Haze's POV
I beeped my car horn over and over impatiently.
"I'm coming, jeez!" he shouted from afar.
Soon enough he came right at my window. He smiled when he saw me and dabbed me up.
"I thought you told me some girl told you to quit."
"Yeah? Well, I need some now."
"You want your regular stash?"
"Double it."
"Are you having a party or something?"
"No, I just got dumped."
His head rolled back as he laughed. "You're going to get lit over some girl?"
"Shut up. Nobody even uses 'lit' anymore."
I put some cash in his hands. "Help me out here Jay."
"You know your sister and I had English Lit. together? Bright as a star. She use to always get the highest grades in class and I'm sure it was no different with her other subjects. Up to this day, I've never met anyone who is nice as her. Even though she was popular and liked to party, she never did anything mean to anyone."
I started getting irritated. All I wanted to do was get high. "Why are you telling me all this for Jay?"
"You know, my pops got shot in his spine right before senior year and became paralyzed? I had to drop out and work, doing anything little thing I could do to get money. Pops was the breadwinner of the house and now he was the bread eater."
I sighed before turning back on the engine.
"Hear me out Haze. What would your sister do if she found out I was selling you these things?"
"Jay, Elle doesn't give a shit. She's too busy with herself to notice me. You got your money so give me the drugs so I can go."
He looked around before slipping the bags in my hand.
"You gave me too much," he said as he handed me back the change.
I shook my head. "Keep the change and buy that bread for your pops."
He smiled. "I don't know why you're trying to play a tough guy but all I can see is your sister's kindness radiating off you. She did good by you."
"See you, Jay."
...
I lit up my joint as I sat in the driveway.
I hated this house. I hated the man who owned it. I hated all the white inside it. I hated everything about it.
After taking a minute or two to list our all the things I hated, I got out of the car and headed inside.
Even after saying all those things I hated, I still never mentioned Eve. I mean, how could I? I was in love with her. I am in love with Evelyn Parker.
"What the hell is that thing between your fingers?" Elle shouted just before she was about to make her exit.
"It's-" I stopped my sentence when I saw the suitcase behind her. "Are you leaving?"
"Don't smoke. Smoking is bad," she ordered before dropping it out my hand and stomping on it.
"Can't you just wait until after tomorrow?"
"Haze, I have a life."
"So what? You can't wait until tomorrow? Is your life that busy that you can't make one day available?"
"I have a spa appointment with the girls. I need to get to California by tomorrow. Who cares about tomorrow? It's no different from any other day."
Ouch.
"You're a bitch."
She blinked. "What?"
"You're a self-absorbed bitch who only cares about herself!" I shouted.
She slapped me. "How dare you call the person who raised you that?"
"Quit acting like you're my mom."
"Whether you like it or not, I was the closest thing you had to a mom!"
"Forget it," I said as I started walking but she grabbed my shirt and pulled me back.
"You got something to say? Say it." She glared at me with her fiery eyes.
I was sometimes afraid of my sister. As Jay said, she was the sweetest. However, when she got mad, you don't want to be anywhere near her.
"You're selfish Elianna. You go away for months at a time without calling or texting me. Whenever I try to reach out to you, you just ignore me. You don't care if I'm alive or dead whenever you're dancing at who knows where."
"That is not true, Haze."
"It is!"
"Do you know how many Christmases and birthdays I spent in this dreadful house alone? Papa, I get it but you? You promised you would always be there for me but nowadays it's a privilege if I get to see you for more than two days."
"Don't put all that pressure on me Haze."
"I never did. I always bit my tongue whenever I wanted to tell you because I want you to be happy. I convinced myself not to be jealous whenever dad showered his princess with hugs and gifts and I was showered with yells and punches to the head."
"Don't put the blame on me!"
"I'm not. I'm just showing you the harsh truth that you have miserably failed to see. Why do I have to take over the business? Why can't you do it since you're the first born? Why can't I pursue football as a career when you pursued dance?"
"Because I'm not the one who killed mom!" she shouted.
I took a couple steps back from her.
"Haze, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Don't lie. We all say things we want to say when we're angry. You better go or else you'll be late for your flight."
I thought after my speech she would have changed her mind and stayed. Boy, was I wrong.
Elle held her suitcase and walked out the door.
Of course, she did. She had to put her needs first and there was nothing wrong with that.
I laughed as I dragged myself in front of dad's office door. I'm sure the old man has locked himself in there for the whole day.
I knocked on the door.
"Open up! It's your favorite son!" I shouted. "Do you know what day it is? It's my birthday!"
The door stayed closed.
"You know I was thinking we would switch things up a little and have a birthday party. I have never had a birthday party in my life. You and Elle always use to say it's not a day for celebration."
The door instantly swung open and there came my glaring father.
"It doesn't take much. I can just swing to the store and grab a couple drinks."
"Chiudi la bocca bastardo." (Shut your mouth, bastard.)
"Or what? You're going to hit me? For the first time in a long time, you are home for my birthday, or should I say mom's death day?"
He punched me across my cheek. "Angelica was never your mother. Don't ever call her that!"
"Whether you like it or not, she was my mom, and it wasn't my fault that she died! I didn't ask to be here! Her death was no one's fault!"
I definitely hit a nerve for him because he came swinging at me like I was his personal punching bag which sent me to the floor. He started kicking me in the chest.
As I laid there, I thought about that look Eve gave me.
I knew dad would do this when I said all that stuff. I deserve it. I want to return the favor and help Ashley, but I lost Eve in the process.
It hasn't been a day yet. Shit, it hasn't even been a couple of hours since she ended things and I was already numb.
I just wanted to feel the pain again, so I laid there as my father kicked the living hell out of me as my vision started to darken.
Happy birthday to me.