Chapter Eighteen (Drew’s POV)
“Drew wake up!” I groaned as I heard my little sister’s squeaky voice.
I cracked one eye open to see Savannah bouncing up and down on my bed as she kept on yelling, “Happy birthday, Drew!”
“Shut up,” I rolled over, using my pillow as an instrument to block out her loud voice.
I seriously planned to sleep all throughout my birthday but my family had other plans. The next thing I knew, my blanket was pulled off of my body making the cold temperature creep up.
“What the hell?!” I yelled in exasperation as I stared at my grinning sister who had my blanket in her tiny hands.
“Mommy told me to wake you up,” she said innocently, batting her green eyes.
I rolled my eyes and snatched the blanket from her hands and lay down to resume my slumber.
This however resulted to Savannah yelling at the top of her lungs, “Mommy, Drew won’t get up!”
Footsteps echoed from outside until my mother stepped at the doorway, “Drew, get up already, somebody’s waiting for you downstairs.”
With another groan, I threw my covers off of me and sat up. A victorious smile made its way onto my sister’s lips.
“It’s my birthday,” I mumbled under my breath, “I’m supposed to sleep all day.”
My mom shook her head, “Hurry up and get dressed,” she told me before disappearing from my room.
I stared at Savannah, “Who’s here?”
“Celeste!” she giggled, hopping off of my bed and following our mother downstairs.
I paused for a moment to register the name that my sister said. Why the hell was she here?
I stood up and grabbed some fresh clothes before heading to the bathroom. I changed out of my shirt and boxers that I wore to bed and brushed my teeth. With a nod of satisfaction that I at least looked human, I got out of the bathroom and headed downstairs.
The moment I stepped into the kitchen, a whiff of chocolate chip pancakes invaded my nose. My favorite!
“Took you long enough,” My mother tsked as she flipped a pancake on a pan. I looked at the kitchen island to see Celeste listening intently to whatever my sister was saying.
“Drew’s a meanie,” Savannah grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Is he now?” Celeste giggled, turning her head to my direction.
Why did I find that giggle so adorable?
“Did you know?” she started, leaning to whisper something to Savannah, “He’s a bigger meanie to me.”
“No he’s not!” Savannah suddenly screeched, “He doesn’t play with me, he always bullies me and he always beats me to the bathroom.”
Another giggle that I loved escaped Celeste’s lips, “But did you know you’re lucky to have Drew?”
This perked my interest as I shifted closer, Celeste caught my gaze and gave me that cute smile of hers.
“Why?” Savannah questioned, tilting her head to the side.
“Because you have a brother that cares for you,” she smiled, reaching out to ruffle my sister’s hair.
“But he’s still a meanie,” Savannah pouted.
“That’s enough,” I sighed, joining the pair at the kitchen island.
My mom came over to us while balancing three plates in her hands. She set two ordinary plates then one plate that had whip cream and lots of chocolate syrup on top.
“Happy birthday, Drew,” she smiled, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. I cringed at this and looked at Celeste who already had a teasing glint in her eyes.
“Eighteen already?” Celeste asked and I nodded. I shoved a forkful of pancakes into my mouth and savored the taste.
“So Celeste,” my mom started out, joining us after she grabbed her own plate of pancakes, “Any plans for today?”
“I was planning to steal Drew for a couple of hours,” she said, giving my mother a sickly sweet smile, “Is that okay?”
I wanted to say that I’d rather sleep all day – it’s not that I don’t want to hang out with Celeste because damn, I really want to, but something about the glint her eyes made me think that she had something big coming up, something that I’m not exactly sure that I would like.
Every year, I only spent my birthday with my mom and sister so I was quite hoping that mom would say no and say that it was a special family bonding day.
But of course, nobody could escape that Celeste Graham charm. Just give anybody a smile and they’ll be at her beck and call. Even if it was my own mother.
“Oh you could have him all day,” my mom chirped with an approving nod.
“Thank you,” she said, sipping the glass of orange juice that my mother gave her and hopped off of her stool, “And the pancakes were delicious.”
She stared at me expectantly and I rolled my eyes, finishing my pancakes and gulping down a mug of coffee.
“I hate you,” I muttered under my breath so only she could hear.
“No you don’t,” she retorted, pinching my cheek.
The mere contact of her fingers made my skin burn but I tried to act like I wasn’t affected by it. Why do I always feel weird whenever she’s close to me?
“Let’s go, I’m giving you your present,” she told me, gesturing me to follow her outside.
I said my goodbyes to my family then I grabbed my coat from the coat hanger and followed the annoying girl skipping her way to the front door.
She opened the door, allowing some winter air to enter my house and stepped out. I followed obediently after her then shut the door behind me.
The car on my driveway was certainly something that I was familiar with. According to my memory, Celeste’s car was red when this one was silver.
“Whose car is that?” I asked casually as I admired it. I’m not going to lie when I say I have a fascination with cars. I begged my mom to buy me one once but she sternly told me that we couldn’t afford the ones I spent so much time looking up on the internet.
“Mine,” she replied, walking to the vehicle, “It came this morning, it was a Christmas present from my parents.”
Damn rich people.
“Get in,” was the only thing she said to me as she entered the driver’s seat. I opened the passenger’s door and slid in. The smell of a new car was one of man’s greatest pleasures.
“Where the hell are you kidnapping me?” I asked as she started to drive away from my house.
As much I tried to insist her on telling me, she had an extremely stubborn mind. She ignored everything that I was saying and switched on the radio making me slump on my seat in defeat.
An hour later, our surroundings were becoming slightly familiar. I suddenly bolted up and looked outside of the window.
This place… I hated this road.
“Don’t tell me…” I trailed off then it came into view.
Prison.
“Please don’t hate me,” Celeste suddenly spoke next to me as we neared the building, “I just want you to see your dad on your birthday.”
In all honesty, I could never hate this girl. I knew she had good intentions but seeing my dad will just open up emotions that I had decided to tuck away forever.
She turned off the engine and got out. I followed the suit.
“I’m nervous,” I voiced out honestly. I looked down at Celeste who was nervously fidgeting with her hands. I didn’t know what I was thinking but I reached out and grasped her hand in mine.
She tensed under my touch and I was seriously hitting myself inside my head but to my utter relief, she clasped her hand against mine as well.
We walked inside and to a desk, “Good morning,” Celeste greeted the policeman, the guy instantly recognized her so he suddenly got out some papers.
“You’re here to visit James Everett, is that correct Miss Graham?” he asked, and I almost snorted at the formal tone he was using.
Everybody was practically praising the soil Celeste walked on.
“Yes,” she nodded her head.
The police man called out another guy that held the keys and gestured us to follow him. Still hand in hand, we walked behind the man following him through every turn.
“Here it is,” he said as we approached a door that had the word Visiting Room plastered above it.
He unlocked it and opened the door. Celeste gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as I held my breath.
My father.
He sat there in his prison clothes as he stared at me with a shocked expression that I was sure that I was mirroring.
We all entered the room and the policeman locked the door behind us. He stayed there as guard like any other visit.
“Drew,” My father breathed out as if he couldn’t believe that I was here.
Hell, even I couldn’t believe it myself.
“Dad,” I croaked before clearing my throat, “Dad,” I repeated with a clearer voice.
We just stared at each for who knows how long until somebody cleared her throat.
“Hi,” Celeste slowly said, waving her other hand that wasn’t in mine at my father rather awkwardly.
My father’s eyes trailed to our connected hands and gave me a knowing look. With that, I quickly let go of Celeste’s hand as much as I loved the feeling of it in mine.
“Hello,” Dad coughed out nervously at Celeste.
I understand his nervousness; he was talking to the daughter of the very people who placed him in jail. No matter how much I despise the Graham name, I trusted her with everything. It was weird because I never trust anybody.
“I guess I would allow you two to have your moment,” she told the both of us as she shuffled to the door. Before she got out, I called her name.
“Celeste,” The name rolled out of my tongue so naturally. She stopped her tracks and slowly turned to me with a quizzical expression.
“Yeah?” she cocked her head to the side as she bit her lip, waiting for me to respond.
If she stopped biting her lips I could at least form an intelligible sentence.
“Drew?” she snapped my attention to see she was still waiting.
“Thanks,” I mumbled under my breath yet she still heard. A soft smile slowly formed on her lips and without a response to my gratitude, she turned on her heel and exited the room.
I turned back to my dad who was observing me with a look in his eyes that I couldn’t identify.
“Are you dating the heiress of Graham’s Group of Companies?” he asked suddenly.
“No,” I answered way too quickly, “We’re just friends.”
He nodded his head, “I would have been extremely disappointed if you were.”
I was suddenly puzzled at this as I stared at him with confusion, “Why?”
“They’re nothing but a family of power hungry, money bathing, narcissistic beings,” he gritted out with pure hatred in his voice.
“Hey!” I yelled, “Her parents may be like that but she’s nowhere near being power hungry, money bathing, or narcissistic!”
“Son,” he started out slowly, “I love you so much, but I don’t want to associate my family with those people.”
“You’re such a hypocrite,” I snarled, “You’re the guy who owed money to the Grahams!”
“It was huge mistake,” he muttered, “I don’t want you guys to be the same as me.”
“She’s my friend! Savannah loves her and heck, mom adores her.”
“Oh God, Ariel,” he groaned suddenly, saying my mother’s name, “I miss her so much.”
His head fell into his hands as he looked at the ground with despair, “I’m so sorry, son.”
I kneeled in front of him but I kept my face stoic, “I know you are.”
We just stayed at that position until the door creaked open once again, “Okay, let’s go,” Celeste suddenly chirped.
I looked at her as her face slowly dropped. I guess she finally felt the tension in the air, “I-I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t h-have…” she started out, flailing her arms for dramatic effects, “You must hate me right now.”
I grinned at her reaction and stood up from my kneeling position. This was really just too much.
“Let’s go,” I said to her, “Bye dad.”
“He’s coming with us,” Celeste said making both me and my dad stare at her with surprise.
“What?” we both said.
“It’s only for the day,” she explained, “He has to be back here before midnight.”
I looked at her then back at dad. She was starting to explain the details and said that she pulled a few strings that would allow my father to be out of the prison for one day. I couldn’t control the happiness I was feeling right now. For once in a long time, my family could be whole again even if it was for one day.
“You need to sign some papers,” The officer said to my father who was still registering everything that was happening.
He nodded stiffly as he was escorted out of the room to do the paperwork. I turned to Celeste who was grinning ear-to-ear at me.
“Happy birthday, Drew,” she said.
Without much thinking, I grabbed her and held her in my arms, “Thank you,” I whispered sincerely, holding her tighter.
With much struggle, she was able to hug me back as she wrapped her arms around my neck, “You deserve it,” I heard her whisper back.
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