Chapter Twelve

Talk? Oh, my God, talk? Talking was never good. Not when it was brought up like that. I swallowed hard and looked at Adam. He glanced at me, and pulled into an empty parking lot.

"What... what do you want to talk about?" I stammered, knowing full well what was coming. But... maybe I was wrong. Maybe he wanted to talk about something more serious. Oh, my God, maybe he wanted to talk about sex! Was I going to lose my virginity to Adam in the cab of his rusty old Dodge?

Adam sighed and ran his hand though his hair. "I don't know, Char." He answered. "I mean, like I said, I like you a lot. But I can't handle this constant stress brought on by my sister."

No. We were definitely not having sex today. I felt my stomach do flip flops.

"So go yell at her, make her stop!" I pleaded. "Don't end this because of her!"

"I can't deal with this anymore!" Adam exclaimed. "I have to live with her, it's really fucking irritating having her make these stupid snide comments all the time!"

"So tell your parents!" I begged. "Make them do something!"

"They can't do anything about her." Adam sighed. "Charlotte... I just really don't see any other option. I mean, I'm a senior, I need to keep my grades up this year, and the extra stress from my sister is not going to help."

"She'll get over it." I promised. "She will, I know she will! She'll get sick of tormenting us eventually."

Adam didn't answer me, and I felt the tears building up. Please don't, please don't, I silently pleaded with him. I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't believe Vanessa was going to actually be the cause of me losing Adam. I know we just started dating, and maybe it was me being a naive fifteen year old girl, but I really thought we had a future. I didn't want it to end like this, in the parking lot of a construction site. I didn't want it to end, period.

"I just can't, Char." He said quietly. "I'm really sorry."

I nodded, unable to say anything. I really couldn't believe this was over.

I put my hand on the door handle and opened it.

"Where are you going?" Adam asked me as I climbed out.

"Home." I managed to crack out.

Adam frowned. "Don't you want to say anything?" He asked me.

"Like what?" I asked with a sniffle. "You pretty much said everything pretty clear. You don't want to be with me!"

"Char, I do!" Adam argued. "I really, really do. It's just with Vanessa-."

"I get it." I interrupted. "I just want to go home."

"Well, let me drive you at least."

I vigorously shook my head. "No." I answered. "I'd rather walk."

"Char, I feel really bad about this." Adam said. "I don't want you to think I am an asshole."

"I don't." I answered. "I'll see you." I added, shutting the truck door. I stuck my hands in my jacket pocket and walked across the parking lot. I waited until I was out of sight before I broke down. I felt like I was going to throw up. The tears just kept pouring out and I was having a hard time catching my breath.

I leaned against a tree with my back to the road. I heard Adam's truck drive off, and my sobs got stronger. He left. He wasn't coming to find me, or talk to me anymore. He wasn't changing his mind. He was gone, and I was alone. Again.

I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket, so I pulled it out. Becca was calling me. I took a shaky breath and flipped it open.

She didn't wait for me to say hi. "Jake and I are dating again!" She exclaimed. "He asked me to be his girlfriend again! And I looked on Facebook, and Corrie and Shea are dating now too! Must have been something in the water this weekend, huh?"

"Adam broke up with me." I hiccupped.

"What?" Becca gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." I said quietly.

"Are you at home?"

"No, I'm just down the road, across from CJ Construction." I answered. I started to cry again. "He said he.... couldn't.... handle Vanessa... harassing us!"

"Are you fucking shitting with me?" Becca exclaimed. "He gave up on you because of his fucking sister? Jesus, I thought Adam had way more balls than that! That's just ridiculous!"

I couldn't talk, I just kept on crying. "I thought... he did... too!" I sobbed. "She fucking ruined my life!"

"She's a fucking bitch is what she is." Becca answered. "A selfish, greedy, two-face cunt!"

"What am I gonna do?" I moaned. "I can't face Vanessa at school now. Or Adam. I can't share a school with them now!"

"Yes, you can." Becca soothed. "You have me, you have Corrie and Carolyn... we are all here for you and not going anywhere!"

"Except Corrie is dating Shea now, and oh, guess who Shea's best friend is?" I answered. "Don't think I'll be seeing much of her."

"Yes, you will!" Becca insisted. "Corrie is not one of those girls who just ditches everyone cause she has a boyfriend. And neither am I! You won't be alone, I promise."

"I really wish my mom would have let me go to New York." I told Becca. "I really could use that trip now."

"Well, now it's a different story." Becca answered. "Now you just got dumped, now you have to get away."

"We'll see." I said quietly. I stood up and brushed the dirt off my jeans. I turned around and started walking back towards my house.

"Char, I promise." Becca assured me. "If Adam honestly dumped you because of his sister, then you don't want him!"

"You sound like Stacey." I grumbled. "And I do want him!"

I glanced up the road, and started to cry again when I saw my best friend walking down the road towards me. I closed my phone and put it back in my pocket. I stood on the side of the road, crying and waiting for Becca to get to me. She jogged towards me and pulled me into a big hug. I wrapped my arms around her and cried, covering her sweater in my tears and mascara.

We stood there on the side of the road for what seemed like forever. Becca let me cry and stoked my hair. I hugged her tight and kept on bawling. She was such a good friend, my best friend, and we didn't have to talk. Becca knew I didn't want to talk. She just let me cry.

I pulled away from Becca and wiped my eyes. "I think I need to go home." I told her, sniffling. "My mom should still be home."

"You're actually going to talk to your mom about this?" Becca asked incredulously.

I shrugged. I mean, sure, I don't have the perfect relationship with my perfect mom like Becca does, but she is still my mom, and I hoped that when I needed her, she would be there to comfort me and not into giving me advice that I don't want to listen to.

"Okay." Becca answered. "Come on, then."

Becca draped her arm around me as we walked up the road. We were both silent for a few steps until I turned to her.

"I'm happy for you and Jake." I told her. "Sorry to rain on your parade."

"Char, seriously, you are having a crisis, and I'm here for you!" Becca exclaimed. Then she grinned. "But I am really happy too. I think this time, it will be different. We both have learned not to trust a thing that comes out of those bitches mouths."

"Heh." I said dryly. "Tell that to Adam, will you?"

"I will say something to him, if you want." Becca told me.

I shook my head. "No." I answered. "He doesn't want me, I know that much. That's all I need to know."

Becca rubbed my back. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I know how much you liked him."

I nodded, feeling the tears well up again. I bit my lip to keep from crying, but the tears still fell. Becca squeezed my shoulder as we approached my driveway.

"Do you think you'll come to school on Monday?" Becca asked me. "My mom is going to Stamford for an appointment, I can skip with you, if you want?"

"I think I'll go." I answered. "Otherwise I'll just sit at home and cry."

"That's okay though." Becca assured me. "You let me know. I'm here for you, okay?"

I smiled and hugged Becca. "I love you, bestie." I told her.

Becca hugged me back. "I love you too." She answered. "You call me if you need to talk, okay?"

I nodded. "Thanks." I said, pulling away. "Bye, Beck." I said, walking up my driveway. My mom's car was still parked, so I went inside and called for her.

"Mom?"

"In here!"

I walked though the kitchen and into the living room. Mom was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. She glanced up at me, then took a double take when she saw my red eyes.

"Char, honey, what's the matter?" She asked, putting down her magazine.

My lip started to quiver. "Adam... Adam dumped me!" I said as I started to cry.

"Oh, honey!" Mom cooed. She took my hand and pulled me onto the couch beside her. I cuddled up next to her and cried. I hadn't sat with my mom like this in a long time, and it felt nice. It felt like the way a mother and daughter should be. Not distant and practically strangers like we usually were.

She didn't try to offer me advice. She didn't try to say that it would be better for my grades and my future if I didn't have a boyfriend. Instead, she said something that shocked me.

"It wasn't because of me yelling at you guys, was it?" Mom asked. I glanced up at her and she looked worried.

"No, Mom." I said, surprised. "It was actually... because of Vanessa."

"Oh, Jesus Christ." Mom muttered. My eyes widened. That phrase has been uttered out of my mouth a few times in front of my mother, and she always snapped at me for it. Never in my life have I heard her say it.

"I really can't believe that girl." Mom continued. "What did he say?"

"He said she is making it too hard for us to be together." I answered.

"Did he tell his parents?"

"They can't do anything, he said."

Mom shook her head. "That is a load of crap." She declared. "I have half a mind to call up Dee and tell her-."

"You can't!" I interrupted. "Mom, she already makes my life hell!"

"But this is ridiculous." Mom argued. "She can't get away with being such a henious bitch all the time."

I shrugged. "Well, she is Queen Vanessa Pike." I answered.

"I guess that's what they get when they let their kids get away with whatever they want." Mom answered. "I mean, letting Mallory go away to boarding school at age eleven? Claire ran around naked for years, and none of them ever had any rules. It's a shock that not more of their kids are screwed up."

I nodded. I didn't necessarily think the Pike's were screwed up. Well, Vanessa's a bitch and Byron is scary as hell... and Adam obviously has no brain. But I liked their household and their family and how well they- pretty much- got along with everyone. Kind of amazing how a family of ten is closer than a family of three, plus Carrot.

"Maybe." Mom mused. "Maybe this weekend would be a good time to go and visit Stacey. Maybe I was a little too quick to say no earlier. I think it would be good for you to go, get away for a couple days, and just have some fun." A worried look suddenly crossed Mom's face. "As long as Stacey is not going to drag you out to some club!"

I laughed. "Mom, Stacey isn't even twenty one yet, and she has two kids." I answered. "We'll probably be in bed by ten."

"Okay." Mom answered. She gave me a small smile. "Char, I know you're a smart kid. I know you know better than to do anything stupid. But, it's my job as a mother to worry about you, and I want you to understand why I got so upset. But... I may have over-reacted a bit. And, maybe you're right. If I had been here, I wouldn't have gotten mad at you in the first place."

My eyes widened a bit. My mom must have been on drugs. I couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"Mom... it's okay." I assured her.

"No, it's not." Mom argued with me. "We don't spend nearly enough time together. I have been neglecting you, I know I have. I'm spending all my time taking care of other people and not my own daughter."

"I know your job is important to you, Mom." I told her. "But I wish we could spend more time together. I wish you could be home more. I hate coming home to a cold, empty house."

"I know." Mom replied, stroking my hair. "I'll see what I can do, okay?"

I smiled. "Really?"

Mom nodded. "Really." She answered. "Now, how about if we go out for dinner tonight, for some much needed mother-daughter time? Unless," she added. "You're not feeling up to it. You've had a pretty crappy day."

I thought for a minute. I really didn't know when this opportunity would come up again. Sure, my mom said she would try to cut back at work, but I would believe it when it happened.

"Okay." I finally agreed. "That could be fun."

Mom smiled brightly. "Good!" She exclaimed. "We can go any place you'd like, any place at all!"

"Olive Garden?" I asked.

"My favourite." Mom answered with a smile.

I smiled back. This would be a nice change from frozen dinners eaten alone!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few hours later, Mom and I were in the car, heading downtown for dinner. We had both dressed up nicely, Mom was in a pair of pinstripe slacks with a black shirt and rose coloured blazer. I was wearing a black, stretchy dress with cap sleeves and a black knitted sweater. We looked pretty snazzy, if I do say so myself! Snazzy for a small town, anyway.

We pulled into the parking lot and walked into the restaurant. The delicious smell of pasta and fresh breadsticks nearly knocked me out, I was so starving! Mom and I only had to wait a minute before we were seated. As soon as the waiter left with our drink order, i grabbed two breadsticks and practically inhaled them.

"Are you feeling better?" Mom asked me, grabbing a breadstick of her own.

I shrugged. "I guess." I answered. "Distraction is good. Monday will be crappy, though, I think."

"You know, when I was fifteen or sixteen, I had the hunkiest boyfriend ever." Mom told me with a small laugh. My ears perked up. My mom never told me stories about when she was my age. Anything I knew was from my Auntie Nell telling me, but she lived in Europe, so I never even got to talk to her that much.

"His name was Ricky." Mom continued. "Oh, he was cute! He looked just life Leif Garrett-"

"Who?" I asked with a quizzical loook on my face.

Mom laughed. "He was the heartthrob of my time." Mom answered. "Anyway, I was a lot like you in school. Shy, studious... but when Ricky asked me to go on a date with him, I was on cloud nine! We dated for a month or two, and then he broke up with me. I was devestated, oh, I thought I would never find another! But then, I found your dad, and the rest is history. And-" She added. "I had my friend. You, my dear, have some great friends. Yes, friends who got drunk at my house, but friends nonetheless. Don't forget that."

I smiled, in spite of feeling upset that Mom was telling that she didn't marry her high school stud. I'd probably end up with some nerd like Buddy Barrett or James Hobart. Sigh. But I nodded.

"I don have some pretty awesome friends." I agreed. "Especially Becca. I don't know what I would do without her."

"Aren't you glad I made you go over to her house and introduce yourself when she moved in?" Mom gently teased.

I laughed. "I think it was actually that awesome bubble maker she had that made me stay!"

Mom laughed and I settled back into my chair, enjoying my mom's company and our one on one time. It was definitely well overdue. I really hoped that she was serious about trying to cut back time at work. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be able to have dinner out with my mom more than once in a hundred years, but I really hoped I would be able to find out.

Mom and I sat in the Olive Garden for a couple hours. We each had a delicious pasta dish and desert- I had tiramisu and Mom had torta di chocolate, which is a little chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. I think it was the lowest calorie desert on the menu. I didn't care about that, I would have had two deserts if I had more room in my stomach!

"Well, my dear." Mom said, stretching in her chair. "Should we head back home? Maybe pop in an old movie?"

"Sounds good." I agreed, standing up. "But I have to warn you, I might fall asleep on the couch!"

"Ditto." Mom said with a laugh. She handed me the car keys. "Why don't you go start the car and I'll go pay?"

"Okay." I agreed. I followed Mom to the front door, and went outside while she waited to pay. I unlocked the car and got in. Now that I was away from Mom, I pulled out my phone (she thinks it is so rude to check your phone at the dinner table). I was hoping, wishful thinking, maybe, that I had a text message or phone call from Adam. I did have a text. My heart skipped a beat as I opened it up. I felt slightly disappointed when I saw it was from Corrie.

hey u! fuck i heard about you and adam! that is so awful! im really sorry char :( i can talk to him if you want, find out what the hell is going on in that head of his! luv ya!

I hit reply and quickly moved my thumbs across the keypad.

hey corrie... no i dont want you to say anything to him. thanks tho. whats done is done. if he is going to believe his liar of a sister over me, then so be it. i heard about you and shea tho. im really happy for you :) i think he has liked you for a long time! ttys :)

I closed my phone and frowned. I wasn't really sure what I was feeling. Part of me did want Corrie, or Becca, to talk to Adam, to find out what he really was thinking. But the other part of me didn't. What if he was just using the whole Vanessa thing as an excuse? What if he really wasn't attracted to me, or found me annoying or something? I really would rather not know it, if that was the case. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

So, instead, I went home with my mother, trying not to think about Adam, and fell asleep on the couch halfway though Forrest Gump. Given the circumstances, it was a pretty decent way to spend a Saturday night.