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“Is something wrong?” My mother asks.
“No. I just thought I’d get some orange juice.”
“Sit, I’ll call Leitha in to get it for you.”
“Mother, I can manage to get my own drink,” I tell her, pushing away from the table and going to the kitchen.
I come back with my juice and finish my dinner.
“Adelya we need to get you a dress for this weekend.” My mother tells me.
“What’s happening this weekend?” I ask.
“I’m hosting a dinner party on Sunday to welcome you and your mother to town,” Maxwell states.
Creed rolls his eyes. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t know. I got a job. My first day is Sunday, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be working that day.”
“Max told you that you didn’t have to work. You can’t just skip out on this dinner.” Mom says.
“And I made it clear I wanted my own money. Something I earn. I won’t be beholden to anyone.”
“But you’ll accept a free ride to college,” Creed mutters.
“Excuse me.” I said to him, “Did you have something to add?”
“You heard me.” He says.
I ignore him and look at his father. “I’m sorry, Max, but I’ll have to decline for Sunday.”
He looks at me with a calculating gleam in his eye. He says nothing as I excuse myself and leave the room. I know I’ll hear it from my mom, but I can’t seem to care.
I need the job. I won’t depend on a man to take care of me, even if he is my soon-to-be stepdad. That's not who I am, and it's not how Daddy raised me.
I lay awake for hours that night thinking. I hated to see the disappointment on Mom’s face when I said I wouldn’t be coming to dinner on Sunday. My wish is for her to be happy.
But I want to be happy too, and that means working for something that’s mine. I’ve been saving every dollar I could since I was fifteen. Mom refused to let me pay any bills and I don’t really shop, so I have quite a bit of savings. Of course, no one knows that.
I always had the goal of going to college. Now my only goal is to go home. It's the only place I can be close to James.
I want the house I grew up in. The place that holds all the memories of my brother. I want the playground that holds the happy memories of the guys.
I would take all the poor memories for just a chance to hold on to the good. My biggest fear is forgetting James. I’m afraid the longer I’m here in this new town, at this new school, the less I’ll be able to picture his face or hear his voice.
I pull out the student handbook to read. When I open it, a slip of paper falls out. On the paper is a note:
You shouldn’t be here. Go home!
Oh, that prick! This has Creed’s name written all over it. I don’t know what his damage is. Does he not realize the only reason I’m here is for my mom?
I don’t want to be here anymore than he wants me here. The only time I’ve seen him in the two days I’ve been here has been at dinner. There’s no way I’ve already offended him unless it’s my mere presence that irritates him.
“Ugg.” I groan. “Fucking asshole.”
I ball up the paper and toss it in the garbage can under the desk. I take the handbook over to the bed and finally relax. Fuck Creed Wessex. If he thinks his little note will scare me away, he has another think coming.
I was planning on leaving on my own after the year was over. I was going to stay away from Creed and give him his space. It couldn’t be easy to go from having all this to yourself to sharing it.
But now? Now, he’s thrown the gauntlet down and he’s going to find out real quick the shit I can cause for him. I've never been one to back down from a challenge.
