Chapter 25- In which thanksgiving isn't very thankful
I stood there in shock as my mother questioned me as to what had happened, truthfully? I didn't know exactly what had happened. I just know I wished she would've invited anyone other than Conner. She could've invited the whole school as long as Conner wasn't included, I wouldn't have cared.
James immediately grabbed a broom and ordered me to stand still while he swept up my apparent mess. I felt awful. Not only did I just break my mothers glass but now I had to act like I didn't want to strangle Conner while he is here tomorrow for dinner. I couldn't tell my mom what was happening, she'd take things too far.
After James cleaned up my mess he dragged me into the living room, I gave him questionable looks at first then I knew what he was going to do. "Selena, I'm coming over tomorrow for dinner and keeping an eye on Conner. If your mom asks, you invited me over."
I knew exactly why he was so determined to come over, as for Conner I came to the realization a while back that I didn't know anything about him. Everything I thought I knew was probably a lie just like his supposed love for me, he was obsessed with me, he still is..
James left a few minutes after he checked the entire house for Conner, he was paranoid that he had broken in somehow, and had became a stowaway in my house. Soon after James left I myself becoming a bit paranoid, I kept hearing footsteps in the house even after my mother went to bed, I went to investigate twice before I actually went to bed but my efforts were in vain, I couldn't find a trace of anyone else in the house.
I finally fell asleep after tossing and turning for about two hours straight and hearing footsteps still occasionally echoing from the hallway. I awoke to the sound of a door slamming shut in the house I couldn't quite tell which room it came from, but it was extremely loud, it came from somewhere close.
I took a deep breath as I stood up from my bed and walked around to the door, I was just about to grab the door handle when a piece of paper caught my eye. I walked closer to my dresser and there laid a note. "Locking the door can't keep me out, don't worry princess it'll all be over soon." I made a last minute decision to not grab the note, mom could use it as evidence. I bolted out the door and down the dark and gloomy hallway screaming for my mom. "Selena what's wrong?" Questioned my mom as she ran out her bedroom door and held my face in her hands.
"Mom there is someone in the house! You have to call the police! There was a creepy note on my table in my room when I left." I whispered, then Dragged my mom down the hallway, finally, I reached my room, my mother grabbed her gun which had been hidden from my sight, she put her right hand over her left, her left hand held the gun, her right held a small flashlight. She then kicked open my door, which wasn't even shut all the way.
After checking my rooms closet, bed, and balcony she went to head out the door to another room. "Wait, where's that note?" She asked. I went over to where I last saw it and came to the realization that it wasn't there anymore. "Mom it was right here! I didn't pick it up because I thought you could use it as evidence." I frantically searched the floor around the dresser but I didn't find anything.
My mother searched the rest of the house then came back into my room. "Honey go back to bed, you probably just had a nightmare." My mouth gaped open, "I have another one I received the other day from the front porch hang on, I'll get it." I ran to my bed and grabbed my lockbox and then the key from my dresser drawer. Unlocking it I dug through it looking for the other note, but again, I couldn't find it.
"Mom it was right there, I promise!" I said, freaking out a bit because of the notes mysteriously disappearing.
"Honey it was a bad dream everything is okay, go back to bed sweetie." She said, closing my door behind me leaving me sitting in the floor staring at the mess I had made. Had I imagined it? No. I couldn't have, it was too real.
I tried going back to sleep but I just couldn't, I downed a little less than half a bottle of NyQuil and quickly found my long awaited sleep.
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I awoke to sunlight shining through my window which usually had curtains covering it. I groggily opened my eyes, feeling like death itself and scanned my room. Nothing was out of the ordinary other than the mess I had made from frantically searching my room last night.
I frowned realizing it was thanksgiving, and I would have to sit at a table with my idiotic ex and my violent best friend. They'd probably try to kill each other when mom turns her back. I reluctantly got out of bed and got ready for the day. I walked into the bathroom, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and changed into the outfit I had closest to the bathroom door. A black dress? It would do!
I checked out my appearance in the mirror, my hair was French braided back, my dress flowed just above my knee caps, and my shoes weren't killing me or breaking my neck today since I wasn't wearing heels. My phone then started ringing, I walked over to my dresser, took it off charge and answered it.
"Hello?" I said into my phone. "Hey Selena it's James I'll be over in about 20 minutes, I'm going to help you guys get a meal ready today, I already talked to your mother."
"Okay, sounds good! See you soon!" I then clicked my phone into lock screen which ended the call. I decided I'd go downstairs and help my mother make the thanksgiving dinner, I noticed she already had the turkey in the oven. "Good morning" I yawned out.
She chuckled "sweetie it's nearly 3PM, but while your awake could you make the gram cracker pie and I'll make the banana pudding?" I then proceeded to dig through the cabinets to get the pudding mix, I mixed the ingredients it asked for in a large bowl then poured it into the pot on the stove eye, stirring occasionally to make sure it turned out right. While that was being cooked I grabbed a hotel pan from the cabinet and began lining the bottom of it with honey gram crackers, I then crushed a few in a separate plastic baggie so I could use for the topping.
I took the pudding off the stove eye and moved it to the back and let it sit for a minute or two, then I slowly poured it into the hotel pan, then I added the crumbled graham crackers on top of it finishing it off. Then I stuck it in the fridge to cool and be ready to eat soon.
"Wow honey you are quick at that!" Mom praised, cutting up some bananas into little slices. I began getting bored so I set the table placing silverware in napkins, plates and glasses on the table. I set four spots which should be enough unless we have another uninvited visitor. I sighed at the thought.
By the time we both were done making the dessert dishes, it was almost 6:00! Mother and I took the dishes including the turkey and ham in the center of the table, the desserts and appetizers surrounding it, along with some mashed potatoes, and gravy.
By that time the doorbell rang, and my heart felt as if it was about to implode. Mother had me answer the door because she was going up to her room to change, upon opening the door I came face to face with none other than Conner.
"Hey there princess," he said staring into my soul with his evil eyes.. I resisted the urge to slam the door in his face after I kicked him down the steps of my front porch. But believe me, I thought about it. So much that my face scrunched up into a wicked grin just thinking of it. Conner had already slipper by me and entered my house, I frowned yet again.
"Conner you do realize you invited yourself to dinner, right?" He stopped walking to the living room and turned in his tracks. "Yes, I do realize it Selena. I wanted to come see you, and I did."
"Well nice seeing you, now you can leave." I smiled ushering him towards the door.
He walked closer, getting right in my face. Before he could say any smartass remarks my mother walked in. "You two lovebirds get in your seats, we are waiting on James to get here, he just called saying he will be here in a minute. I let him know to waltz on in and take his seat."
On that note, I took my seat in the dining room. "You invited him? I thought I told you to stay away from him!" He said with clenched teeth."And I thought I told you that you aren't my boss." I retorted, pissing him off further.
Just then my savior walked into the dining room. "Sorry I'm late, had to take care of some stuff." He looked at Conner and sat right beside me.
"Oh, dear it's alright now everyone join hands and bow your heads." My mother said, closing here eyes after she did so.
James and Conner were staring each other down. I kicked Conner in the leg and he took my hand, and my moms and bowed his head, still looking at James. James took my hand and playfully squeezed it, trying to calm me down and reassure me everything is alright, I smiled at him.
We all bowed our heads, I closed my eyes listening to my mother say grace, I imagine James and Conner were still staring each other down. I heard James whisper "I'd be more thankful if he left." I smiled at the comment, knowing if I laughed mother would scold me.
After saying grace we all dug into our food. After about 10 minutes of silence and the occasional chatter between James and I Conner got up, "may I head to the bathroom?"
"Sure hun go ahead." My mother said.
James and I cleaned our plates while Conner was gone. My mother was already up in the kitchen getting the dessert. "He's been gone for a while, want to go check and see what he's up to?" James said. I looked towards the kitchen to see if my mother had heard, "let's go."
James and I crept our way down the hall, Conner was fiddling with the light in the hallway then he walked into the bathroom. James walked over towards the light and ran his hand around the rim of it, a tiny black spec coming off the light. Looking pissed off, he crushed it in his hand then went towards the bathroom after Conner.
I then grabbed him by the hand and pulled him towards me and away from the bathroom. "What was that?" I asked, trying my best to keep him against the wall. "It was a damn bug Selena, he bugged your house this one is a recording device, it has no video. He's probably bugging the bathroom as we speak, damn pervert."
"Calm down, it's okay. We can find the rest of them if there are more." I said, squeezing his hand reassuringly like he had done to mine earlier.
"Honestly Selena, I want to strangle him right now. He has no right in doing what he has done to you." He stared down at me, his hand now on my face, then he pulled away. The doorknob twisted and I knew I couldn't hold him back as he gently picked me up and moved me to the side and them grabbed Conner, pinning him to the wall as he came out of the bathroom all in one swift movement.
"Why the hell are you placing bugs in her house? You know I should just go get her mother and have her arrest you but I won't do that, I'll be handling it my way."
"And what exactly is your way James?" He egged.
"You're about to find out," he said raising his left fist up. I ran over there just before he punched him and grabbed his fist. "Selena stop trying to stop me." He said, Conner still under the grip of his right hand. "No, I won't stop. I'm not going to let this piece of shit cause you to get arrested."
James released Conner, "I'll get you one day soon, and there will be no witnesses around. It would be your word against mine and with your record, they would believe me."
Conner and James returned downstairs. After Conner finished his meal which I could tell he was thinking James poisoned, he got up and went outside. James was smirking as soon as Conner left. Mom was just about to close the door when Conner started cussing loudly, she then opened the door and we all had a look outside.
"You motherfucker!" He directed towards James, pointing fingers at him.
"What the hell did I do?" He questioned.
"You keyed my fucking car!"
We all stepped out of the house, gathering around his vehicle. The words "FUCK OFF" were keyed into the driver's side of his expensive vehicle. James chuckled a bit which angered Conner even more, he angrily stomped towards James and took a swing at him, James caught his fist and I saw the smirk on his face.
He shoved him off of him "try again buddy your swing is a little predictable." Conner came at James again and this time my mother stepped between them. "You two cut it out! Conner, he did not touch your car he has been in the house this whole time, now I have known him since he was a kid he wouldn't do something like that. Take your anger elsewhere!" Conner reluctantly got in his vehicle and sped down the road, mom walked into the house without another word said.
James and I stood outside a bit longer, "I know you actually did key his car." I said.
"Oh really?" He smiled.
"Yes, you did it before you came into the house that's why you were oddly late."
"Smart girl, don't tell anyone."
"My lips are sealed." I made a lock sign on my lips with my hand. He laughed at that. James walked into the house and helped clean up the dishes then we stood outside on the porch after all the dishes were cleaned, dried and put away.
"Hey Selena? Would you want to go on a trip with me tomorrow? Just for a day?" He asked glancing in my general direction.
"Sure, where would we be going?" I questioned
"Up in the mountains, that's all I can say. You'll have to see it yourself to believe it. Bring a blanket and I'll bring some food." I made a mental note in my head to bring a blanket. "Oh and be ready by 11AM it'll take a little while to get there but it's worth it."
"I guess I'll see you then."
"I'll see you then," he said then he pulled me into a tight hug, get some rest don't worry about anything.
I walked into the house, standing at the door I turned to see James getting on his bike and waving at me, I waved back at him then closed the door. I curiously walked upstairs to the bathroom where Conner was at earlier and hunted around for any cameras or recording devices. I couldn't find any so I gave up my search and headed to bed.
I had nightmares that whole night, I woke up about 3 times. I dreamt each time of Conner killing James...
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Authors Note
{Next chapter coming soon, this week if my teachers stop drowning me in work}