ChapterTen: Stereo Hearts

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Notes: So, had to rewrite this from scratch. -.- Not-so-long story. Anyways… I went to look at the notebook where I'd copied down a full schedule for their cruise. The page is gone. Uhg. On with it! Enjoy. (:

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Westchester County
Crane Household
Sunday, July 8
1:00p.m.

LC;

Well, this wasn't awkward or anything. Silence – the kind of silence like a thick, suffocating, wool blanket – completely engulfed the entire room. I had an old note Massie had written me clutched in my hand (the same one buried in my pocket) and had my mouth pressed firmly together. Celia was calmly sipping out of a mug. Aaron was chewing some sort of minty gum and was exceedingly quiet.

"Well, this is fun," I stated sarcastically, running my thumb against the worn notebook paper.

"Yes, very fun indeed," Aaron agreed.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, you two are pathetic!" Celia threw her hands in the air. "I will come back here in fifteen minutes. If neither of you have talked yet, both of you will lose something important. End of story."

Someone had been spending a bit too much time around caffeinated coffee and reality television. She walked out of the room, leaving Aaron and I to stare at each other, neither of us looking forwards to this.

"Well…" I scoffed at his bland attempt at saying something. "Look, I know you probably really hate me, but, just listen. I didn't want to leave your mom. A lot of complicated things were happening and it was for her good, just like it was for your own good as well."

"How could it be for our own good? Mom was just started to get on her feet and rising in the business world and you nearly destroyed her. She was screwed without a kiss because you're an ass!" I declared.

"Okay, she seriously did not describe you this way."

"And I'm normally not," I deadpanned.

"Of course, but, look… Some things were happening. I couldn't let them happen."

"What thing was so important that you just had to ruin her like that? Don't give me that look; I think I deserve to know. And my mom does too! How could you be such a-?" I was cut off.

"Landon, your mother was underneath a death threat!" he shouted.

The only sound in the silence was the sound of a glass shattering against the floor in the kitchen.

…

Westchester County
Block Estate
Sunday, July 8
12:00p.m.

MB;

I sipped some water from a glass in the backyard where I sat lounging out with Kendra. The sun beat down against our look-alike, lightly tanned skin, the rays attempting to break through the layers of sunscreen.

"This is nice, being able to relax for once," Kendra sighed.

"Yeah, everything has been so crazy lately…" I agreed.

She let out a very un-ladylike snort. "Crazy? Do you mean crazy as when you're supposed to be washing the car and you either get in a soap fight or when you're still washing the car and end up halfway on top of it with Landon?"

"Okay, that was once." She gave me a pointed look. "Fine, twice, but that's all I'm going to own up to."

"Alright, alright, I'll give you a pass for that. So, what would you say to going to the spa in an hour and getting massages, facials, and mani-pedi's?" she asked, turning to peer at me.

I grinned. "Sounds fabulous."

"Excellent. Silva has just been dying to meet you."

"Who is Silva?" I queried, tilting my head to look at her.

"Silva is the girl I've been going to lately to get my nails done. She moved from Russia a year ago to learn about Americans and American cosmetology."

"She sounds… exotic."

"You could say that," Kendra agreed. "So, where's Landon today?"

"Well, he was supposed to be talking with Celia and Aaron in around thirty minutes. My guess is that they'll be at each other's throats, Aaron and Landon that is, within the next hour or so," I sighed.

"Oh, Aaron, yes, I met him with Celia for lunch one day. He seems quite the charmer."

I sat upwards abruptly.

"What?"

"I assumed that you knew…"

I fell back against the lounge chair. "Mom, not even Landon knew. And he's her son. I don't know. He just seems really torn up about it."

"It'll all work out how it's supposed to in the end," she offered. "Now, come on. We'd better go get ready to leave.

-An hour later, 1:00p.m.-

"Did you hear about the new Belgian-inspired styles that are starting to hit designer outlets?" Kendra asked me, her voice vibrating slightly from the pressure that her masseuse was applying.

"Yeah, I think Alicia mentioned that one day. Apparently, they're supposed to be turning into the 'next big thing', but they always say that. I, for one, am a bit skeptical," I returned.

"Skepticism is to be expected, but the dresses are gorgeous. Lots of quirky, edgy angles."

I hummed in agreement, the noise being a bit bumpy.

"Alright, Mrs. and Miss Block, please, head this way," the raven-haired woman instructed. She led us through the warm, dimly lit hallway and out into another room where we were quickly ushered into chairs.

Kendra gave me a secretive smile and beckoned for a girl to come over. She had honey-brown hair and dark brown eyes, contrasting against a cover of pale skin.

"Silvia, darling, how're you?"

"Oh, Kendra! I'm fine, I guess. Daniel's being his usual self, yet again. Who's this?" the woman, Silvia, turned her attention to me.

"Massie," I offered, extending my hand. She shook it with a warm smile.

"Ah, I've heard a lot about you."

I chuckled. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

Kendra snorted and tried to turn it into a cough. My mother didn't snort very often.

"Well," Silvia began as another woman walked over with a quick introduction, "we'll just let you choose what you want done, and then start it."

The room we were in had some sort of polished floor with a marble-like look to it. The walls were a sandy tan color and the ceiling was a dark brown. Soft light blanketed the room through a few overhead lights with covers in another light shade of tan.

"Have you decided?" the other woman asked. Her name was Rachelle.

"Uh, yeah, just purple toes and can you do a gold and black glitter fill on my acrylics?" I queried.

She grinned. "Of course."

Kendra and I started up another conversation, this time revolving around writing.

"So, how's the draft you were working on going?" Kendra asked.

"It's finished, but I've been polishing and revising and editing to the very last detail of every chapter for the past month."

I'd sent manuscripts out before, not getting any bites, but still feeling the satisfaction of making it that far in the first place.

"Yeah, what is that about again?" she continued, looking at me curiously.

"It's the one about a girl who falls in love with a statue that she made. He comes awake every night. But she gets robbed one day and he breaks. She ends up forgetting everything she ever knew about him and thinking it was all a dream," I stated with a shrug.

"Sounds interesting. Does your dearest old mother get to read a draft?" she asked teasingly.

"Maybe." She merely laughed at me.

…

(How evil do you think I am?)

Westchester County
Crane Household
Sunday, July 8
1:40p.m.

LC;

"I'll clean that up," Celia muttered hurriedly. She strode into the kitchen and came back out with a dustpan and swept the glass shards into it.

All three of us were silent as she proceeded to wipe the hot tea off of the floor. Once my mom came back, she sat down on the couch and an uncomfortable silence settled over us.

"So, um, should I make some more tea?" Celia asked timidly.

…

Author's Notes: Apparently, you find me very evil. This would've been longer (And sooner), but I haven't had a good cliff-hanger in a while. So, I'll try to make the next chappie bank above 2.5K. I'm currently looking for a new schedule. I'll make it cool, alright?

-splattered teardrops