Sorry for the long wait.
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Chapter 9: Dinner
My worst nightmare is directly across from me.
I don't know whether to face it right on or kick it away.
The second option is way more appealing to me, but the first is sadly what I choose.
I reluctantly pull my math homework towards me and flip it open to the correct page. I've always been an average student in math, but it’s still really hard for me.
I decide to plug my earphones in to pass the time with some music. I shove the phone in my pocket, and get out a pencil.
I start on the first problem and I'm already dreading having to finish the next 15. I used to do this homework with Carter because he is really good at math, but now I can't.
Oh the cons of living in different places!
Which reminds me, he still hasn’t called me back since I sent him that text at lunch. It's a little weird he hasn't answered, but he must be busy with something. I ignore the nagging feeling arising again and focus on the paper in front of me.
I was halfway through the problems when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I'm not the best person to sneak up on, unless your goal is to scare me. Which is precisely why my earphones now lay on the floor across the room and my heart is pounding a mile a minute.
"I didn't mean to scare you" he steps backwards a little, but I still have to crane my neck to see Jared standing in front of me. "I knocked on the door" he adds.
I glance at my earphones thrown across the room and then back at him. His gaze travels to them and walks over to pick them up. He tosses them next to me on the bed nonchalantly.
Walking over to one of the large walls he glides a finger across the surface slowly, the muscle in his arm flexing as he does so, "Are you going to do anything to it?"
"To what?" I ask in confusion, sitting up on the bed.
"The room"
I myself look around now. The walls are a pale blue and crisp white curtains rest at the sides of a bay window. That's pretty much it. Of course something could be done to personalize it, but I like it like this. Maybe I’ll stick a few photographs up, but that's it.
"I like it. The simplicity of it is nice" I shrug, sitting at the edge of the bed. I toy with the thin sheets for a second before I start to wonder.
What's he doing here anyways?
"Dinner's ready. Your mom told me to come get you" he says as if reading my mind. I get off the bed and walk over to the door with him following behind me. We exit the room and start to make our way downstairs, the distant chatter of the parents growing closer.
When we walk into the dining room the parents too caught up in their conversation to notice their children's presence.
"We'll talk later," Jared whispers to me from behind the subtle scent of mint lingering in the air. I feel him brush passed me on his way to take a seat at the table. He sits opposite his mother, and she starts to pile food on his plate.
Talk about what?
There's only one thing I could think he'd want to talk to me about. It's the same topic we left off at in the car this morning.
It takes a second for me to register I should be sitting as well, so I go take my seat across from my mum. Richard and my dad sit at the heads of the table, which leaves me next to Jared.
"So how do you like the school kiddo?" Dad turns to me.
Seriously dad? Kiddo?
"It's nice" I glance out from the corner of my eye to see Jared smirking a little.
"Make any new friends?" He asks, his knife going to work at slicing into his chicken breast. We always had these types of conversation back home, but it mostly consisted of just mom and dad conversing back and forth.
"I have" I respond, taking a sip from the glass in front of me.
"Invite them over sometime" Anne suggests suddenly, her smile growing wider. Inviting them over would mean having to tell them why I live here, and that's something I just don't want to do right now.
"Okay, thank you" I smile at her, a complete forced one may I add.
Dad and Richard continue on talking about something that happened during the hockey game last night, while mum talks to Anne of a new recipe they are going to try. I decide to occupy my mind by wondering how the hell I'm going to finish that homework tonight.
Yes, I'd prefer to think about homework over the imminent conversation I may have with Jared later.
"Stella, will you clear the table?" Mum asks when everyone is done eating. I nod and start to pile all the empty plates on top on each other.
Jared doesn't say anything but gets up and starts collecting all the drinking glasses. I take the plates into the kitchen and place them in the sink. I run some hot water over them to rinse and I go back into the dining room to see the my parents and Jared's have already left the room. I take a few of the remaining plates and walk back into the kitchen.
When I enter, Jared is leaning against the island with his arms crossed casually in front of him, his muscles standing out prominently. I walk passed him to put the dishes in the sink, letting them fall in with a little bang.
"We never finished this morning" he speaks up, letting me know exactly what he wants to know.
"So I guess this is later then?" I lean on the counter across from him, and even from a few feet away I still have to look upwards to meet his eyes.
"So it seems" He pins me under his gaze and it feels as if the temperature has gone up a few degrees.
"Do you have any clue why I moved here Jared?" I ask him, not beating around the bush anymore. I turn around to focus on anything but his eyes, the forest outside seemingly my best option.
"I have an idea" his voice is low.
"Well whatever you’re thinking is probably right" I say. He doesn't respond anything so I go on. "I mean what else can do this to a person" I lift my shirt sleeve up to see the white gauze covering the burn.
"I was watching the hockey game with my dad when it happened." I take a deep breath in getting ready to tell him when it hits me, the anxiety
I know why I didn't want people knowing about my burns. Not because I'm ashamed of them. Not because I didn't want people to see my scars. Not because I care of what people would think, but because I am scared. Just thinking about the moment when so many things went wrong is enough to have me wanting to roll up into a ball and cry.
This is a feeling of fear.
"The power went out," I take in another breath, this one a little shaky, "I went to find something to see with, anything that gave off some light. All I found were a pack of matches." I feel something run down my face and I am so thankful my back is faced towards him.
I don't want him to see me cry.
I hastily wipe the beads of tears away from my face. I'm tired of crying, I really am.
"I never was good with lighting those darn things" I smile weakly remembering Carter telling me to call if I ever needed anything lit. Where is he now though, to put out the flame, instead of light it?
Pulling me from the memory is a buzzing, the source of which being my pants pocket. I reach in and grab my phone answering it.
"Stells you there?"
Speak of the devil and he shall appear, or call. Either works I guess.
"Pipsqueak I hear you breathing"
"Carter, can I call you back?" I turn to look at Jared. His face shows nothing of what he is thinking at the moment.
"Oh hell no, I need to talk to my Stells right now, it's my God given right!" He says through the phone. I smile at that, but stop when I see Jared.
I watch as his back turns on me and he walks straight out of the kitchen without another word.
I most certainly do deserve that.
Real bitch move Stella
"Stells are you okay?" Carter asks.
"Yes-" I swallow a lump which has formed in my throat. "- I-I'm fine, but can you help me with math?"
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Sorry, it's late. It's been a tough 2 weeks for me and I just needed that time.
I will be leaving tomorrow for a trip which will last a week. Thankfully I will have internet, but I will be writing on my phone.
Thank you for reading.
Expect an update sooner rather than later ;)
Comment, maybe?
Vote, maybe?
-Elena