"Bitch." I mutter lowly as I walk away from Will and Lisa, navigating through the backyard until I get into the house.
Lisa and I have never been friends nor have we ever hung around each other, we don't even have mutual friends. Aside from Carlton, who's the only reason we even know of each other and who's also the reason why she doesn't like me now. Thank you, Carlton! When I had caught wind that she didn't like me I was honestly surprise, seeing how I've never spoken to her while she was dating Carlton and I didn't do anything that would cause her to not like me.
Or so I thought.
After some thinking I realized why she didn't like me and honestly, she has every right to feel the way she feels towards me. Even though I was kinda blindsided into helping in the situation that led her to not liking me in the first place, but I thought maybe she would have gotten over it when they broken up. Which clearly didn't happen because shortly after they broke up I found out that I have a whole little fan club full of people who doesn't like me — the swim team.
Even though I don't even talk to anybody on the swim team, they all made it know that their on Lisa side of the one-sided beef. I could just clear things up with Lisa about the whole situation, but every time we're around each other I'm just trying to find the quickest exit route because I hate the way she talks to me when I'm around her. And most importantly, I didn't clear anything up because she did manage to get a whole swim team to not like me even though they don't even know me.
She clearly pass the point of hearing me out.
I wander around the house trying to figure out where Carlton, Hilary, and Ashley could be hiding and I knew that they weren't hiding in their rooms because their parents would have been dragged them out. Heading to the second level of the house, I decided to check the entertainment room, figuring it's a good place to start. The room had a sleek bar, a basketball arcade game, and comfortable seating area; something so simple they made seem so expensive.
As I step into the room, my eyes immediately land on Hilary sitting at the sleek bar with a champagne glass in her hand. "Well, well, well." I make my presence known. "This is where you've been hiding."
"Halle!" Hilary exclaims, her eyes light up and a smile etching onto her face, she makes her way over to me with and engulf me into a hug. "I've missed you so much! I'm so happy you're here!"
I can definitely hear the difference between when Hilary says it and Chloe says it, and I truly feel missed when Hilary says it. "I've missed you so much." The light smell of Chanel perfume fills my nostrils as I hug her back.
The traits and beauty that Phillip and Vivian has passed down to their children is clear, Hilary is also a beauty, with her grace and posies demeanor, she exudes an air of refined glamour that captures the attention of everyone around her. Standing at an impressive height, she commands the room with the presence, commanding respect and admiration. She had flawless dark chocolate skin complexion and a radiant smile, her almond eyes are highlighted with perfectly groomed brows.
Hilary ends the hug and immediately gets on her phone, she holds it in front of her and smile. "Guys, guess who's finally back? Times up!" She steps to the side so that we're standing next to each other and tilts the camera a bit so that I fit in the camera frame. "Halle! So, now that I finally have my best friend back, you definitely be seeing her in my YouTube videos again. Stay tuned. Oh, and don't forget to go follow my bestie. Imma tag her account."
She types away on her phone for a few seconds before locking it and giving her attention to me. "I have so much that I have to tell you, like how I got this interview—" She stops talking when she sees that I'm not smiling anymore and my arms are cross. "Uh uh. What's with all this sassy energy I'm getting from you?"
"I spent almost two hours at the fundraiser by myself while you was up here hanging out." I slid my eyes over to Ashley who's playing the basketball arcade game. "And you didn't think to tell me y'all was in here when you saw me earlier, Ashley?"
She doesn't take her eyes away from the basketball hoop. "I was looking for you to tell you after telling Geoffrey to bring your bags to the beach house, but then I couldn't find you so I assume you were in here already. And then when I realize you weren't I went back outside to find you, but you seen like you were really enjoying your conversation with Will."
"So you were really enjoying the conversation with Will?" Hilary questions, her voice comes off in a teasing manner and I can see the wheels already spinning in her head. "Will is our cousin from Philadelphia, he's going to be staying with us."
"Oh." I never met or heard about Will before, and I know that they have more family that I haven't met, but they have to be close enough to have him move in. "How come this the first time I've met him?"
Hilary shrugs. "It's kinda like outta sight, outta mind situation. He moved in with us to have a better education." Before I could ask anymore question the sound of the door opening has me turning around to see Carlton. "So, they're ready for the big speech?"
"A couple minutes." Carlton informs, he set his eyes on me. "It's nice to have you back, Halle. You look beautiful as ever."
Like Vivian, Phillip, and Hilary he possesses this beautiful dark chocolate complexion, full lips and small almond eyes. I'm a few more years he'll be the shortest Banks family member, I'm not saying Ashley going to get Hilary's height, but she's definitely be taller than Carlton. He often wears designer clothes, crisp blazers, and well-coordinated outfits — he always looks so neat and groomed, with a clean-cut look.
I use to love going shopping with him because I would always make him get brighter colors, bright colors like yellow, red, and orange looks amazing against his skin complexion. Even if it's not bright, colors like olive green or the the mauve suit Will's wearing, also looks good on him. But I haven't been shopping with him for a while now. Unlike the rest of his family who has confidence oozing off of them, he has this cockiness aura around him.
"Thanks." I could hear the dryness in my voice speaking with him, I move my eyes away from him to stare at nothing in particular — just rather look at anything else other than him.
"Okay, it's been way too long for y'all to still be acting like this towards each other." Hilary says. "When are y'all going to make up?"
"I would love to sit down and discuss how we can fix our relationship." Carlton says.
"There's nothing to fix." I tell him. "I have nothing to say to you."
And I meant it. I truly don't have anything to say to him, not a word, or even an eye roll — nothing. It's kinda like how Lisa doesn't like me but I can clear the whole situation up but I'm choosing not too, it's the same thing with Carlton. Carlton is the reason why our relationship is the way it is now and he can clear the whole situation up, but I'm choosing not to hear it. The very moment that led up to us not being close anymore told me everything that I needed to know about how he viewed our relationship.
I wasn't as important to him as he was to me.
I'm done with the fundraiser, I couldn't and wouldn't sit through another boring minute of it even if I had Hilary and Ashley by my side for the remaining of the event. I wanted nothing more than to exchange my dress for some comfortable pajamas, exchange my heels for my slippers, and enjoy my well anticipated Italian Beef Sandwich. Can't wait for the fundraiser be over so that Hilary can get in the kitchen and make my dinner, eating hers is almost identical from how it taste back at home.
Since Hilary moved into the pool house for more space, this is where I spend most of time every time I come over. It's like we totally isolate ourselves from the main house, we still eat breakfast and dinner over there, and maybe watch some movies. Or the times when I decide to watch SpongeBob with Ashley, and she can talk to me about whatever's going on in that big brain of hers.
I helped Hilary decorate her first room, which is now currently Carlton room, and the pool house that she moved into. Vivian had offered to help her when I was at track practice, but she declined and just ended up waiting for me to be done. She said that the two of them have two different styles and her mother would just end up taking over the whole thing, and her room would look nothing like she wants it to look.
The pool house is spacious which gave us a lot to work with, she decorate the space with high-and furniture and decor. The color palette is a mix of soft pastels and metallic accents, giving the room a chic and elegant feel. The walls are painted a subtle blush pink, I like that she made it a subtle pink and not overbearing — it would be hard to come in here. Her king-size bed is covered in plush, designer bedding with silk sheets and an array of decorative pillows.
The headboard is upholstered in rich, velvet fabric that complements the room's overall aesthetic. A vanity area is set up with a well-lit mirror surrounded by beauty products and makeup brushes. There's a walk-in closet with shelves and racks for her extensive wardrobe of designer clothing and shoes. There's a seating area with a plush velvet couch and matching chairs, where we usually do all our gossiping about what's going on in each others life.
"If you cook like this. . ." I trail off to hold up my Italian Beef sandwich up. ". . . You're definitely going to nail that interview with Haute Cuisine on Monday. You should definitely record a video of you making this or an elevated version of it."
"And this is why I'm so happy that you're back." Hilary smiles as she cleans up the mess she made from making my sandwich. "Since I got the interview everybody's been throwing shade at my YouTube channel, mostly Mom and Carlton. Saying it's a step-up from all the social media stuff I have been doing."
"Don't worry about what they're saying, don't let that negativity get to you. You can do all three." I tell her. "You can still do your YouTube food tutorials. You can still be an influencer, and be on the cover of the top food magazine in the country. And once you're are, I'll buying every single copy I come across."
"I love you, Hal."
"I love you even more, Hilly."
"So." Hilary drags out. "What do you think about Will?"
Her voice light and she looks very focused on cleaning the kitchen, but I know that she's very curious on my thoughts on Will. Especially since Ashley wanted to make the comment about how I looked like I was really enjoying my conversation with him, from that moment I already seen the wheels spinning in her head. She just wasn't going to bring it up in front of Ashley because Ashley would bring it back to Carlton, and then it'll be a whole thing.
"He's seems nice." I keep my opinion about him short because the last thing I want her to do is read too much into it. "Funny."
"Hm." She nods her head. "What did y'all talk about?"
"Nothing really." I shrug.
"Couldn't have been nothing if Ashley thought you were really enjoying that conversation."
"Uh, well, he ordered a Philly cheesesteak and I told him how I was going to make you cook me an Italian beef sandwich." I left out the part where we rated each other outfits. "Then Lisa came over and then I came and found you."
"Ugh, that girl is so annoying." Hilary rolls her eyes at te mention of Lisa, she finally looks at me and I can see the mischievous glint in her eyes as she raise one eyebrow. "You know, Will's single."
"Oh, my God!" I laugh. "I just knew that's what you were thinking the second Ashley mention I met Will. You just love playing Cupid."
"What? You're cute. He's cute. Be cute together." She says as if that was enough ammunition for me to date him. "You're single. He's single. Make each other un-single."
"I don't feel single." I tell her. "Trevor won't stop calling and texting me, questioning me about my whereabouts like we're still together. And I know that's the goal, I know he wants to get back together."
"You're not thinking about getting back together with him or you?" Hilary questions, looking at me with wide eyes — looking like she's on high alert.
"No." I assure her. "I don't want that. I just want to be left alone."
It's sad how our relationship turned out which is why I'm no longer dating people I'm friends with, if we're friends then we're going to stay friends and nothing more. I met Trevor in the 6th grade and we started dating in the 7th, and everything was great between us until it wasn't. And it's all goes back to that situation with Carlton and Lisa, I honestly wish I never played a part in it because I face the backlash from Lisa and Trevor. It ruined Carlton and I relationship, Lisa and the swim team doesn't like me, and it led to a series of heated arguments between Trevor and I.
Then to make matters worse, my parents was divorcing and I was in the middle of who I wanted to live with. Everything started to become overwhelming and I decided that I needed to lighten the load, Trevor made the decision to break up with him a lot easily after a particularly intense argument. I had just started going back over to the Banks house and he caught me leaving with Hilary, and the argument was so heated that Phillip, Geoffrey, and even Carlton had to intervene.
After Trevor texted me about how hurt he was by the breakup, and I realized that I didn't miss him as much I thought I would.
"Don't let him push you back into an relationship with him." Hilary plops down in the space besides me. "And you're being too nice. I'll block him on everything for you when you fall asleep. I don't want to talk about Trevor anymore, tell me who the visit went."
I couldn't stop the sigh at the memory of that horrible visitation, I set my plate down on the coffee table and turn towards Hilary. "I think that might have been my last visit for a while. I was suppose to stay with them at first, but the way my mother had looked at me when I stepped into the house. She looked at me like I was a stranger who had just walked in uninvited."
"And then I paid for everything while I was out there, I wasn't expecting them to buy anything for me but I also wasn't expecting to pay for everything for Chloe. And I mean everything." I continue. "She wanted box braids, I paid. She wanted her nails done, I paid. She wanted to eat out every night, I paid. She wanted to shopping, I paid. Then I turned around and gave her money. I spent more money on her than I spend on myself in a month."
Hilary place her hand on top of mine. "It's not your fault that your parents got a divorce and I want you to stop thinking it is. Don't let your guilt turn you into their ATM."
I hear what she is saying, but it is my fault and everybody knows it.
I feel tears swelling up in my eyes, I'm just a eye blink away from the tears from falling and the last thing I want to do is cry right now. The tingling pressure just behind my eyelids is enough to blur everything around me but I keep them at bay.
Hilary shuffles closer to me and brings her feet up on the couch, she rest her head on my shoulder. "Did I mention Will's single?"
"Shut up with that!" I couldn't help but laugh. "You're so annoying!"
The first thing my eyes make contact with is the broken antique clock resting on the nightstand on the other side of the bed, the clock has been broken for months now. Hilary insisted on keeping it because it's a rare, expensive piece in her favorite color; and even if it did work, she doesn't even know how to tell time on that kind of clock. And she's not lying, I've been searching online everywhere for the clock in the same color to buy for her as a gift but I can't even find the clock let alone in her favorite color.
Sitting up in bed I start to reach over to grab my phone off the nightstand by my side but my charger is the only thing there. Hilary. Getting out of bed I fix the sheets and blanket on the bed because it's a mess from all the tossing and turning Hilary and I did overnight, I even arranged all her little throw pillows back into place. In the bathroom I wash my face and brush my teeth, helping to shake off the remnants of sleep. With my morning routine complete, I leave the pool house and head inside the main house.
Inside the main house I'm greeted by an amazing smell of maplewood bacon, too bad I won't be able to dive into that for a while now. I'd pigged out the whole time I was visiting Chloe and yesterday when Hilary made me the Italian Beef sandwich, but all that unhealthy eating is over. I have track practice and I need to be in the best shape possible for this upcoming season, even though we have a good space cushion before our next track meet, Coach wants us to start getting ready now.
The sound of chatter and laughter coming from the kitchen fills my heart, I like being over here in the morning because it reminds me of how I use to wake up before my parents got divorce. Now the house is quiet and the last time I've sat at the kitchen table is when I told Mom and Chloe that I'll be staying with Dad. The house is so big for just Dad and I, he buries himself with work to avoid coming back home to an empty house and an empty bed. Sometimes when I don't spend the night at the Banks house, I find Dad sleeping on the couch, he hasn't slept in that bed since the divorce.
"Morning, Halle!" The greeting was almost like a chant, the chant that pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Good morning." I chirp, I walk over to where Hilary is and stand on the other side of the island from Hilary, and hold my hand out.
"Here you go." She place my phone in my hand with a smile. "I'd block him on everything, so don't go unblocking him now."
I didn't feel like talking about this especially in front of everybody so I just nod my head to not press the issue further. The night Trevor and I broke up, Phillip had wanted to press charges but I was against it because I didn't want this to get back to Dad. He was already going through enough with the finalizing the divorce, so I didn't need him worrying about me.
I didn't want to tell Hilary that I had blocked his number and blocked all his social media accounts before, but all he does is get a new number and make new social media accounts; which is why I stopped trying to ignore him. And since we're both on the track team, I still have to see him everyday and I rather things not be ultra awkward between us. I don't want the team to have to start choosing who side their going to be on because of the break up.
"What you want for breakfast?" Hilary questions.
"I have track practice in a few hours so something light. Uh, a omelette with ham and Canadian bacon." I tell her.
"Right on it. I can add some bell peppers and spinach." Hilary says as she walks over to the refrigerator to start working on my breakfast.
"Thanks, Hill." They don't need to hire any chef to come cook their food because they have Hilary, I had completely faith in her that she would find her foot in the culinary world when she had took a gap year off from college. I push away from the island and head over to the table, I approach the seat next to Ashley and across from the chair I choose sits Will. "Hey, Will."
Will eyes grow wide as I claim the seat in front of him. "Hey, Halle." I could see the confusion on why I'm sitting at the table with them.
"Oh, so you met already?" Vivian questions.
"Oh, they met all right." Ashley says teasingly.
"That's great to hear." Phillip says. "Then a introduction is not really needed so I'll just say Halle this is my nephew Will, he'll be staying with us for a while. He'll be attending school with you and Carlton so if you can help him navigate around school, that would be great." I nod my head as he turns to Will who's taking long sips of his orange juice. "And Will, this is my niece, Halle."
Will nearly spits the juice out his mouth, but luckily he stops it before it could happen by placing a hand over his mouth. "Wait, what?" Will eyes dart back and forth between Phillip and I. "I'm sorry, did you say she's you're niece?"
I remain silent but couldn't stop the smile tugging on my lips at his reaction, even his reactions are loud. He's so entertaining to watch, and easy to talk to — it's like picking up on an old conversation even though we've just met. I couldn't stop the laugh that I've been trying to keep from escaping pass my lips, but the way his reacting is just hilarious.
"Not biologically, cuz." Hilary informs. "Ours dads are close, like brothers so he has a habit of calling her his niece."
"She grew up right here in this house with your cousins." Vivian informs him. "She's been apart of our lives since before she could take her first step. She's family."
I smile on my face at hearing her call me family, I'm happy that they feel the same way I feel about them — even they make it clear that often that they consider me family. But it's always nice to have the reminder because since the situation with Carlton, I felt like maybe everybody else regarded me the same way he did.
"You think that's funny?" Will questions. "You saw how concern I was over here and you over here laughing. You could have said something and laughed."
"Watching you have a whole little panic attack was kinda entertaining to watch." I inform him, I lean forward on the table and tilt my head to the side. "And why was you having a panic attack?"
"Well—"
"Order up!" Hilary says as she sets the omelette down in front of me as well as a tall glass of orange juice. "I'll make you a protein shake to take along to practice."
I couldn't even thank her because Phillip starts talking. "Speaking of practice." He dabs his mouth clean with a napkin then ask, "Are there any upcoming track meets or competitions we should be looking forward to?"
"There's a couple of upcoming track meets." I nod my head. "For the indoor season, there's the City Invitational next month, and for outdoor, we have the Regional Championship in April. So, I really have to put in a lot of training before then."
"You let us know the dates and we'll be there." Phillip tells me.
"Oh, so you're a runner, you're a track star?" Will gives me a lopsided grin. "I bet I run faster than you."
"You might not want to do that, cuz." Hilary says as she stands on the side of my chair. "It'll be unfair."
"To you." Ashley laughs.
"Oh, she's that good?" Will raise an eyebrow.
"Good? She's better than good, she's an gifted athlete." Carlton tells him. "She has been named the MVP and a Team Player on her track and field team, she has broken school records such as the 100m and 200m sprints, and the 4x100m relay and that was just her freshman year. Recently she has been earning top spots in events like long distance which is 3000m and 5000m at a conference level."
It's nice to hear how happy and proud is about my achievements in track, Dad isn't able to come to a lot of track meets but I know that every event the Banks are in the stands. Every track met. Carlton looks over at me with a smile but I quickly avert my attention to my omelette before our eyes can meet.
"That's enough about lil ol' me." I say. "Can we talk about how Hilary is literally 2 days away from taking over Haute Cuisine."
"Oh!" Will nods his head impress. "Haute Cuisine. Nice." But him being impress is quickly changed with confusion. "What's Haute Cuisine?"
Hilary laughs as she says, "Haute Cuisine is the top food magazine in the country, and I have an interview with them on Monday. Mom hooked it up."
"Hilary, is this for an actual paycheck, or is this just part of the never-ending gap year experience?" Carlton questions.
I can see the annoyance on Hilary face as she says, "It's real money, asshole."
"Language!" Vivian and Phillip warns.
"Language!" Will says as he points at her.
Carlton holds his hands up. "Chill, it was joke."
"Haute Cuisine is a huge step up from the social media stuff that she's been doing." Vivían explains to Will.
Ashley nudge Carlton and says, "Shots fired."
Hilary cuts her eyes down to me, I can tell this is what she meant by last night by them throwing shade at her. "I mean, I wouldn't really say it's a step up, but nice shade, Mom."
"It's great opportunity and we're all very excited for you, sweetheart." Phillip ease the tension away.
"Well, I have a very busy day myself today." Carlton informs. "I have Lacrosse practice in a few, I'm gonna finish up some homework, and then later tonight I'm heading to Connor's beach party. Halle?"
The only time we actually have a conversation lasting more than a couple seconds is when we're in front of his parents, if they found out that Carlton and I was on bad terms. . . They would have definitely made us talk it out. But I don't want to do, I just want to get over it when I get over it — not when everybody else wants me too.
"Hm." I start to drink from my cup of orange juice just so I wouldn't have to look at him.
"Are you coming to Connor's party?"
"Uh, no." Hilary answers his question. "I made plans for us tonight."
"You do know she can have friends outside of you, right?" Carlton questions.
"And she does." Hilary says. "I'm just the person she much rather be around."
"Well, this sounds lacrosse practice and Connor's beach party sounds like the perfect time to show Will around, introduce him to some of your friends." Phillip suggest.
"What?!" Will and Carlton questions in sync, their snapping in the direction of Phillip.
"No, I don't wanna jam Carlton up." Will declines the suggestion.
"Yeah, he doesn't wanna jam me up, Dad." Carlton also declines the suggestion.
Seems like I'm not the only one who's having problems with Carlton.
"You start school on Monday, Will." Phillip says. "It'd be nice for you two boys to reconnect."
"Fine, leave it to Hilary to rectify the situation." Hilary says when silence settles at the table. "Being that Halle is also going to the school for track practice, Will can catch a ride with her to school and she can show him around. And as far as the beach party, I guess, I can spare a couple minutes of Halle's time to let her drop him off and he can get a ride back from Carlton. Boys tend to bond better at parties anyway."
"That could work!" Will and Carlton exclaims.
"That sounds like a lot to put on Halle." Vivian says. "Nobody even ask her if that's what she wants to do."
"Oh, I can bet it's something she wants to do." Ashley mutters lowly, but I still heard her and so did Hilary because the two starts laughing together.
"I don't mind." I raise up from the table. "We leave in an hour, can you be ready by then?"
Will raise up from the table too with a smile. "Most definitely."