TTEOTB -- Ch. 11

Chapter 11 1

“Arianna?” Mrs. Costa called as we stepped into the house. 2

“Yeah, Mom?” Arianna called back, dropping her backpack at the foot of the stairs. 3

“What happened to my vases?” Mrs. Costa came to the front door from the living room, hands on her hips.4

“Uh.. Um..” Arianna stuttered, brain scrambling for answers. 5

“Arianna.” Mrs. Costa said sternly, narrowing her eyes. 6

“I was putting on my backpack and when it swung around it knocked the vases over. I’m really sorry mom, I should have told you.” And the best actress award goes to Miss Arianna Kay Costa! 7

Mrs. Costa sighed loudly, “Its fine.” She said, “But do not let this happen again.” She waggled her index finger threateningly. 8

“I won’t, promise.” Arianna told her looking sincere enough.9

“You’re passing off all your bad traits to these nice people. Lying being one of them, way to go. Idiot.” His voice cracked like a whip. WHACK! I cringed.10

“Something wrong, dear?” Mrs. Costa asked me. 11

“No, I’m fine, thank you.” I told her, ignoring him the best I could. 12

“Anika?” Arianna called to me from the kitchen. 13

“Yeah?” I called back, “Coming.” 14

“Do you want anything?” She asked when I finally came into the kitchen. 15

“Nah, I’m good.” I told her as she pulled out saltine crackers and a ginger ale for herself. 16

“I’m hoping this stuff settles my stomach.” She said, heading out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room. “Do you think you should call your dad?”17

“Uh, why?” I asked, looking at her like she was crazy. 18

“To let him know where you’re at.” She shrugged her shoulders. 19

“Ha! Your dad? That guy doesn’t give two shits about you.” WHACK!20

“He doesn’t care.” I told her. And it was true, he didn’t. 21

“You’re nothing in his eyes.” WHACK!22

“I haven’t meant anything to him since mom and Adam passed away.” 23

“You could die and he wouldn’t even notice. You’d just be another bottle of Grey Goose.” WHACK!24

“I could probably die and he wouldn’t even care.” I turned away from her. “He’d just drink me away like he did to mom and Adam.”25

I didn’t even realize how pissed off I was at my father until then. My fists clenched as a fire shot through me. He was so selfish. How could someone be that selfish? Didn’t he care that I might be suffering from this too? Just maybe. I’d even appreciate false love and consideration. Maybe not. I’d actually rather he tell me that he could care less. Thing is, he doesn’t CARE enough to do that. 26

“Uh… Anika?” I heard Arianna’s voice in the background of my rambling thoughts. 27

“What?!” I just about yelled it, spinning around to face her. 28

“Jeez, sorry.” She looked a little hurt, I felt bad. “You just looked kind of spaced out and… pissed off?” She guessed. 29

“Yeah, pissed off.” I ran my hands though my hair. “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to yell.”30

“It’s okay.” She said, stuffing a cracker in her mouth. “You’re nothing compared to—” She stopped dead.31

“Nothing compared to?” I asked, arching my eyebrows. She might come clean right here. At least that’s what I was hoping. 32

“To my friend’s parents.” Lies poured from her lips, “They’re terrible.” She sipped her ginger ale. 33

“Oh, yeah?” 34

“Yeah, they get mad so easy.” She rolled on with her story and I nodded, pretending I believed it. Her lies were starting to suck. “I feel so bad for my friend” She concluded. 35

“I bet.” I said, turned away and rolling my eyes. Maybe I awarded the best actress award too soon. 36

“So..” Arianna shoved another cracker in her mouth. “What are you doing for your birthday?”37

“Our.” I said, looking at the floor. 38

“No.” Arianna looked confused. “My birthdays in June. June tenth to be exact.” She smiled. 39

I rolled my eyes again, “No. Our. As in Adam and I.” 40

“Oh!” Light bulb. “Sorry.” She bowed her head in embarrassment. 41

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” I said. I mean, I didn’t expect her to remember all the time. 42

“Well, uh, then what are you doing on Saturday?” She rephrased her question. 43

“Nothing at all.” I flopped out on her bed. 44

“Nothing?” She looked at me like I was insane. 45

“Yeah, that’s what I said, nothing.” I stared at her and she stared back.46

“We’ll have a party!” She declared, jumping up from her bed. “Me, you, Autumn, Anabelle, Quinn, Teigan, Aiden and Donnie.” She counted off on her fingers. 47

“We will?” I asked. 48

“Yes!” She clasped her hands together excitedly.49

“No.” 50

“Just a small one?” She pleaded. 51

“No, I don’t want any type of party. Small, medium or large.” I got up from the bed and sat down at her vanity looking in the mirror. 52

Arianna came up behind me and pulled my hair back into a ponytail, my layers fell to frame my face. 53

“You wanna sleep over again?” She asked, letting my hair go. 54

“Sure.” I smiled. “I need to stop by my house though and pick up some things, like clothes.” I said, getting up. 55

“I’ll walk you over.” She said, grabbing a hoodie off the hook on the back of her door. 56

* * * *57

I ran back down the stairs after packing a large bag of clothes. I wasn’t going to go back and forth between houses everyday. 58

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Came a drowsy alcohol laced drawl. My father came down the hall to the foot of the stairs, beer in hand. 59

“Where the hell am I going? Dad, I’ve BEEN gone. I haven’t been home since,” I counted back on my fingers. “Tuesday morning!”60

“Really?” He looked like he was trying to remember the last time he saw me which was definitely not Tuesday. Weeks ago is more like it. 61

“You don’t even fucking care! You can’t remember the last time you saw me!”62

“Yeah I can!” He sounded like a child. I couldn’t stand it.63

“When then?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. 64

“Uh… um.” He stuttered. “Err…” 65

“Exactly! I hate living here! No one cares anymore!” I was near tears now.66

“So what are you gonna do? Move out?” He sneered, “You wouldn’t last a day.” He took a swig of his Guinness Stout. 67

I thought about that for a second. I could see if Arianna’s parents would let me stay with them. That sounded like a plan enough to me at the moment. “Yeah.” 68

“Yeah? Yeah what?” He looked at me with droopy eyes. 69

“Yeah, I’m moving out.” I told him, heading back upstairs to pack a few bags. I’d take my car. Shit! Money… I’ll get a job! I don’t have much of a choice now anyways. 70

I ran back downstairs after I finished packing to get Arianna. I definitely needed help lugging my stuff to the car. 71

“I heard you yelling.” Arianna told me when I stepped outside; she was sitting on the steps. 72

“Yeah, having some problems. Can you come help me?” I asked jerking a thumb towards the house. 73

“Sure.” She got up and headed inside with me. 74

It took us about ten minutes to get everything packed in the trunk and backseat of my small car. I got in the drivers seat and started the ignition. “Get in.” I told Arianna.75

She slid in to the passenger’s seat and we drove off back to Arianna’s house. 76

“Could you do me a favor?” I asked her when we reached her house.77

“What?” She asked, turning to face me. 78

“Help me ask your parents if I can stay with you guys for a while?” 79

“You want to live here?” I think she thought I was kidding. 80

“Yeah, I know it’s kinda weird, but I don’t really have anywhere to go right now.” I felt a blush run to my cheeks. What kind of favor was I asking for? I felt terrible and helpless. I felt lost and confused. I felt torn and incomplete. I felt like being dead. 81

“I’ll help you.” She sounded confident which helped a bit. 82

“You will?” I asked, maybe sounding a bit too hopeful. 83

“Definitely, I mean, what are friends for?” Cliché but it still made me feel better. 84

“I’m not too sure but I’m finding out.” She got out of the car and I followed her in to the house. 85

We both sat around the house until her mom and dad got home. I was so nervous, biting my nails, pulling my hair and shaky as hell. 86

“Dude, calm down, its okay.” Arianna attempted to settle my nerves with no success. 87

“Sorry, I can’t.” I got up from the couch. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea. I could find a hotel or something.” I started pacing up and down the length of the living room. 88

“Anika, sit down.” She slapped the couch with her right hand. 89

I sat, “Sorry.” 90

“Quit saying sorry, jeez.” 91

“I can’t, sorry.” I said.92

She rolled her eyes at me. I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn’t help it; my nerves are never calm in these situations. 93

Arianna’s mom and dad finally came home and my nerves hit sky high. I was hyperventilating grabbing at everything including Arianna. 94

“Anika! What’s wrong?!” She looked scared to death. “Mom! Dad! Come in here now! Please!”95

“Oh my god,” Mrs. Costa gasped, running in to hold me. “Anika, what’s wrong, sweetheart?!” 96

Mr. Costa hugged Arianna and watched silently as Mrs. Costa attempted to calm me down. My breathing finally slowed and I was able to speak. 97

“I’m. So. Sorry.” I said slowly. 98

“Its okay sweetie.” Mrs. Costa stroked my hair and I started to cry like a baby, shaking in her arms. I hugged her back. 99

“Thank you.” I said shakily through tears. Mrs. Costa is the closest thing I’ve had to a mom, or parent for that matter, in almost a year. 100

“Are you alright?” She asked, pulling away to look at my now swollen face. 101

“Yes.” I smiled a true smile. 102

“Good.” She said, getting up and pulling me up by my hands with her. 103

Arianna came over and hugged me tight. “You scared the shit out of me, you know that?” She whispered. 104

“Sorry.” I whispered back. 105

Arianna let go, turning towards her parents, “Mom, dad, We have a question.”106

Mr. and Mrs. Costa looked at each other arching their eyebrows then turned back towards us, “And what question is that?” Mr. Costa asked.107

“Uh… well.” I stuttered, running my right hand through my hair.108

“Can Anika live with us?” Arianna spat out quickly. 109