I Don't Like Your Boyfriend

Time flies pretty quickly. It’s like water, you can never truly get a hold of it, ever. So when I woke up on a Tuesday morning, I realized it had been a month since I broke with Sterling, since he left, and since Luke kissed me.

A whole month since Lora found out I kissed her boyfriend and decided that our years and years of friendship was over.

I felt a hole in my chest, and it wasn’t getting any smaller.

I woke up as the same as the other days.

My aunt tried to distract me with as much work as possible at the Flower Shop, and it did help a little, but only a little.

Antonio was being a great friend, he didn’t press the matter of getting together, but he would joke about it, and he made me laugh. With him, I was pretty much at peace.

I didn’t think I’d be fine without Sterling, honestly. Up until the point where he lied, he had been a pretty awesome boyfriend. He was attentive, loving, and caring. He had been all of those things I wanted.

I wished many times I could turn back time, to when I decided to go to the stupid cotillion. Maybe I did want to live in the dark with Sterling, I mean, he wouldn’t have lied to me forever, right?

Eventually he would’ve told me, but then again, I would’ve reacted the same and probably worse that he kept it so long.

I got out of bed and headed for the shower. I saw a lazy Havel yawning and rubbing her eyes. I quickly raced to the bathroom.

“Edalene!” she called out and banged on the door.

“You snooze, you lose, cousin,” I chuckled.

“You are so… ugh!” Havel screeched.

“You know you love me, you want kiss me,” I sang and made kissing sounds.

“You’re such a fucking bitch!” Havel said and stormed away.

“Oh, I know,” I said to myself.

I took a short shower and headed back to my room. I changed and then did my hair. I was debating or not I should dye a different color or if I should cut it. I decided I was going to cut it.

I would go to the salon right after school since I didn’t have to go to the shop because business was super slow.

At breakfast, Havel was begging her parents for something.

“Aw come on, mom, the dress is so perfect!”

“The dress is four hundred dollars,” My Uncle pointed out. “We just can’t afford it.”

“Whatcha talking about?” I asked and sat down and drank from the orange juice.

“None of your damn business,” Havel hissed.

“She wants a very expensive dress for the Sadie Hawkins dance,” my Aunt clarified.

I frowned. “It’s the Sadie Hawkins’ dance already?”

“Duh,” Havel said with her mega girly voice, “it’s this Friday, you twit.”

“Dense bitch,” I muttered back.

“Girls, calm down,” Uncle Valentino said.

I glared at her and looked away.

“Why don’t you do like Eddy and get your dress at Ross?” my aunt asked.

I nearly laughed, but I bit my lip.

Havel let out a screech. “Ross? As in the store poor people get their clothes?”

“I think we spoil her too much,” Uncle Val said. “From now on, you’re only getting clothes with the money you earn.”

“I don’t earn any money!”

“Which is why you’re going to be working at the flower shop with me today after school,” my aunt said.

This time I choked on my orange juice.

“She’s what?”

“I’m what?!”

Havel and I screamed at the same time. We looked each other and then looked away.

“You can’t be serious, Aunt. She wouldn’t be able to tell a Rose from a freaking Tulip!” I told her.

“Oh, what is that supposed to mean?” Havel glared my way.

“It means you’re stupid,” I clarified. “Aunt, please--”

“It’s already been settled,” My Uncle spoke. “Havel needs to learn how money is earned. She’s going to college, she needs to know how hard it is to earn a living.”

“You’re going to college?” I pointed at her.

She lifted her chin. “Surprised? I’m going to community college.”

I smirked and scoffed. “Figures.”

“What about you, huh? I haven’t seen any letters arrive for you,” she smirked.

“That’s right, Havel, you haven’t SEEN any letters, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any,” I smiled sweetly at her.

“You’ve been accepted?” My aunt asked. “Where? We need to know.”

I hesitated. I didn’t want to tell them. It was too big. What if they didn’t let me go? Because it wasn’t like I wasn’t fully in.

“There’s been… an opening at Julliard,” I started.

My aunt gasped.

“Wait,” I raised my hand, “it’s not official. Me and some other hundred kids are going to be competing to get in. The tryouts start right after high school ends… in New York.”

“New York?” My aunt asked, shocked.

“Yes, some girl ended up in jail for a DUI or something related to alcohol and her admission was revoked and now it’s my chance to try out. My teacher is a close friend to someone who works at that school and has recommended me and Luke to enter,” I explained.

“All the way in New York?” My uncle asked.

I turned my gaze to him. “Yes.”

“What if you don’t make it? Do you have a back up plan?” My uncle asked.

“Uh, I got into UC Riverside, I could go there and if not, then community has a nice dance program as well,” I already had gone through my options.

“How long would you be away?” My aunt asked.

“Uh, I think about two weeks,” I said.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” My uncle asked.

I nodded my head.

“Have you talked to your friends about it?”

I shook my head. “Luke knows, but I haven’t told Antonio or Lora.”

“You don’t even speak to Lora because you slept with A--” Havel started, but I cut her off.

“I didn’t sleep with Antonio!” I exclaimed. A rumor that started in school was that I had slept with Antonio, and that Sterling had caught us that is why we broke up and he left and why Lora hated me.

Ugh… high school.

“Then why are you two such close friends all of a sudden?” she pointed out.

“We’ve been friends since he got here,” I said through gritted teeth. I wanted to reach over the table and yank off that stupid fake blonde hair off of her.

“Okay, calm down,” my aunt said with a firm voice. “Havel, you stop talking about your cousin like that. Sterling lied to her and she broke up with him for a different reason.”

“Whatever, you guys love her more than me,” she muttered and walked away from the table.

I stopped my glare and looked at her as she walked away, shocked.

She thought her parents loved me more than her? She was their daughter. Why would she say that? Why would she think that?

My aunt called after her, but it was too late, Havel was out the door. I raced outside, but she was inside the convertible with Cruella, whom winked and smirked at me, and speeded off.

I arrived at school and felt a bit weird.

What Havel had said had totally put me down.

That was until I felt someone tickle me.

I jumped away from Antonio.

“Why must you do that?” I asked him.

He smirked. “Because I like to.”

“Jerk.”

“Your face.”

I glared playfully at him.

“So,” he said and extended the syllable a little too long and swung his arms, “are you not going to ask me to the dance?”

I raised an eyebrow. “The dance?”

“You already have the dress.”

“I don’t… oh,” I smiled, “the dress your mom made.”

“Of course! It’d be the perfect opportunity to use it. I want to see you in it,” he put his hands together and pouted. “Please ask me to the dance.”

“Do you have any idea how pathetic you look?” I chuckled.

He shrugged. “As long as you ask me.”

I sighed. “Do you--”

“Yes!”

“Jerk,” I muttered again.

“I know.”

School went by extremely fast, and before I knew it, I was out of school walking with Antonio towards his car. I asked him if he could give me a ride to the mall where the salon was to get my hair dyed and cut.

We were laughing and joking around when he suddenly stopped. His face went grim and extremely pale. Like he was seeing a ghost, I looked in the direction he was looking.

There was an elder man standing there. His face look a lot like Antonio’s. He had clothes that looked very old and it didn’t quite fit him. He was looking at Antonio with a longing look. He approached us.

“Who is that?” I asked Antonio.

“I don’t know,” he whispered and grabbed my arm and directed me the opposite way. “Let’s go.”

“Antonio!” the man called out. “Son!”

Son? It was his father?