Chapter seventeen: Everyone's against us
♥ ▸⚬☉⚬◂ ♥
I knew I couldn't ignore Jessica's text forever but I sure did try up until my third period. The office called me and I pulled out my phone to text her when I suddenly ran into Thetic. Bumping into the other's shoulder forced us to face each other; we stood there like statues that soon became a thing for the both of us.
Looking at her makes me want to cry, then the thoughts of Daniel sprong out like wildfire, "Sorry."
"Yeah, me too."
I hesitantly had an idea to maybe help me get rid of these thoughts of being in love with Daniel; Thetic turned halfway to walk away and I stopped her midway, "Hey, wait."
If you can't guess what Renesmee is about to do then I hope you got your blankets close to your face to cover your eyes from the words that are about to come out of her mouth and whatever you do, do NOT throw your phone and think- 'What the fuck, REN!'
"I need a favor."
"Eh?" she nearly shouted, like I was out of my mind to ask for anything, which is right. I've been a terrible friend to let this go on for so long but I understand now, that I needed to figure myself out first before coming back.
"I need you to go out with Daniel."
"Why would I possibly do that?" she replied, with her arms crossed against her chest and one leg out in front of the other.
"You'll do it for me, spite everything! I know you'll still be there for me."
"What does me going out on a date with Daniel going to do for you?"
My eyes wandered around to the floor until I took a breath in and out picking up my head to tell Thetic the reason she asked for, "Because all I want to see is Daniel happy and he likes you. I swear once you get to know him you'll start liking him too!"
Thetic seemed a bit shocked by my response that her face frowned a little, "Are you sure?"
I nodded my head with a hum, "Is that the only reason?" Thetic asked.
The question nearly shook my heart, making me want to cry but I didn't. Was there any other reason why I was asking her, YES! Most definitely, he doesn't see me the way he sees you, the thought about me but I desperately want him to. I don't want to love him, I like him, or even think about her so the reason to ask you for this favor is for me to see you two together as I can move on without wondering what if or what could be.
"Renesmee!"
"Huh?"
"I asked you if that's the only reason then you suddenly drifted off."
"Oh, yes. It is."
"Then I'll do it but only because you asked and even though I don't like the idea of this I'll only go out with him to get to know him, nothing else."
"That's more than enough! I have to go, the office called me but don't forget you have to ask him because he won't do it for himself," I said, in a rush to get to the office.
I left Thetic there dumbfounded that the thought of her having to talk to him was already something she would have to get over because of me. I questioned if I did the right thing about asking a supposed friend of this kind of favor, was I being selfish to do this without asking Daniel as well?
Daniel is going to think he's going on a date with her and I do wonder how he will react when she asks.
I was immediately sat in the principal's office as he gave me such an expression, Mr. Hawkins was always a strict man but he was cool as well so that surprised the students and he took his job seriously which no one blamed, he was just like many other adults that don't mix fun and business.
"Yes, Mr. Hawkins?"
"Ms. Lockheart, I have never had a problem with you for two years and your first semester but now why is this? I'm having you skip school willingly when the second semester is the busiest."
"Uh, with no disrespect sir. I would think the busiest semester would be August thru December since the first days of school going on, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas."
"That's beside the point, Ms. Lockheart! You helped with all those activities and events but since you've been hanging out with Mr. Choi you have only fallen behind. Do you even plan on helping with prom stuff?"
"He has nothing to do with this! Yes, I have missed school for a couple of days but it's nothing too serious and my grades are still good and no, I haven't had time to think about helping out prom stuff this year."
"Why is that? Because of that boy."
"I expected more from you, Mr. Hawkins. The way you talk about him is the same way everyone talks bad about him and he's one of your students! How can you sit here and call yourself a teacher or principal of this school when you're being judgemental as well," I angrily said, getting out of my seat and walking out the door.
After she left, the principal got a call that was well unexpected once his talk with the girl was over, trying to convince her a little more about how the problem some Daniel was. Mr. Hawkins picks up the phone and listens to the person speaking, he was ordered to do what he just did, "For a principal, you're so worthless! Letting her walkout as she pleased, you should have been more controlling and put your foot down informing her about my son."
"Yes, ma'am I understand."
"Do you? This isn't a game, people's lives are on the line and congratulations you just might have lost one of your students due to your luckiness. It shows that I have to take care of this situation on my own, now do I?"
Mr. Hawkins strongly swallowed those hard words he had to say, "I believe so, ma'am. My apologies."
"Don't be sorry for me but your student you just killed," she happily smiled through the phone.
-
Things seemed to be well planned out through Ms. Choi's eyes therefore through Renesmee's eyes she sat there in the cafeteria with her tray of food in front of her as those short arms crossed inches away from her chest resting them on the table. She sat there with her backpack still on her back as her sight caught glimpse of Thetic.
Taking sight of the very moment when Thetic asked him, those big eyes grew bigger once those words flowed perfectly off her lips. Ren pointed that moment out with her eyes of Thetic stopping Daniel outside the cafeteria door that leads outside to the field where the football players practice. That small window showed a great view for Renesmee to have her thoughts play out for something she asked of Thetic to do.
Regret was a big word and something she never wanted to have since she has decided to go down this path, this was the road she had to drive and that was avoiding Daniel the rest of the day, and riding back with him wasn't going to happen. It was the end of the day and Ren dodged him every movement to sneak onto the bus.
She ducks down from Daniel searching for her as students boarded their buses. He was gone after she took a glance outside her window. About the time the bus made it around the front of the school Daniel was waiting at his car for her, she lifted her head, sat back against the seat looking out the window at Daniel sitting there and waiting for her when she knew she wouldn't be there to show up.
Ren felt guilty looking out that window at him as she passed him in the parking lot. Her head fell back into the seat drifting her mind that this was the right thing to do, just being around Daniell twenty-four-seven out of the day was going to be hard but she also doesn't want to be selfish. She was set out on that bumpy and smelly bus coming from the sticky elementary kids while Daniel sat in his car still waiting until he tried contacting Ren with a bunch of messages rather than phone calls. He panicked throwing his phone that landed on the floor before hitting his palms onto the steering wheel and laying his head on it.
Suddenly a knock from his window got him up and it was Jessica, she motioned him to roll down the window with a nod, "What are you still doing here? Renesmee already left home."
"With who? Eric!" He assumed without any knowledge.
"Woah, there buddy! I didn't say anything about Eric Black just that she already left out on the bus home."
Daniel felt confused by Renesmee's actions, "Why though? She knew we rode in together so why would she not ride with me back?"
"Don't you think after talking with Thetic about going out, Renesmee would be just waiting for you to tell her all the amazing news?"
"How do you know about that?"
"Daniel, you're a smart guy. I'm best friends with the girl that likes you and the girl that asked you out."
"Renesmee and I are friends."
"No, she's trying to be your friend. Her trying and being a friend are two different things. Renesmee confessed to you last night and immediately you think dropping those feelings she has for you will be easy for her. Well news to you, it's not."
"Is that why she decided to take the bus instead of getting into the car with me...because she already knows about..."
"Daniel, all I have to say is give her some time. I believe the things she is doing are for you."
Jessica finally said it before walking to her car that's nearby. Leaving Daniel to his thoughts that had him gripping the steering wheel tight while those thoughts always were to himself and no one else.
He left on the road worried for Renesmee as she arrived down her driveway, walking up and opening the front door, she huffed and puffed taking her bag off her shoulder before throwing her body across the couch.
"Honey, are you home?"
"Mom?" Ren surprisingly questioned, "You usually work late, why not today?"
"I finished typing all my reports that are due next week just so I can come home a bit early and cook for you guys," she says coming out of the kitchen in her apron.
The more time Ren sees her family the more she sees herself with the perfect family but of course, with every family there are problems and she was being overlooked as the middle child, others would think being the middle child and the only girl something like this wouldn't happen. Again being overlooked because she's the only girl, what a load of crap.
Even though that's Renesmee case she believes her family has an overload of love for her, two hard-working parents that aren't rich but just getting by are paying for their older son to go to college, their middle child in high school trying to get her the best of what every seventeen years old has to offer in-school like being apart of clubs, field trips, and purchasing a yearbook every four years, the car they got for her sixteenth birthday as they pay for it themselves, then their last born. The baby has all the time in the world to figure out his feelings and life but with that, he costs a lot and that comes with being the cutest baby boy alive.
Renesmee sat up properly on the couch as her mother sat down next to her with her arm across Renesmee's shoulders, she leaned into her mother and laid her head down right under her mother's cheek. She didn't respond to her mother about anything else on why she got here, it was pretty clear and her mind was backed with crap from yesterday.
Her mother giggled sweetly when Renesmee laid her head onto her reminding her of when she was a little girl, "Is something going on?"
"Mh? What makes you think something is going on?"
"Let's see, my daughter is laying on her mom as she used to when she was very young."
"What's your point?" Renesmee cutely pouted.
"Whenever you lay on me or any of us in this house it's because something is wrong and you think of something to fix," she says, rubbing Renesmee's head as she looked up at her mother with those puppy dog eyes, "Are you trying to be cute so I won't ask?"
"Is it working?"
They both shook their heads at the same, "I didn't think so," Renesmee confessed.
She perfectly knew her mother well that she wasn't going to get away from the conversation; Renesmee sat up again to speak with her mom, "Is what happened this morning still on your mind?"
"You know what happened this morning! But how? You and dad leave before I go to school."
"It's hard to miss a young man sleeping in his car outside our house."
"Oh that, I didn't know about that until I got up this morning."
"I kinda figured...that you would just let him sleep in your room if he couldn't go back home."
"MOM!"
"I'm kidding, sweetheart!" she laughed, "You're taking it so seriously, I have half the mind to think that boy did sleep inside this house."
Renesmee faked a laugh, "Stop kidding around mom! That whatsoever did not happen."
What am I kidding! Of course, that happened, my mom must be some type of fucking wizard to know what's going on or is it just a mother's tuition. I swear if it's true about a mother knowing everything then I regret all I have done behind her back.
"Renesmee, I trust you. If he did sleep here you must have had your reasons but know that you can forever come and tell me what's going on."
That was also another thing about Renesmee's family, they were the kindest people that even disappointing them would break her heart. She silently cried to her mom and went on to tell her about everything that happened between her and Daniel. The night she confessed, Eric and Daniel showing up to pick her up, and finally what happened at school with Thetic and her principal.
After hearing the shocking information her mother nearly jumped out of the seat to grab her keys and phone to call that son of a bitch principal.
"Mom, don't!"
"No, how dare he come to you about this and not call us. All because your life doesn't revolve around the club activities. What a load of shit!," she spat, every bit of this shined a light on where Renesmee's personality comes from and it's from her mother.
Renesmee held onto her mother's wrist so she won't go about killing her principal, "Mom, you got the wrong idea. I don't think it's because of the clubs or me even showing up for school half the time."
"What is it, then?" Ms. Lockheart calmly asked her daughter.
"It has to be because I've been spending my time with Daniel. You know the boy sleeping in his car, the one I like so much."
"Ahh, the one you're in love with."
"MOM!"
"What? You said it first, I'm kindly repeating your words."
What Renesmee's mom said left her completely baffled laughing with her mother that had the most upright sense of humor.
"Sweetheart, there are going to be many boys that'll break your heart but not as much as this one, huh?"
Her mom was right, he is the only one, and she agreed to her whining, "Mom."
"I know, sweetheart. You love him."
"I don't want to."
"I know and that's the worst pain of it all. Hiding your feelings away so you won't be hurt is beyond us all. There's nothing wrong with being human and feeling this way, I thought you'll have plenty of guys by now but this is one I only heard about. What's so special about him?"
"He's..he's-"
"He takes your breath away. That's love," she smirks at her last words.
As Renesmee confusional freaked out, "Ugh, mom what should I do?"
Ms. Lockheart reached her palms out for her daughter's cheeks and held her close to comfort, "You already know what to do, you're not allowing yourself to do what you feel because of his feelings for Thetic. Don't regret your actions and tell him... or don't but it's your decision."
Those two soft palms fell from her daughter's cheeks as she stood up and sweet taps Renesmee's shoulder to come into the kitchen, "Help me cook dinner, it might help you clear your mind."
Renesmee nodded her head before getting up and following her into the kitchen, "Don't you know that your father and I met when we were twenty years old?"
"Don't go lying now, mom."
"Who says I'm lying."
"You are! You're older than dad."
"Oh, you remember that," she laughed.
Renesmee's family started growing by the hour as her baby brother got dropped off at the daycare and her father walked through the door minutes before dinner was done. One can think this is the perfect family but everyone at that table believes their normal people with a kind heart and open-minded souls. They were so unbelievably they would still leave a plate out for their son that far away from college, in hope he might come by to surprise them with a visit.
Therefore, Daniel Choi was left alone in his big cold house sitting at the dinner table all alone with Kylo standing behind him to finish his meal as his thoughts slowly thought of Renesmee Lockheart. Though her mind was fun of cheers and memories of her parents' past and the share of laughter, smiles, stories, and baby cries surrounded the table.
A sudden sound from the door ranged at both Renesmee's and Daniel's door, having them take only their eyes off their plates and forcing them towards the front door.
© Ren Sherman Nonfiction
2020