He walks me to his car and pops a cigarette out of his jacket pocket. Carmelo is an off again, on again smoker. When he's stressed, drinking, or extremely angry, he's smoking.
"I heard Mr. O'Connor is bi and he has a partner." He says as he takes a drag.
"Like a man partner?" I ask.
"Yep." He nods.
"Then he's definitely bi."
Carmelo chokes out a laugh and soon enough I'm joining in. Only he can force away the shadows and make me laugh, even if it is for a short while.
"I'm serious, it was this shit that got you kicked out of that reform school in New York." He huffs and I roll my eyes.
He's not wrong, my English teacher Mrs. Serrano caught me fucking my science teacher... also her husband. Suffice to say that didn't go over well and here I am back in Whitsborough, completely unreformed.
"Yeah, yeah." I wave him off and get into my car. "I'll see you later."
My house is quiet when I walk inside, but I know she's home, I can feel her. I look towards her office and the shut door, letting out a sigh. She's more distant since I've been back and I can't help but feel a pang of guilt, I cause her so much stress.
No wonder she mostly ignores me.
I head to the kitchen and open the fridge, grabbing a Gatorade. Saxon and Dahlia won't be home for a few more hours since they both have after school activities, and Dad usually picks them up on his way home. So, just me and the woman whose life I ruined.
I walk down the hallway, heading back to the stairs, and look at the pictures hanging on the walls. There are a few of my Great Aunt Debra and Great Uncle Scott. I know the story of how my mother came to live here with them and it's a sad one.
Her mother-my grandmother-was a single parent raising her in New York and my mother never knew her father. This is how she knew Uncle Tommy-Cameron's father-because he was originally from New York, too. One night, her house burned down and her mother was inside. My mother was still a minor and had no other choice but to move here with her next closest family members.
Eventually, Uncle Tommy came, too. I move to the next picture of Mother and my Uncle Emmett, her twin brother. They are identical and if they were the same sex, no one would be able to tell them apart. Their story is a little more strange and doesn't completely make sense to me.
Mother and Uncle Emmett were separated at birth and they never knew the other existed until they were my age. Grandma Jenna always told me it was a complicated story but no matter how deep lies are buried, they always find a way to resurface. I never knew what she meant by that and I've always been too afraid to ask Mother for clarification.
Uncle Emmett was raised by his older brother-Carmelo's birth father-and one day found out about Mother. He immediately came here to live with her and unfortunately by then, both my great aunt and uncle were dead, again… under strange circumstances.
That's repeated often in my family's history, strange circumstances.
"Ivy," Mother's voice hits me from behind. "You're home early."
I turn with a huff and look into her eyes, exactly like mine. "High school gets out earlier."
"Right." She nods and looks up at the picture I was staring at. "Is there anything you need?"
"No." I answer quickly and move around her to head up the stairs. Standing next to her feels so fucking uncomfortable.
She doesn't say anything else but I do hear her sigh and walk back to her office. Sorry that I'm such a fucking bother.
I get inside my room and slam the door shut. I can't wait until high school is over and I can get the fuck out of this house, hell, I want the fuck out of Whitsborough, too.
The sharp November air cuts across the lake and I shiver into my jacket. The weather here in Ontario, Canada is fucking bipolar. Fall is warm up to a point and without much warning, the weather turns and it's fucking frosty. I shouldn't have worn a skirt, especially being so close to the water.
Wharf parties consist of a bunch of yachts tied together and everyone hops from one to the other. It's been just over two years since I've gone to one of these and the last one I attended was with Charlotte. My heart squeezes at the memory of her tight curls and bright brown eyes.
"My nipples could cut ice." Carmelo grumbles beside me.
"You should've worn a jacket, dumb fucker." I hit his shoulder.
I hear Cam's car pull up and huff in relief. I hate being out in the cold and he's always fucking late. I turn and watch as he steps out of the driver's seat, a grin lighting up his face.
"Fuckers!" He yells out and Carmelo snorts beside me.
"Where's your date?" Carmelo yells back. "She couldn't sneak past the parents?"
"They're having family dinner, then she's coming by." He jogs up to us.
Family dinner? Is Neil with her? Will he come by, too? The thought of seeing him again has me both excited and dreadful. I can feel myself becoming curious about us but I know he hates me and he has every fucking right to feel that way. I can barely look at him without feeling ashamed for what I've done to him and his family.
"You fuck her yet?" Carmelo asks and I groan.
"Cam," I turn on him quickly. "You can't fuck Amelia."
"I haven't!" He throws his hands up. "It's not like that, I swear."
"Ivy is the only one allowed to fuck with the Jones'." As soon as it leaves Carmelo's mouth, he looks sheepishly at me. "I meant Neil, not Charlotte."
"I didn't fuck any of them." I shrug, trying to look unaffected.
We hit the first
