Chapter 9:
questions
Comments
And
concerns

•••

It was a late Sunday night. Me and Ariana sat in this little dress boutique store, or should I say I sat while Ariana shopped for a prom dress.

Prom was in a few weeks which worried Ariana, because everything has to be perfect to her. Everything.

"What about this one?" Ariana says as she steps out of the dressing room

The dress is long, and red, and sparkling. It fits her beautifully.

Ariana is my best friend but I can't help but to be jealous of her. She's popular, and rich, and beautiful. She could have ditched me anytime in my life, but she stayed. She stood by my side, and I love her for that. The dress was perfect, she was perfect

"it looks amazing, how much?" I question

"32k" Ariana says like it was nothing, which it was something, 32 thousand dollars for one dress, for one night.

"that's expensive. I could literally use that for tuition money" I say

"my father is the mayor, also my aunt owns this boutique. These are her dresses"

"and I wouldn't mind giving it to you as a gift" an unfamiliar voice says. I turn around to see a girl

Well not just any girl Renee Adamson

"Renee, I thought you were in London on fashion business" Ariana says in excitement before running into the her arms to embrace her in a hug

"I did, but I left early. No way in hell was I partnering up with that crazy London lady, she though my Elvis pants with cute crops were a bad idea, she obviously has no taste in creative designs" Renee says. She then turns to me

"who's this?" Renee questions

"this is my best friend since middle school Samantha. Samantha this is my aunt Renee" Ariana introduced

"Renee Adamson. You are like the best fashion designer, but the most expensive. I thought about buying some of your sunglasses but then I saw they cost 6k so I was like better not"

"first off, I'm not like the best, I am the best. Second of all here" Renee digs in her bag before pulling out the same sunglasses that I wanted to buy before handing them to me

"consider it a gift ms. Samantha, because my niece Ariana means the entire world to me, so if she likes you I love you, and if your her best friend you get treated like family" Renee says with a smile.

I like her.

"told you she was cool" Ariana says with a smile

"true I am pretty cool, but ariana that dress is killer on you honey, also tell your dad that I may be his little sister but I will still kick his ass if he continues to keep posting baby pictures of me all over the web. Paparazzi looks at that you know, and baby Renee Adamson bathing in a bubble bath with her tush out kinda defeats the angry bitch designer image for me. And I want my bitch image" Renee says in all seriousness

"noted" Ariana says while taking off the dress

"well it late, and we have school tomorrow. I'll see you at school tomorrow Ariana, nice meeting you Renee" I say before exiting the store and driving home. I walk into my humble home. My family must be sleep. As I walk upstairs towards my room I hear my dads voice. He's on the phone, and he's whispering

I walk closer to where he was, making sure he doesn't hear me coming, who could he be possibly talking to at midnight

"of course baby. My wife and kids are asleep but I'll be there soon" My dad whispers lowly

"oh come on Rebecca I've told you this a million times, I will not leave my wife and kids for you. I love her that's why.....but I also love you Rebecca. Of course your just not a piece of ass your my girlfriend"

and in that moment my heart drops. My dad, he's cheating on my mom. I mean in the past my mother had her doubts but never any proof. I just can't believe my dad would do this to my mom, to me, to this family.

"okay baby cheer up. I'm on my way, I love you, okay bye" My dad finishes before ending the call. My mind goes blank. I don't know if I should run to my room, or to confront him.

Maybe in the past before I met Cameron I would have ran to my room and let my mom figure it out, because I wouldn't want to ruin her marriage and this family. But now I'm stronger than the girl I was yesterday. I've gotten played before, I know what that feels like. And I'd be damed if I let my mother continue to get cheated on by a man who doesn't love her enough to be faithful. He took a vow, and as her daughter so did I. To be her protector.

As my fathers office door opened and closed I heard his footsteps getting closer to me. I was still by the front door

"your cheating on mom" I say. It comes out as more of a comment then a question.

My dad stops dead in his tracks. He's scared, I can tell.

He clears his throat

"Samantha what are you doing up this late...did you just get home?" my dad questions while cutting on the downstairs light

"that doesn't matter, I heard you. On the phone....with Rebecca. You're cheating on mom" I say again, this time I'm upset

"Jax knew. He knew for awhile, so I expect for you to keep it a secret like your brother did" my dad says before brushing past me

"you cannot just walk away from this!" I yell in frustration

my dad grabs my arms, and applies pressure to it causing me to whine in pain 

"if you tell your mother you will live to regret it. Now go upstairs and keep your mouth shut....or else" my dad threatens before releasing my arm and walking out of the house.

Once he's out the door I fall to the ground in pain. And then I cry.

I've never seen my father this way, obsessive and secretive. He wasn't the man I remembered growing up. He is a monster

•••

the next morning at school was the same old. Things from last night played back in my mind. Finding out my dad is cheating on my mom was the hardest thing to learn. Seeing my mom in the morning making pancakes for Matthew, as my dad texted away on his phone probably sexting with that Rebecca chick gave me a guilty feeling. I wanted to tell my mother, but then I looked into what once were her sparkling blue eyes and seen they were lifeless. She was tired, and I didn't want to bring more pain into her life. But she didn't deserve it, none of it. My dad ruined our family. And I'm just carrying the secret

I walked through the empty hallways of the school. I was late, and honestly I didn't care. As I continued to walk down the halls minding my own business I ended up on the ground. Someone bumped into me. A girl

"I am so sorry mate, I am seriously a klutz....and I also have bad luck when it comes to me and first day of school" the unfamiliar girl say, of course she's unfamiliar, she new, and beautiful. She has short brown hair, with a really song Australian accent. Obviously drop dead gorgeous

as I get up off the floor and dust myself off she offers me her hand

"I'm Florida white" She introduced

"Samantha" I say.

"nice. Well sorry again for bumping into you" Florida says before disappearing down the halls.

As lunch rolled around I went to go sit in my usual spot. Ariana wasn't there yet but that wasn't going to stop me from getting a head start on lunch. Just as I was about to eat a nugget Ariana comes crashing in

"omg I am freaking the hell out!" Ariana screams in frustration as she slams multiple papers on the lunch table

"what's wrong now?"

"prom is in 2 more weeks and guess who has to pull it off all by herself?"

"I'm guessing you" I say with laughter.

"Don't laugh nolan, this is serious!" Ariana spats while using my last name if I may add

"Chill. Anyways don't you have people to help you with that kinda stuff?"

"I have zero chill in me that this point. Also no, the all bailed on me last minute. Being in charge of this years prom, and valedictorian is so nerve wrecking. I turned to weed as my comfort" Ariana confesses

"well as your best friend I will not let you turn into a pothead. So I'll help you with prom, and so will Justin" I personally volunteer, I pray that I don't grow to regret it later.

"yay!, lets plan the perfect prom"