Chapter 21
Adriana sat next to Mel who shifted uncomfortably. Nora gave her a glass of water, "Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes, please. I can't remember the last time I had a home cooked meal." Adriana faked a smile.
Mel looked at her, "What do you mean?"
"My, uh, my mom left when I was little. My dad isn't around 90% of the time; when he is we're fighting so…"
"So what you eat Roman Noodles?" Mel said. Loren shot her a look and kicked her foot.
"Basically yeah." Adriana said, "Thanks" she said as Nora placed the plate in front of her. They ate awkwardly, no one saying a word. Eddie tried not to look at Adriana that often. Mel kept glancing sideways at Adriana and Loren, well, Loren couldn't stop looking at Adriana with pity in her eyes.
"So Adriana, why'd you come here again?" Mel said breaking the silence but getting another kick from Loren.
"My dad was ignoring me, and I just… I needed him now more than ever and just sitting there with him saying nothing… I just needed to leave. You know when I miscarried he patted my shoulder and then left the hospital room."
"That's horrible," Loren said uncontrollably.
"Anyway I figured, I really have no friends left, so I came here, hoping I would get a break from all this…crap." she sighed.
"Well, that's why we invited you here." Nora said after a short pause. Once again there was silence; Adriana looked at Eddie then down at her plate.
"Well, I've got to go." Eddie said standing up.
Loren didn't protest; she walked him out the door, "I'm sorry. I invited her and…"
"Don't worry about it; your generosity is one of the many, many things I love about you." He said taking a step forward, he grabber her waist and pulled her forward to kiss her.
He pulled back, "Bye Loren Tate."
"Goodbye Eddie Duran." She kissed him once more then walked inside. Adriana was crying once again and Mel was awkwardly rubbing her back while Nora had her arm around her.
"What's going on?" Loren asked closing the door.
"She's been waiting for Eddie to leave." Mel said standing up. "I'll make some tea."
"Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, I have been so cruel to you for years. I just lost my baby that belonged to your boyfriend!"
"Ex-boyfriend. Adriana," Loren said sitting with her, "I am furious with you but what's happened to you isn't fair. I can tell Cam really likes you; he may even love you. What you two have is special, and that baby would have been loved and cherished by two people that loved each other dearly. Though we have been horrible to each other, hell I broke your nose, I believe in new starts and I think you need one, and I think with that new start, we could be friends."
"That was lame." Adriana said laughing. Loren and Mel joined in the laughter and Nora just sat there confused. "I'm sorry." Adriana said.
"For what?"
"Everything. I guess losing my baby is just karma for being so horrible to you. I just feel so alone now more than ever. All I wanted is someone to love me. I thought I had that with Phil, but he stopped calling, he stopped talking to me. When I go to visit he says one word to me. Now I'm afraid that Cam is going to leave me."
"Oh honey that is not possible." Mel said brining over tea and cookies.
"You think so?" Adriana said.
"Sweetheart, not only did he leave someone for you; I can see it in his eyes that he loves you." Mel said.
"Really?"
"You can always tell how a guy is feeling by his eyes." Nora said.
"Besides, he told me you're the only person he could be his total self with." Loren smiled.
"That doesn't upset you?" Adriana said, drinking some tea.
Loren shrugged, "You can't help how you feel."
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Eddie was playing his piano when there was a knock at the door, "Loren!" he said.
"Hey Eddie." She said walking in.
"What are you doing here?" he said.
"Well, I finished fixing things with Adriana and it just made me think about you and how lucky I am to have you." she said kissing him.
"I love you too."
"So what are you working on?"
"Just messing around." He said sitting down.
Loren sat on his lap facing the piano and started playing, "You know, my dad used to play. I remember listening to him wishing I could move my fingers like his. When he left, I begged my mom to teach me. I remember it was so I could feel closer to him. And Adriana, she has a dad that's almost never around and never supports her or is even nice to her. Then I think of my dad and how I'd rather have him gone than treat me like…" she started to cry.
"Hey, it's okay" Eddie said tuning her around to hug her.
"I hate talking about him, but Adriana went on and on about her dad, and I didn't want to make it about me. And I needed someone to talk to and my Mom would just start talking about how much of a jerk he was and Mel would be talking about… something, Mel's pretty unpredictable. I wasn't even going to talk to you because you have Max. And Max is everything I ever wanted in a father. I wish he was my father."
"I don't that means we would be siblings."
"So not the time for jokes." She said.
"Sorry." he said kissing her head.
"Can…can I stay over?"
"Uh, sure… why?"
"Before we sleep together, I want to sleep together."
"Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"I have an overnight bag in the hallway. Just in case you said yes."
"How does your mom feel about this?"
"You don't want me to stay, I'm sorry I asked." Loren said getting up to leave.
"No, no no no!" he said reaching for her, "Trust me, I want you to stay so we can spend all night talking about your dad or my music or what ever you want. I just want to make sure you won't get in trouble for it."
'I hate being in high school."
"One month." he said kissing her forhead.
"One month," she sighed.
Review please, 22 might be up tomorrow.
also I realized I messes up. In chapter 19 I said that it was 9 at night when I meant 6. Typo, sorry.