Good, the guilt can slowly kill us both.
The old man moves swiftly towards me with a raised hand, as if to strike.
“Watch it. You don’t want to do that.”
My voice is calm, low, deadly.
“What happened to Cole was a tragic accident. It’s no one’s fault,” my grandfather says.
That’s where you’re wrong.
“I’ve been in touch with your uncle,” my mother says. “He’s agreed to let you finish out your senior year in North Carolina with him.”
The old man’s head whips in her direction. “What?”
“I’m not going,” I reply at the same time my grandfather says, “He’s not going.”
“You’re out of control, and I can’t handle you.”
“You can’t make me go.”
“You can either move in with your uncle or your grandfather, but you can’t stay here anymore. This is for your own good.”
“Since one son is gone, why not get rid of the other one? You can finally have your freedom.”
“I love you, Art. I want the best for you. This decision wasn’t made lightly. You need a change of environment, somewhere peaceful. Your uncle’s sweet potato farm will be perfect. You can reconnect with your cousin. He assures me that’ll be the best place for you to overcome your demons.”
“I like my demons, they’re my constant companions.”
“You can stay with me.”
Fuck no.
“I’d rather take my chances in North Carolina,” I say over my shoulder, leaving the kitchen.
He controlled my father like a puppet, but I refuse to let him pull that shit with me. I’ll simply lie low until the end of the school year. Unless somebody fucks with me, then that’s another story.
“Please tell me you’re joking, Dad.” Josh groans.
We’re in the dining room, eating dinner. It’s Christmas Eve.
One big happy family.
Things are about to get heated. The fights between Josh and his father are always epic. My mom’s left eye twitches, which happens whenever she’s on edge. She’s attempting to get Ricky’s attention from where she sits at the opposite end from him. She’s a bundle of nerves during confrontations. I eat the Arroz de Braga I cooked, not letting their argument bother me. I’ve never let the almost daily tug-of-war that happens between Ricky and Josh get to me.
After my mom and dad broke up, we relocated from Phoenix, Arizona to Longhorn, North Carolina so we could be closer to our family. It’s awesome that I’m able to develop more of a relationship with Aunt Katrina and my cousins, Lilah and Dionte. Before the move, we barely saw each other. Lilah and I are both seventeen, so we have a lot in common. Dionte is a thirteen-year-old boy who has no interest in spending time with his older female cousin, but he’s a good kid. Katrina’s husband, Thomas, who’s the local vet, introduced Mom to Ricky. They were inseparable from that day forward. My mom and aunt are down with the swirl. Ricky asked my mom to move in with him after only eight months of dating.
In the beginning, Josh and I hated each other. We didn’t acknowledge each other at school and barely spoke a word at home unless we were arguing. We’ve actually come to physical blows a few times. He wanted Mom and me gone. Josh has mommy issues. His mom decided she didn’t want to be a mom anymore, so one day she never came home, but she left a note. She literally disappeared off the face of the earth, and Ricky hired a private investigator to find her. Josh’s and my dislike of each other caused a strain on Ricky and Mom’s relationship.
Eventually, we came to an unspoken truce when I started dating his best friend, Trevor. The only downside to Trevor and me becoming an item is that it caused a rift between Lilah and me because she had a thing for him—a sentiment he did not return. In time, we were able to patch up our relationship. Lilah is a part of the in-crowd, along with Josh. Instant popularity is definitely something I wasn’t used to, but I like it very much. Classmates greet me as I walk through the halls and want to become my friend. Josh is one of the most popular boys in school, being the captain of the football and basketball team. To the girls at Central High School, he’s prime real estate. He’s tall with a lean muscular build, black hair, and dark blue eyes.
Trevor plays football too, but totally sucks ass at basketball. I was completely surprised that Trevor would want someone like me. Not that I’m butt ugly or anything, but I’m far from a beauty queen. He’s not as tall as Josh at around five foot nine with a muscular frame, light amber-colored hair, and the most beautiful bright blue-green eyes I’ve ever seen. He’s the essential boy next door. About a year ago, we broke up for two months because I didn’t like the person he became when he got drunk. But he slowed down a lot, so we got back together. I’m a tomboy through and through. Hoodies, loose jeans, and Chuck Taylors are my clothing of choice during the cooler months. In the summer, T-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops are my best friends. The only girly thing about me is my black, long, wavy hair with pink highlights—my best asset—which stops right above my ass. I’m five foot two, one hundred and five pounds soaking wet. I have no ass or breasts to speak of. I have light cream-colored skin, courtesy of my Brazilian father.
“He’s coming. The decision is final.”
“You can’t be serious!”
“I’m serious as a heart attack. He’ll be here on Saturday,” Ricky replies sternly.
