It was a Wednesday noon, and slowly I could feel myself feeling better. After breaking up with Savannah, it was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. It felt good, knowing I was pretty much free from the situation. The only that still got to me was that Avery wasn't with me. I guess I never really knew how much I cared for her, or loved her, until she walked out of my life. I've always loved her as a friend, and I know now I love her more than a friend. I miss her like crazy every single day, but it's like my heart was getting use to missing her.
Uncle David hasn't gotten back to me about Avery, and I haven't asked him either. I don't want to get my hopes up. Besides, I know he'll update me if there was something to update on. Lately I've been more open with my family. After talking to my Mom, I feel like I slowly started to come out of my room more. Eventually I told my Dad about Avery as well, and he told me he wasn't surprised. He knew it had to do something with a girl, he just didn't know which one.
I was at the Senior table with my friends. After the break up, Savannah had a glow up I guess you could say. She dressed differently, but in a better way. She seemed more like herself, and like she wasn't trying so hard anymore. I liked the new Savannah, she seemed more approachable not really like the bitch she is or was.
"Hey, so it's fine, right?" Jacob asked moving my shoulder.
I broke out of my trance, and I looked at him. I guess I got distracted. He was telling me about Grace, but I didn't catch many of things he was saying.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked him. Logan laughed and smacked my shoulder.
"Snap out of it, what were you thinking about?" Logan asked.
"Avery, probably," Jacob answered.
I shot a glance at him. How did he know about Avery? I wondered at first, but it quickly hit me. He's pretty much dating my sister, Grace must of told him. I didn't care if she did tell him or not, at this point I didn't really care. I wanted to be with Avery, and I wanted to actually tell everyone we were together. Knowing Grace, she probably told him when I wasn't talking to anyone. When I was just in my room, worrying the rest of my family about my mental health.
"Avery? Whose Avery?" Logan asked. Jacob looked at me, trying to apologize probably for spilling the beans. I smiled at him, I wasn't mad about this.
"Avery Madison, she was a sophomore at this school. She's a foster child. She just recently moved away," I answered Logan's question. Logan still seemed a little confused, but he got the main idea. She meant something to me.
"Anyways, I was asking you if it's okay if I date your sister. I know we kind of started behind your back, and I'm sorry about that. Is it okay, though? Your Dad seemed pretty good about it," Jacob said. I smiled at him and nodded. At least one of should happy, if I can't be with Avery.
"It's fine, as long as you don't hurt her. Don't cheat on her, don't lead her on if you don't have feelings for her anymore. If you lose feelings, that's fine, I can't hold that against you. I just don't want you to lead her on, and keep her guessing what your feelings are towards her," I said to him.
Both Logan and Jacob looked at me shocked, like they weren't expecting any of that to come out of my mouth. I don't blame them for looking at me like this, I don't usually speak like that. Something has came over me. Ever since Avery left, something has came over me. I guess a new found respect for women grew, because I know what I did to Savannah wasn't right. What I'm telling Jacob not to do to my sister, is because I pretty much did it to Savannah. I might of done it to Avery, but she kind of did it to me too.
"I won't do that her, I really care about her," Jacob said. I nodded at him, not sure what else to say to him.
"So... what was the deal with you and this Avery?" Logan asked.
Both Jacob and I looked at him. I chuckled, I should of known he wasn't going to let it go that easily. I don't mind telling them about Avery, from my perspective at least. I want them to know who she was, and how amazing she is. Just in case she does come back, they won't be surprised when they see me with her.
~*~
Grace and I got home. Today we didn't pick up Hope, our Mom and Dad did. She had a dentist appointment, so they picked her up themselves. Grace and I got out of the car, and I locked it behind me.
"Hey, Jacob asked me if I was okay with you two dating. How serious is this thing between you two? I know I missed some of it, since I was dealing with my own stuff. Just, how serious is it?" I asked her as we walked to the front door.
"I mean we're not boyfriend and girlfriend, yet. He wanted to make sure you were okay with our relationship, something about not wanting to mess up your friendship," Grace answered.
I tossed Grace my car keys, and she looked for the house key. She opened the door, and we both walked inside. Grace handed me back my car keys, and she stopped at the table by the door. Looked like Mom had brought in the mail already.
"Well, I told him I was fine with it. I told him I just didn't want him hurting you, and by that I just meant cheating or lying, leading you on," I said.
"Like what you did with Savannah?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, pretty much what I did with Savannah.
I walked over to the living room, when I heard Grace shout. I quickly ran back to the little table by the door. Grace stood there holding a letter, she had covered her mouth with her hand.
"What is that?" I asked her.
"The blood results came in," Grace quickly answered.
I was shocked, had they really? I took the letter away from her, and looked it over myself. She was right, the blood results had came in. I'm pretty sure Mom hadn't seen this letter, which is good too. When ever she brings in the mail, she just grabs it all and tosses it on this table. We'll all look through it, and grab what's ours. I'm positive she didn't see it though, because if she had I don't think we'd be holding it right now.
"They came in already," I said to her.
"I know, that's what I said. You need to call Braxton, we can't open these without him," Grace said. I nodded at her.
I handed her the letter, and watched as she stuffed it in her school bag. I pulled out my phone, and quickly dialed Braxton's number. It didn't take long for him to answer.
"Hey," Braxton answered over the phone. It kind of sounded like he was whispering.
"Hey, where are you?" I asked him.
I motioned to Grace for us to get back inside the car, she nodded and headed out the door. I unlocked my car, and stayed behind to lock my house.
"I'm still at school. I don't know if you know this, but I'm being tutored on Biology. I failed the first test I got already," Braxton explained.
I actually didn't know that. I might of known, if the adults were talking to one another. I still haven't seen Uncle Isiah, or Aunt Charlotte in a long time. I miss the way both our families use to be, but we have to deal with how they are now. Hopefully these blood results could tell us the truth, and we could all get back to normal. If possible at least.
"I didn't know that," I walked towards my car. "Hey, the blood results came in already. Grace and I are going back to the school, is it possible for you to meet us in the parking lot?"
I got inside my car, and started the engine.
"Yeah, that's fine. Let me know when you're there," Braxton answered.
"Alright, see you in a bit," I said and hung up.
I drove Grace and I to the school. I felt like I was speeding, just because I needed to open up those blood results. I needed to see if one of the blood samples would be positive, which would mean Hope is Uncle Isiah's daughter. I gripped the steering wheel, I was getting really impatient. It felt like I was stuck behind all these slow cars, and every light turned red on me. Why does that happen? Whenever you're in a rush everything pretty much stops you.
We got to the school, and I quickly parked in the first parking space I saw. I pulled out of my phone and sent a message to Braxton. I unbuckled myself, and so did Grace. We both waited for our cousin to come to the car. It felt like it took a long time, but in reality it took him about a minute. He walked over to my car, and got into the back seat. It seemed like we were always doing this. Meeting up somewhere, and just discussing this in my car.
"You haven't opened the results, have you?" Braxton asked.
Grace and I shifted our bodies, so we could be facing Braxton easier.
"No, not yet. We were waiting for you," Grace said.
Grace ripped open the envelope, but she was careful not to rip what was inside. Before she could pull out the piece of paper inside, she stopped what she was doing. She looked at me, then at Braxton.
"I feel nervous, I feel way too nervous," Grace said. I wanted to grab the paper from her, so I could just read it out loud myself. I didn't though, because I felt nervous too.
"It's okay, I think we all feel nervous," Braxton shared. I looked at Braxton and smiled, I chuckled too.
"Yeah, Braxton's nervous he's been crushing on his own half sister," I joked. Braxton smiled at me, and shook his head.
"Honestly, yeah I am. I do like Hope, but ever since you brought this theory up I can't see her like that anymore. I don't think she's told either of you, since she tells me you three aren't very close. Point is, we haven't talked, I haven't talked to her. I've been sadly trying to avoid her, since I don't want to feel these things for her anymore. Especially if she is my half sister," Braxton said.
I felt bad for him, I really did. Braxton's had a crush on Hope for a very long time now. Nothing ever happened between them, but I think Hope feels the same way about him. Honestly, I would hope that they're not related. I would hope this conversation I over heard, was about something else.
"Before we open this, I want to say another theory," Grace said. Braxton's and mine attention went to her. "Your blood was sent too, Hayden. What if one blood sample comes out positive, but it's not Hope's?"
I looked at Grace shocked. What was she trying to say? What if I was Uncle Isiah's son, or what? I wasn't his son, I know who my Dad is. Besides, I look nothing like Uncle Isiah. Hope would look more like his daughter, than me as his son.
"What? No, that's not possible," I said to Grace. I laughed, "you got me, you really did. If one of these blood samples come out positive, that's Hope's blood. I thought we were on the same page?"
"We are, but I was just suggesting it. Wouldn't it make more sense? I mean, the pictures you found were pretty much taken around the time you were born. Dad's name isn't on your birth certificate, and you have Mom's maiden name as your last name. I'm sorry, I just think maybe that conversation was about something else," Grace explained. I shook my head at her, there was no way.
"I told you Mom and Dad were on off when I was born, that's what Mom told me. That's why I got her last name, and you two got Dad's," I reminded her. Grace slowly shook her head.
"Okay, you're right. Let's just open this, and see. We could be going back and forth on this, and both blood samples could be negative," Grace pointed out. She had a point.
"Just open them, I need to get back to the tutor. I told them I was going bathroom," Braxton said. I laughed, and Grace did too.
Grace pulled out the paper from the envelope. She unfolded the piece of paper, and looked it over. Braxton and I just sat there quietly, waiting for her to give us an answer.
"Sample A, matches with Uncle Isiah's blood," Grace said above a whisper.
"What? What does that mean?" I asked her.
"Whose ever Blood A was, is Uncle Isiah's son or daughter," Grace explained.
I didn't move, I was shocked. I know I had a theory going on, but I could never imagine it being true. Now that there's proof that it is, I didn't know what to say.
"You're kidding, right?" Braxton asked. Grace shook her head, and handed him the paper.
The only thing I could think of was how to confront them. I wanted them to know we knew what they've been hiding from us.
"We need to have a dinner party, with both Uncle Isiah, and our parents," I blurted out.
"Yeah, we can do that. We can confront them all, and finally get the truth about this," Grace agreed. "I can make dinner if anything. I could make, pasta salad with stuffed chicken breast."
That actually seemed good. My sister is a good cook, Mom taught her everything she knows.
"That sounds good, we can do it Friday afternoon. Saturday's everyone's usually busy, so we could do it on Friday after school," I suggested. Grace nodded in agreement.
"What do you say, Braxton?" Grace asked him. Braxton shrugged.
"I can try to get them to go. I mean, it's been a long time since they stopped talking. I don't know how my parents will feel about it, but I'll for sure tell them about it. I'll find a way to get them to go," Braxton said.
We knew it was going to be hard, planning a dinner with them all. Another idea came to mind.
"Tell them they're acting weird, tell them we miss our family the way it was. Maybe that guilt them into coming," I said to Braxton.
"Alright, I will. I really should get going though, my tutor is going to think I have bathroom issues," Braxton said.
Braxton opened the door to my car, and stepped out. Both Grace and I laughed, sometimes he could be too much. I miss hanging around him, and the rest of his family. Hopefully this family dinner thing, won't ruing both our families forever. They're pretty ruined now as it is, but hopefully this will bring us back together.