First Time Around

I entered the room and Reese and Riley were surprised to see me. But they smiled almost immediately and pulled me towards the room. “It’s great you’re here,” Reese said. “She’s been asking about you.”

“She’s been asking us to tell stories about you,” Riley said.

Aunt Cindy looked back at us and smiled. “You have yourself a visitor, Melissa,” she said. She nodded at me and left with her two children.

Melissa looked up from her food. She was starving; I can see it with the way she eats so fast. Her clothes have been changed into a hospital gown. I turned to the doctor, and said, “Can you excuse us for a while?”

“Of course, ma’am,” he said and left.

I turned back to Melissa and observed how she flinches every time she would hit her arms on the bed table or the railings. She was doing her best to hide the pain, but it’s no use. I took her spoon and fork and I fed her.

“Thank you, Scarlett,” she said softly with her blue eyes on mine. I felt shaken by the fact how her eyes remind me so much of Raven.

“That doesn’t mean I forgive you, though,” I said. I looked at his bruised arms and I did my best not to touch it. “Why did he start beating you up?”

“He’s been beating me up ever since Raven killed herself,” she said as she looked down on her fragile body. “That nice doctor under you said that there’s a possibility that that man has a psychological problem. He feels good with people suffering. So when Raven killed herself, he has no one to beat but me.”

“So you haven’t beaten up my sister into killing herself?”

“Good heavens, of course not. I’ve been saving Raven. When he will start to beat him up, I’ll go take Raven out of the house and just drive away until he calms down. But on that day, when he beat up the life out of her, he just went overboard. And then the next day, I found her on her bed, soaking with blood.” I closed my eyes, trying not to imagine my sister on that bed. She started to cry. “I’m so sorry, Scarlett! I’m the worst.”

I wiped her tears away. I slowly hugged her, avoiding her wounds and bruises. “It’s okay, mum. I forgive you. Don’t cry, anymore. Hush now, it’ll all be fine.”

“I love you, Scarlett.”

“I love you, too.”

I went back to my room and found Neil sitting on my couch with Jade and Jerome talking beside him. The local news was on the television and no one was watching at all.

Neil looked up when he noticed me. “Well? How did it go?” he asked as I sat beside him.

I smiled and hugged him. “I forgave her,” I said with tears.

Jade wiped my tears with a smile on her face.

“That’s great,” Jerome said. “Now how does it feel?”

“I feel happy,” I said as I let go of Neil.

“That’s great then,” Neil said. “Now we have no more problems to think about.” He kissed me on my lips and stood up and stretched. Jade and Jerome were both staring at him.

“Dude, we need to go home. My sisters are going to visit for a week and your mom’s all messed up thinking about it.”

“Well, girls, we’ll find our way out,” Jerome said as he stood up. “Take care.”

Neil winked at me and left with Jerome. As soon as the door closed, Jade looked at me and asked about my relationship with Neil.

“I’m not really sure. I’m new to this stuff,” I said. “Is there some type of stages or something?”

“What happened last night?” She said as her eyes narrows at me. “You guys disappeared last night.” Without hesitating, I told her everything. “So, are you guys together now?”

“I have no idea,” I said truthfully. “I told you, I’m new to this stuff.”

She just sighed and slouched. “Oh, I forgot,” she suddenly said as she stood up. “I’ll help you pick a decent dress to wear for your visit to Quinn’s place.” She walked into my walk-in closet and searched.

I waited for awhile and started channel hopping. She came out with my white dress that falls above my knee with my black leather jacket and my Jimmy Choo Yule boots. I don’t even know why I have that.

“What time are you going to meet up with them?” Jade asked.

“Around seven, I guess,” I said as I took the clothes from Jade. “I’m visiting dad first. Want to go have lunch?”

Jade nodded and we ate downstairs in the dining room. I made Uncle Erick and his family eats with us, as well as Flint. After lunch, Jade said goodbye and went home. She and her family will be going to the mall to go shopping for clothes. I made my way to my room and decided to sleep at least three hours.

At five o’clock, I showered and changed into the clothes Jade has readied for me. I look like I’d be going to a rock concert or something, but whatever. I took a sit in my car and drove my way to my dad’s grave. I parked outside then bought some roses.

As I was walking towards my dad’s tomb, I noticed someone standing in front of it: A man wearing jeans and black hoodie. There was a basket of flowers beside the tomb.

The guy turned around and it turns out to be Quinn. “Hey,” he said. “Came to say hello to our father?”

“Not really,” I said as I lay my flowers beside his. “I was about to tell him that I was going to your house tonight.”

“I guess he knew it already and decided for us to meet here,” Quinn said without looking at me. “You look great, by the way. My mom would love your boots.”

As I finished talking to my dad in my head—I usually talk out loud—we made our way to our cars. Quinn told me to follow him. I climbed in my car, and we started to drive.

We arrived in front of a big white house. We got out of our cars and as Quinn’s mom came out, I was frozen on my footsteps. She was beautiful. I can see now why my dad liked her. Her black wavy hair falls elegantly down her back. She doesn’t look like Quinn at all. But damn, she was very stunning.

“Honey,” she said to Quinn. “Where are your glasses?” She wasn’t English. I could tell. Quinn laughed and showed his glasses to her. “Aren’t you gonna wear it?

“No,” Quinn said. “I’m wearing my contacts.”

“Go put it on later,” she said. She turned to me with a smile. “You look exactly like your father, and a bit of your mother.” She added the last part with a sign of bitterness. “Let’s go in?” I followed her into their house as Quinn walked beside me. “Wanna see some old pictures of my baby Quinn?” Quinn rolled his eyes and proceeded upstairs.

“I’d love to,” I told her. “I haven’t seen him before.”

“You haven’t? But for your tenth birthday gift from your dad, a video of us were included,” she said with complete shock. “Thomas gave it to his best friend, Charlie, before the day. She must still have it.”