Unapologetically Me

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning I woke up and walked to my mom's bedroom. I don't know what I had expected to see, but when I found it exactly how it had been the day before I felt a twinge in my chest. I got dressed for school even if I felt like I really didn't want to go and texted James that I was going to take my mom's Range Rover to school instead of hitching a ride with him.

I decided that it would be for the best in case if I felt like complete crap like I did the day before then I could escape without witnesses.

When I got to school I sat in my car and waited. The back still smelled pretty rank, but it beat having to go in. My dance coach had come up to me the day before and asked if I was going to make auditions after school. I missed them yesterday because of the crisis with mom, but after seeing the bank account last night, I figured it couldn't hurt to do one thing I wanted.

I hoped she would still let me audition even though I would be a day late. Dancing has always been a release of mine. Competitive dance was hard, but satisfying when you got to take home a giant trophy at the end. Last year we got second place in Nationals, but I hoped to get first this year.

It kind of gave me a boost for the rest of the day. I had this little twinge of hope in my chest that things were going to start looking up. My uncle would get my mom out and hopefully she'd get her sh*t together long enough to be a mother until I was able to graduate and move.

That was the hope. I doubted it would happen, but a girl could dream, right?

During my class with James we sat next to each other but weren't able to really talk or do anything because Ms. Danforth droned on for the entirety of class. At lunch, I made good on Michael's lunch and took James and his entire little group out for burgers. I made sure that Pink Streak got to sit in the seat facing the giant vomit stain she left.

It gave me a sick sort of satisfaction to see her grimace and blush at what she had done. The girls brought up my dead dog and the boys snickered as I tried to give them fake memories of my dog before he passed.

After school I met up with Coach Andrews to ask for an audition and she seemed relieved that I had asked. I felt like I did well when we were through and she told me that she would post the teams up by Monday morning.

Everything seemed like it was going good until I pulled up to my driveway and saw my uncle's BMW sitting in the driveway.

My dad's Porsche was gone and all that remained were shards of glass laying where it had sat. I walked inside and found him and my aunt sitting at the kitchen table holding cups of coffee. They were speaking in low voices when I walked in and stopped when they noticed me.

"Hey!" I smiled at them and they both gave me polite smiles back.

"Is mom upstairs?" I began walking to the stairs when my aunt's face pinched in worry.

"No, Kelly, that's why we're here."

My stomach dropped and I dropped my school bag on the ground. "What now?"

My uncle took a deep breath and gestured for me to sit. I sat down next to my aunt, my stomach in knots.

"Your mother hit the officer with the bat that she used on your dad's car." My uncle said slowly. Oh f*ck. The knots in my stomach tightened and I felt my throat thicken. I cleared my throat.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that even with my connections, she's going to have to serve time in jail. I was able to get them to go easy on her since it was her first offense, but she still isn't going to be able to get out of jail anytime soon."

My whole body deflated. The little bubble of hope I had earlier in the day popped with a deafening sound and I felt my eyes sting.

"How long?"

"She was going to have to serve a year, but I got it reduced to six months."

Six Months! I covered my face and rubbed my eyes. I was sure I was going to look like a raccoon with my make-up but I didn't care at this point. I took a few shaky breaths and glanced up at my uncle.

"So, what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, honey, we can't leave you here by yourself. So you're coming to live with us until your mom gets out."

No! I stood up and shook my head. "I can't! I have to stay. It's my senior year! I can't...please! I want to graduate here! I want to stay here! This is my home!"

I sounded like a whiny little brat, but I couldn't leave. How could I start school somewhere different in my last year? Who in the hell would want to do that?

"I know it's going to be a hard transition, but it's for the best, Kelly. Your mom isn't here to care for you and you can't live alone. You're only seventeen."

"My mom hasn't cared for me ever! My dad did everything! I have been stuck doing everything since he died! I have made sure that we had groceries! I made sure that we got our electricity turned back on after it got cut! I made sure to pay up on all the bills! My mom has just sit here all day everyday,getting drunk and watching TV! She hits me when I don't do what she wants! Look!"

I pulled my phone out and showed them the detailed calendar that James made up for me on my phone. "I did this! I have been doing it! She hasn't done sh*t for me!" My face felt hot and I swiped angrily at the tears streaming down face.

They both stared at me with wide eyes and mouths open. My uncle went through the calendar, seeming impressed and took a deep breath.

"The fact of the matter is that you're still a minor. You can't be on your own. If your aunt and I had known how your mom was acting and treating you, we would have come for you a lot sooner."

I took a deep breath and shook my head. "I have a lot going for me at school right now. I can't leave. Please. My birthday is in December. I'll be eighteen. I can take care of myself. I'll check in with you guys every night and I won't do anything stupid. Please?"

I pleaded to my uncle, trying my hardest to look like a responsible young adult. I had a few cards up my sleeve and if I had to, I would play them. Just not yet.

" Kelly...I don't know. This is a bit much for someone like you to handle. I know you have your bills set up but the way you acted at your dad's funeral doesn't make me trust that you won't get yourself into trouble."

"I was grieving. I wanted to be with my friend. But I'm okay now. I promise, I will call you if I need you. You can have me on the tracking app. You can do whatever. I swear I won't let you down. Please?"

"What about money, Kelly?"

"I have my mom's bank card. It has my dad's life insurance money. After school let's out, I'll get a job. I'll be eighteen by then. You won't have to worry about me."

I watched their faces and I could see my aunt was the only one who wasn't budging. My uncle seemed like he was swaying my way.

"Kelly... I'm trusting you. I am putting a ton of trust that you will not screw this up for yourself." I felt my mouth pop open in shock. My aunt's mouth. dropped too and she was about the begin arguing with him until he held his hand up and his blue eyes pierced mine. "I will be watching you Kelly. You may not know when or how, but I am going to be keeping my eyes on you. One f*ck up, one call from your school that you've stopped attending, one single night that I find you're not safely at home at a reasonable time, you will move to California with us. Do I make myself clear?"

I nodded slowly. "Until my eighteenth birthday." I clarified. He stood up straight and smoothed his hands over his button down shirt.

"Fine. Until December twentieth. Also, this year Thanksgiving won't be at home. I've got work at the White House that I have to do, but your cousins should be able to come get you." I grinned and hugged him tightly, knocking him back.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I promise you, you won't regret this!"

He grinned and kissed me on the top of my head. My aunt still looked like she had sucked on a sour lemon, but it was okay. I would be okay.

They stayed the night that night, staying in the guest room and in the morning I waved them goodbye. My uncle had sent the Porsche to be fixed and told me he would be taking over the car and payments. I agreed that it would be good to take some of the payments off of my shoulders.

I would miss the car, but I would be okay. After they left I laid in bed for a bit longer until lunchtime and then called Chloe to come over. When she was busy, I called James.

He was out trying to find a costume bfor Halloween with Michael, so I joined them on their search. Despite feeling crappy about my mom being in jail, I felt like it could be a good thing for her sobriety. So I was trying to be positive.

While the guys tried finding Halloween costumes at the Halloween store, I walked around. I figured I would stay in that night. Dad always sat on the front porch in full costume and handed out candy to all of the kids. To honor him, I decided that I would do the same. I searched for a cute, but appropriate costume to wear for the kids.

Every woman's costume was either sl*tty or childish. I wanted a good in between. So I perused costumes, looking at different movie characters and decided I could be the ice princess.

I already had long blonde hair. I just needed the dress, some blue contacts maybe. It would be cute. And it wasn't an inappropriate costume either. It would show cleavage if I had any, but since I didn't, it would be good.

"Elsa?"

I turned to look at James and grinned. "You know the princess?"

"She's a queen actually, but yes. I do. I have watched that movie half a dozen times with my little sisters thank you very much. "

I smiled up at him and he placed his hand on my lower back. He had a costume slung over his arm. "What that?"

"I am dressing up as Frankenstein." He grinned and I rolled my eyes as he held his arms out and began stomping around like the character.

"I'll be sure to tell Pink Streak so she can coordinate with you." I winked and his smile fell.

"Please don't."

I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows. "You should bring her by so that I can see how cute you two look in your couples costume."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You're not going to Michael's Halloween party?"

"Nope. Staying home, giving out candy to trick or treaters and then bingeing scary movies until I pass out from fear or sleep."

"Why not?"

"Because it was something my dad used to do. When I'd get home from a party, we would binge movies until we passed out. He's not here to give out candy this year, so I'm going to do it."

James frowned and sighed. "Well I hoped you'd be there. We were all planning on staying the night after the party was done."

"Your whole little possé?"

He rolled his eyes but nodded. "Yeah. Lara, her friend , Michael and I."

I crinkled my nose and shook my head. "Yeah, see, that sounds horrible. They keep asking me about Gordon and it just makes me sad. Plus...I'm sure Dexter will be there and that's a hard pass for me."

James sighed. Michael came up then and they began talking about their costumes, but James didn't seem as enthused as before.

We all checked out and they asked me to meet them at a hibachi place near the strip. I told them I would. As I drove there I wondered if James would try to sleep with Pink Streak while they were there. I'm sure she would try. She was practically trying to grab his crotch when I was taking her home that one night.

At the restaurant we all sat together in a booth. James sat on my side with me and Michael sat across from us.

"So what's up with you two?" He started without preamble.

"What do you mean," James asked as he took a sip from his drink.

"One minute you're f*cking the next minute you're not talking and then there you go again, f*cking again. I'm just wondering what phase of your weird relationship are you guys in?"

"We're friends." We said in unison. We grinned at eachother and Michael fake gagged.

"Yeah. That's not what James and I do all of the time. But whatever. So are you f*cking Lara at my party?"

I turned to look at James and he blushed. He shook his head but Michael grinned.

"Yes you are! Dude, she's been asking for it for a while now! Why not? She's cute!"

It was my turn to fake gag and Michael scowled at me. "You're allowed to f*ck other people but he can't?"

"James is a big boy. He will do whatever he wants. I'm not his mother or his girlfriend. If he wants to f*ck her, then he can f*ck her." I shrugged but I hoped that they didn't see how jealous I was about it.

Michael grinned. "See? She doesn't care. I just want to know how it was afterwards. She looks like she'll be kinky in bed."

James rolled his eyes, his cheeks still crimson. I hated the image I got of them having s*x. Michael was right, she was cute, but that didn't mean James should have her.

Beside me under the table, James pinched my thigh. I glared at him and elbowed him. He gave me a dirty look and I stuck my tongue out at him.

He grinned and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Act surprised. Michael is going to start whining about me whispy in your ear." I raised my eyebrows and looked at Michael.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"Kelly, c'mon. Just tell me."

"It doesn't concern you. "

"Well you looked at me. I feel like it does."

"Okay, fine. He said he wanted a foursome with you, Pink Streak, and Art Blonde."

James turned to me quickly looking angry and Michael grinned.

"Shut up, Kelly." Michael rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

We laughed and it felt refreshing to be doing stuff with my friends. I was just dreading going home to a big, empty house.