When The Time Comes To Light A Fire

2

2“Complicated” – Avril Lavigne

“Things Are Looking Up” – R5

The weekend passed in near silence. Her house had become the tomb of her former social life. Vanessa's dad had left early Saturday morning for a fishing trip, leaving her completely alone with Mrs. Roberts, as she had taken to calling her mother when she got this way.

Slumping to the dinner table after her mother called her down Sunday night, she groaned inwardly at the flax seed infused extravaganza before her.

“This smells great,” her father said cheerfully, coming out of their home office. She hadn't even heard him come home due to the volume level in her ear buds playing every self-pitying song she could find on her old iPod. God, she missed her phone. Her father sat down, running his fingers through his sandy hair, apparently oblivious to the thick tension in the room. Or he was simply ignoring them; both were equally plausible.

“Thank you,” her mother responded, her face in a tight smile. Vanessa chewed the earthy tasting turkey meatballs with as much malice as she could muster.

“Ok, so when are the two of you going to get over this?” The question came after ten straight minutes of silence mixed with the scraping of silverware on their dishes. He sighed, his face losing all of the relaxation it gained while fishing.

“When your daughter learns how to think before she acts,” her mother shot back without looking up.

“Are you freaking serious? You don't even know the whole story because you wouldn't listen to me!” Vanessa finally exploded.

“Do not speak to me in that tone.” Her voice was icy. “And if you'll recall, I gave you the opportunity to speak, and you lied.” Her father raised an eyebrow as if to say “Really, Vanessa?” but she didn't care.

“I already said I was sorry,” she grumbled, hating that her former self for coming up with such a stupid story.

“Well, let's hear the real one,” her father interjected calmly. Vanessa's mom threw her napkin on the table and got up wordlessly. She heard her mutter “typical,” in a passive aggressive manner as she strode towards the stairs. She thought she perceived a slight eye-roll from her dad, but couldn't be sure. He said nothing about her mother's departure, but it still stung that her mom refused to hear her out. His gaze rested on her expectantly, and words began to tumble out. She went with as much of the truth as she could contemplate sharing, concern clouding her father's gray eyes when she told him about Matt and his unwanted attention. The story concluded with her begging him not to call Jessi's parents and apologizing with tears dripping down her chin. Her father took another bite of flax-ball and looked pensive.

“I'm really not happy with your decision to go along on Jessica's little adventure, Vanessa, but I am glad that you had the fortitude to walk away when you needed to. Obviously I wish that hadn't included breaking the law. You realize you could have been pulled over, or you could have been in an accident.”

“I know.” She really did feel remorse after making her dad look at her with that much intensity.

“I also remember taking my brother's motorcycle without asking, the day after I got my license, and laying it down in the middle of Rural Route One. I had to limp home. I went to bed that night hoping to god nothing was broken, I and let my brother think someone stole it the next morning.” Vanessa's eyebrows furrowed, not believing that her straight-laced father had been a rebel. She was also having a problem picturing her slightly overweight and balding uncle riding a motorcycle. “Unfortunately for me, I lived in an even smaller town than this, and a neighbor came over the following day to ask my mother if I was all right, having seen the whole debacle from her front porch.”

Vanessa couldn't help but crack a smile, envisioning her tough-as-nails grandmother learning of this information. “That sort of sucks,” she admitted.

Her dad let out a laugh at the memory. “Yeah, it sort of did.” He looked at her for a long moment before continuing. “Point is, Vanessa, I get making stupid mistakes. It could have ended worse than it did, and I sincerely hope you've learned something.” She nodded. “I will speak to your mother about the situation.” Vanessa's heart lifted, visions of a little red sports car dancing in her head. “Don't look that excited. I tend to agree with her that perhaps you're not ready for complete freedom yet, but I don't see any reason you can't take the driving test and get your license. And I think, given the situation, that an endless term of being grounded might not be appropriate. Don't make me sorry about going to bat for you on this one though, ok?”

“I promise. I really do.” She hugged her dad lightly, glad she felt like she had an ally in her own home. She anticipated a very lively discussion between her parents to follow and promptly went to her room to put on her headphones. She didn't fail to miss the words “princess,” “spoiled,” and “unbelievable,” in-between songs. Her focus remained on getting her backpack organized and making sure she had her schedule for the next morning. She didn't want to give them any reason to doubt her maturity again.

* * *

When Vanessa awoke, her cell phone was on her nightstand with a note in her father's handwriting that read:

You're still grounded until Friday, and your mother and I will be taking you to dinner for your birthday. Maybe be on your best behavior until then. –Dad

She practically squealed with glee at the sight of her phone. She had twenty-two missed calls and thirty-seven texts. At least she felt popular on the first day of sophomore year. Even though she knew it probably wasn't cool, the anticipation of the first day of school had her up and out of bed without even hitting the snooze button on her alarm. After running the flat iron over her hair and spending more time than usual on her make-up, she crept out of her room, several items of clothing in hand, with the intention of making some sort of peace with her mother. She came to find her sipping coffee out of her favorite rooster mug in the kitchen. Their eyes met through the steam rising out of the cup.

“Good morning, Vanessa.”

“Good morning. I, um. I was wondering if you could help me decide what to wear?” she asked, holding up as many pieces as she could without dropping any. Her mom bit the inside of her cheek, clearly seeing through Vanessa's ploy, but she acquiesced anyway.

“The blue ruffled top with the white sweater and skirt. It brings out your eyes.” Vanessa let out a breath of relief at the unspoken forgiveness held in that advice.

“Thanks, that will be cute.” She turned and left the room quietly, unwilling to disturb the fragile understanding that had just been created. After sliding on a pair of white woven wedges, she didn't even complain about the fact that her mom was dropping her off at school. Best behavior, she repeated in her head.

* * *

She heard the telltale flip-flop sound before she felt Jessi's presence next to her new locker. “So, scale of one to ten, how pissed are you? You didn't answer any of my texts.” When Vanessa turned, her friend's expression held a genuine worry.

“Last night? Eleven. Today? Four. My parents were home when I pulled up Friday night. My mom took my phone, hence the not responding to your texts.”

“Oh my god, are you serious? I thought you were just ignoring me. Are you… is everything ok?” Vanessa's instinct was to make her friend feel as terrible as possible, but she was also in too good of a mood after her dad's note that morning to let that kind of negativity bring her down. Her yoga instructor would be impressed.

“Not entirely, but it's better than it was. I'm just going to be bumming rides from you for a while longer. No car for my birthday. The good news is, however, that I will be ungrounded on Friday, and Zack Roads invited me, and by me I mean us, to Vader's bonfire on Saturday.” Her grin peaked out despite her immense effort to appear nonchalant.

“Shut.the.falafel.up”

“Ohhhh, shut the falafel up what?” Kim inquired as she pranced up to them, acting as if this were a normal phrase to hear. “Has it anything to do with you being completely MIA this weekend?” Her short brown hair was blown out straight, and she looked very “teen catalog model” in a denim skirt with a purple barrette in her bangs. Vanessa relayed the story again. Kim looked more anxious than excited about the party, but her words were more positive than her expression.

“Wow, ok. That really is a shut the falafel up occasion.”

“Right?!” Jessi emphasized. Vanessa just allowed her glee to shine out of her eyes.

“What are you all so giddy about this morning? Did the new Bieber album drop or something?” Luke Miller interrupted their girly moment with an arrogant smile.

“No Lucas, just happy to be here on this glorious morning.” His eyes narrowed slightly at her using his full name. “Plus I know you'll download it before me anyway.” Vanessa gave him a grin to match his own.

“Ah V, you know me so well.” He reached out to pat her head and she smacked his arm rather forcefully.

“Feisty this year. I like it,” he smirked, his cheerful demeanor returning. “I will see you ladies around,” he called as he continued down the hallway.

“How can someone that hot be so annoying?” Vanessa mused.

“He's only that way towards you, you know,” Kim observed as they made their way to first period.

“Lucky me.”

* * *

The day was mostly uneventful, though Zack did make a point of saying hi at lunch.

“Are you practicing safe-walking strategies?” he asked, sitting down on the orange plastic chair next to her.

“As well as I can wearing these shoes, yes.”

“The plight of being a female, I guess,” he replied, letting his eyes move down her legs to her heels. “If you decide you need any assistance, you just let me know,” he stated, his hand grazing her shoulder as he stood up to leave.

“Well, I am on my way to the C building, in case you'd like to ensure my safe arrival.” She almost hated that his line worked so well, but she did not hate the envious looks of her fellow classmates at his attention.

“I like this look,” he mentioned while they walked to her next class. “Maybe even more than the sweaty after-practice thing you had going for you last time we met.”

“I think that's a compliment,” she stated, biting her lip slightly.

“It is. I liked you both ways,” he grinned with those ridiculous lips. “I'll see you later, yeah?”

“Sure. Thanks for walking with me.” She almost tripped turning around and was grateful the wall was there to catch her. And that Zack was already headed in the opposite direction. Smooth. Even with the near faux pas, it was turning out to be a very solid first day.

* * *

Her first week of school went by quickly, and she was thankful, being that she was under house arrest other than attending cheer practice. Embarrassingly, she may have walked extra slowly to the parking lot everyday, hoping to run into Zack, but she only saw him briefly in the hall mid-week. When Friday arrived, she welcomed the freedom that was her un-grounding and her 16th birthday. Courtney was the first to text her.

C: The happiest of birthdays to you! I wish we could celebrate together… old school style.

V: As in Kool-Aid and Sour Patch Kids and a piñata?

C: I still genuinely like all of those things. So yes.

V: You're a nerd, but I wish we could too. I haven't even told you the latest drama. I'll call you this weekend and fill you in.

C: Yes, do! Good luck on your drivers' test and have a sparkle-mermaid sort of day. <3 you.

V: Lol, <3 you too.

Vanessa's stomach tightened momentarily at the mention of her drivers' test, but she felt ready. More ready than she was for that afternoon's biology quiz. Who gives a quiz the first week of school anyway? she thought angrily. Searching the closet, her eyes finally landed on the dress she'd been saving for that day, tags still dangling from the back. The thin cotton was soft as she slipped it over her head. The purple and red floral print made her blonde hair stand out, and the hem brushed her thighs just below dress-code level. Tying the bow at the back of the dress, she slipped on a pair of sandals and finished making up her face. She flitted down the stairs to the scent of pancakes and coffee and the sight of her parents already at the table.

“Good morning, birthday girl,” her father smiled warmly.

“Pancakes?” her mom asked with a lighter tone than she'd found all week.

“Good morning and yes. Are there chocolate chips?”

“Of course, what kind of pancakes would they be otherwise?” her mom responded. The whole wheat and fruit filled kind you usually try to make me eat, Vanessa replied silently, grateful her mom put her newest health-food kick aside for her birthday. She sat down and a small box appeared in front of her with a shiny purple ribbon on top.

“Para mi?” she asked, practicing her Spanish.

“I don't know what that means, but this is just something I thought you might want now instead of tonight,” her mom answered expectantly. Vanessa appreciated the effort she was putting forth to leave their conflict behind. She pulled off the ribbon quickly and pried open the white box. Tears pricked at her eyes when she ran her thumb over the hand-stamped lines pressed into a circular charm at the end of a silver chain.

Next to it hung a sterling mermaid figure along with a shining clear crystal. With shining eyes, she looked at her mother with as much gratitude as she had felt since perhaps her 8th Christmas when she received a Barbie Dream House. This was a gesture of acceptance from her mom that she couldn't ignore.

“I love it,” she almost whispered, taking off the butterfly necklace she had originally chosen for her new outfit and immediately clasping the statement piece around her neck.

“I thought you might,” her mom said back, her tone satisfied. “Happy Birthday.” Her father just gave a relieved look over his coffee cup before asking Vanessa to pass the butter.