evil grandparents from keeping us from loving each other, they'll never keep us apart because we'll make our OWN LIVES, the ones our grandparents couldn't get right," Thetic dramatics hung onto Jessica's arm acting like Daniel and me.
And Eric on the left side of Jessica played along, "DON'T WORRY RENESMEE, i wouldn't let my mother put her palms on you, I'll protect you till the VERY END. SOO, take my hand and run away with me! I'LL TAKE YOU ANYWHERE...I'LL BUY THE WORLD FOR YOU!!!"
Jessica kindly eliminated the two that made the atmosphere questionable for everyone in the cafeteria that took notice, she elbowed them, one in the side and the other in the stomach, "That's enough out of the both of you," taking her seat at the table with no objections.
Thetic flew to the top, holding her side, complaining from such pain, "Now why did you have to go and do that," she whined, "you know I have a low pain tolerance."
"Damn girl! You nearly knocked the wind out of me," Eric said, with his hands to his knees taking deep breaths and shivering hands.
Daniel and I laughed, "Survivor you're right! Don't be so uptight just because we're a couple," I said, to the both of them taking their seat.
"Oh, please! Don't make us barf," Thetic declines my suggestions.
"It's for entertainment," Eric adds, "seeing you guys together gives us a reason to pick with the both of you."
"That's right!" Thetic agreed, holding her hand up for a five towards Eric which he responded to, giving her a five back with a loud slam in the cafeteria.
Within days later, Daniel and I started to see a different Eric. The more he hung out with us we didn't think to ask Jessica about the sudden change to Eric. We figured they would come to us when the time was right, plus it wasn't our business anyway.
It was the night before graduation and there was a party being held behind the school like any old year where the seniors celebrate this last day in this walking death trap of education. At least college was a place where you find who you are and what you want your career to be, unlike high school, a waste of my time or any high schooler that may think so.
The girls met at my place to get ready while Daniel and Eric got ready at their houses. Daniel will be picking everyone, even Eric Black; as we got dressed for the party Thetic mentions my brother.
"Sooo, is there a chance Ryan will be showing up?" She asked hesitantly.
"Why don't you ask him yourself? He lives right across the room from me."
"Do I sense a crush rising?" Jessica butts in with a smile.
I shake my head with a smirk, "Clearly. It's burning in her cheeks!"
Jessica and I laughed unstoppably; Thetic whines stomping her little feet, "Quiet teasing! Ren, do me a favor? And ask him if he likes me."
"No way," I said, rolling my eyes, "what happened to not caring?"
"Well after the night he carried me into his room, I can't seem to get it out of my head."
"Girl, please! You were so drunk you don't have any memories of the night."
"Then go and get me those memories then! For me, PLLLLEASEEE! Ask him for me," Thetic whined on my shoulder, over the bed I was sitting on.
A sudden nudge comes behind me into my back, "Come on, Ren. What's the harm?" Jessica insisted.
"Whatever! But I'm warning you, if he rejects you don't come crying to me," I said, rolling my eyes as I made my way to my door.
I hesitated to open the door, glancing back at my friends on the bed. They sat there waving me out the door and closed it behind me; I noticed that my brother's door was cracked open, "Ryan?" I call out his name.
I slightly opened the door and there was Ryan, sitting at a keyboard with his headset on, bobbing his head up and down to the beat of the music he played into the keyboard. I knock on the door before walking all the way in to see if he noticed me yet or not, no luck.
I quietly sat on his bed as he smiled playing the keyboard and surprisingly started humming along to the sound that was trapped inside his headset that not even I could hear. That smile and his body language presented such joy that I only saw when he's with us, his family.
Is this the same feeling he may see with Thetic? Because if so I don't want to get in between that...knowing from experience with Daniel, I don't want to be like the others.
I leaned over tapping on my brother's shoulder, he pauses before turning around and taking his headset off, the music immediately shuts off as soon as his fingers left from the keyboard, "Ryan," I said, running into his arms and hugging him, "I bet you'll be amazing."
Ryan gave me a reaction that made me want to question everything but it reminded me of what I wanted to ask him, the things that happened in Korea, was this it?
He hugged me back before pulling away and sitting on the bed next to me, "I have to tell you something."
"I already know," I respond, thinking that I know what he's about to tell me.
"You do! How? Did Daniel tell you?"
"Daniel KNEW! Wooohhh," I stood up walking around the room pissed, "every time I brought up you and Thetic he would just shrug it off but the whole time he knew you had a thing for a Thetic! I can't believe him, I swear when I get ahold of him...I'm gonna just, UGH!"
Ryan stood up before shaking his head after hearing me babbling on and on about him and Thetic, he flicked my forehead telling me to sit down, "Ouch!"
"Don't be overdramatic," he responds, sitting back on the bed, "I don't have those feelings for Thetic..."
"But I thought you said Daniel knew."
"That's not what I was talking about."
"Then what is it? That Daniel knows but I don't," I asked pouting.
Ryan enjoyed seeing me jealous of other people knowing things I didn't, "Well do you remember the song Daniel sang to you at prom?" I nodded my head, "You see I produced it for him, I made the medley in the background."
"That makes more sense but why keep it a secret?"
"Because mom and dad don't know that I dropped out of college."
"You dropped out! That figures, you've been here for months now and haven't mentioned school once but I doubt mom and dad would be mad because of that, right? You just wanted to, what? Go to a music school."
"That's the thing. I didn't drop out of school in Korea to go to a music school but because I found my birth parents."
My eyes felt like they were gonna pop out of the socket that I reached out to catch them but nothing, but air, "I believe it best to tell them and not continue lying to them. This isn't what our family is about, Ryan."
Here my own advice out loud isn't something I thought I would need to say. Just like Ryan, I should be able to tell my parents about the things going on with my life, if there was anything to happen to me they wouldn't have any idea.
It scares me, though. Knowing my parents could keep me away from Daniel because of his mother and there was just no way of going to the police station I was just screwed.
Ryan sat there thinking it over, I reached over holding his hand, "You're not alone. I've been lying to them and you as well. How about we tell them together, after the graduation ceremony, ok?"
"I'm with you!" He says, with a smirk.
"Oooh! What happened with your birth parents? Did they say anything?"
"My birth dad didn't say much, he sent me away as for my birth mom she didn't want to be found."
"I'm sorry to hear that bro."
"I'm not. I got into music that way, I finally found myself after that but deep down I felt like I already knew myself but it's better."
I happily smiled at my big brother, "I see it too."
I said before we went our own way. I quietly thought to myself as I sat on top of my bed where Jessica and Thetic were still not down getting dressed, "How was it?" Jessica asked.
Thetic adds, "Yeah, did you mention me?"
"Ahhh," I quietly agreed, "he doesn't."
Jessica rested her hand on Thetic's shoulder, "Sorry girl."
"I haven't given up yet. I gotta see it through, boy."
I turned towards Thetic that was laying across the bed, "Thetic! How come you can give me shit for liking Daniel when you like my brother, huh? My brother she automatically goes off-limits, I shouldn't have to say so," I silly pouted, shifting my body off to the side with my arms crossed.
"It's not like his mom trying to kill me," she says, having me strike back in her direction.
"AYE! Watch yourself," I said, rolling my eyes Becka off to the side.
Jessica suddenly smacks Thetic ass jesters to get her to get up. Thetic did so, hugging me from behind my back, "I'm sorry, but seriously is it ok if I went after your brother?"
I smacked my lips glancing back at her, "I don't care!"
"YYYAYAY!" She immediately shouted, rocking me back and forth in the hug.
"ONLY, ONLY because I know how it feels to like someone that no one wanted me to be with," I teased.
"That's only because I worry for you but as long as he makes you happy I'll be happy," she finally says, "You know that I love you right?" Thetic adds, kissing my cheek, running into the bathroom, and getting ready...I hoped.
I fall back on the bed feeling tired and nervous about tomorrow, "How did it with Ryan?" Jessica asked.
"A lot," I replied, short and simple, "I think it's time that I tell my family about Daniel and his family."
"Why the sudden thought?"
"Because I don't want to hide it with them anymore. I'm starting to feel trapped to keep everything within just because they...."
"They could make you stop seeing him," Jessica said at the last bit of my sentence.
"Sadly, yes. If something happens to me they'll never know until it is too late and I'd rather them hear it from me."
"Renesmee..." she calls me, "I hope the best for you," Jessica lays next to me as well as staring at the ceiling.
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Renesmee Lockheart
Jessica Bell
Thetic Dawkins
We made it to the party, the weather wasn't too cold or hot, just the right kinda night that would get a girl drunk. Maybe tipsy, I don't know yet just because I'm super nervous about talking with my family and I don't even know how Ryan is gonna react; it just brings me bad memories of him and Daniel. The last thing I need is someone telling me this is my fault when it clearly it's mine. I choose to stay with him and go through this because I can't just walk away...not when I'm already too deep.
We made it over to the table of shots, there was this guy standing behind it pouring everyone a glass, "Okay, gather together guys!" I announced to the group as they circled around the table, I handed out shot glasses as I continued, "Everyone takes one shot before we get winded and split up tonight, but remember! We go back to Daniel's car together where Kylo is waiting for us...safety first people."
"I'll take a shot for that," Thetic says.
Jessica adds, "This is the perfect time, Eric."
"Yeahhh, I figured," he says, as we all look at each other clueless except for the other two, "How about it? Here's to another year with each other," Eric kindly put together, "to us!"
"To us," everyone repeats, taking their shots.
There was a little grunt to the strong shot we took but it didn't shake us enough to have us forget what Eric needed to say, "The thing is you guys, I-I um, you see the things that were happening this year because of me was because," he hesitates glancing up at Daniel, "your mom."
Daniel didn't seem very surprised, but it did piss him off. He took his shot glass and slammed it on the table before shifting him off to the side away from us, seeing him, "She threatened to expose me to my parents, our company, and to have our business fail."
"You're saying Daniel's mom threatened you to do exactly what to us?" I asked.
"To watch you and mess with Daniel."
Daniel spoke up, giving Eric and me a nervous look, "I thought it was me, you really made it seem like I ruined our friendship. Just because...I rejected you, but I just couldn't do that to you."
"Wait a damn minute," Thetic interrupted, "You're telling me that you," she points at Eric, "was being forced to do this and what info did his mom have on you to let you not being friends with Daniel for so long because as well as I know you two stopped being friends before Renesmee came into the picture."
"She caught me kissing Daniel one day," immediately it felt like the music stopped and everything went silent when Eric announced that.
"Can I get another shot?" I turned around and asked the guy behind the table, he quickly poured me one and took it like it was water.
The group looked at me a bit worried but I stood there waiting for him to finish, "You're gay?" Thetic carelessly asked.
"I'm bi."
"Yeahhh, I'mma need another one," I quickly turned right back around and asked the guy again, "Can I get another one?"
Old dude didn't even have to pour me one, he had one ready for me, "Thank you...looks like you'll be seeing a lot of me tonight," I smirked at the guy as I took my shot glass.
As for Daniel, he slammed the glass on the table when I was finished and turned me around, "Honey, you're not bi. You're bi-yourself," she meanly says, "Ren, aren't you gonna say something?"
"Like what? He said everything he was being forced to mess with all of us and he liked Daniel. He kissed him a long time ago before I was even in the picture so what should I say, we already know what kind of person Daniel's mother is so this isn't a surprise, but what is...what made you want to tell us about it tonight?"
Eric took a deep breath, "I told my parents that I was bisexual and the fact Ms. Choi was using me for her dirty work and they took it very well and they're handling it with whatever business they have with Ms. Choi which mean they have to go to Mr. Choi, Daniel's grandfather."
"GREAT! Since the grown-ups are taking care of that, how about we just be teenagers tonight, huh? It is about us tonight. So stop picking a fight and let's party," I specifically look at Thetic saying the last sentence.
she shrugs her shoulders, rolls her eyes, and smirks to the side as I look over to Daniel and Eric, "You two kissed?" I asked both of them, then only at Daniel, "Did you kiss him back?"
Daniel seemed flustered by the question, "I told you...I rejected him," I gave him an unsure answer by lifting my eyebrow, "no, no I pushed him off."
"Hmmm, too bad," I said looking off to the side.
Everyone looked confused with a frown upon their faces, "Renesmee!" Thetic complained.
"No seriously! If you really think about it, Daniel and Eric kissing, ha you would never have thought. Funny right?"
"I mean when you put it that way," Jessica started to understand what I was putting down.
"You're starting to see what I SEE, right! Quick question, are you guys drunk enough to reenact it?"
To my right there was a complaining crybaby and on my left, there was a pitch in my arm by my boyfriend, "Ouch! CHILL, it's a joke. We're just joking," we all laughed.
"Now, LET'S PARTY!!!!"
During this drunken night, we staked a hell of a lot of red cups that could go around, for some reason I didn't want to imagine my last days of being a junior and becoming a senior despite it being for next year it was just three months away from that beginning start of it all ending with me and my friends. Our report cards weren't out yet to inform us who will be going to summer school and who's not but us, we had to all pass together and spend our summer together. That'll be our memories to keep and box away forever until we all come together again.
© Ren Sherman Nonfiction