Fractured

I am a class ‘A’ loner. No one really looks at me, let alone talks to me. But I like it this way. I get through classes being invisible with no drama. Another plus side is, I don’t have to worry about who is a real friend or who isn’t. I only have one true friend and she isn’t in this school, I enjoy it like this though. Silence. It is the perfect life for me. I know it may seem weird that a 17-year-old girl is alone, but it is me.

It is the end of the day, my last class is finally letting out and I am waiting for the rush of students pulling out from the parking lot to end. I head over to the library to return the book I borrowed for my research paper in English. I looked around to see if there were any new fiction books before deciding to just leave. As I climb into my car, my cell phone rings in my pocket. It is my mom calling me telling me dad is bringing home some new employee and his family for dinner. She also said something about how she has a way to get me out of the house, whatever that means.

I pull out of the school parking lot and head to Krista’s house. It is 3:42 when I pull up into her driveway. She gave me a key to her house, but I always knock. She opens the door and invites me into her room where we watch a little Stranger Things and talk about our day. Unlike me she is beautiful. She is tall and athletic. Her hair is a long, shiny, straight blonde and she has these green eyes that are to die for. On the other hand, I’m pretty boring. My hair is an unruly dull, brown, curly mess. My eyes are dark brown and bland, and I am so short compared to her. And I wear glasses. One good thing is that she had to wear braces, I don’t. She had them removed about a month ago and she is just beaming now.

After about an hour, I say my goodbyes to Krista and promise to see her tomorrow. I head home to get ready for dinner.

My parents often bring family-friends and coworkers over for dinner, so I was used to seeing kids from school, but we never talked. From what my mom told me on the phone is that they have a son who is a year older than me.

When I walk in the house smelled of food. White rice and beans. We are Latino so we eat this a lot but it still makes my stomach growl. I can’t wait to eat. I drop my book bag by the front door and yell to my mom that I am home, before shutting the front door. “Monica, sweetheart, we need you in the kitchen.” I hear mom shout. I drop my bag at the door and go into the kitchen to find an older couple and a guy who looks about my age. This must be my Dad’s colleague and his family. I wonder why he isn’t home yet.

The son is about 5’11” and well built. He has brown hair that is in a neat military style fade. His eyes are a beautiful hazel-brown. And he isn’t dressed too bad either. He has a plaid, short-sleeved, button-down shirt and a nice pair of jeans on. His shoes are impeccable. I don’t think there is a speck of dirt on them.

“Yes, mom?” I ask. This was a simple routine for whenever someone new comes over. She will introduce us, then I head upstairs to shower and get changed for dinner.

“This is Cherry, her husband Mike, and their son, Jace. Guys, this is my daughter, Monica.” I shake Cherry’s hand first, then Mike’s and lastly Jace’s. When his hand touched mine I felt a spark go up my arm, but I didn’t let it show. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” I said to no one specifically. I turned to my mother after dropping Jace’s hand. “May I be excused, I’ll be down soon.” She knew what I was going to do. After all, it did happen often. My mom replied, “Yes, dinner will be ready in half an hour, so hurry.”

I grabbed my bag on my way up to my room. I went right into the bathroom connected to my room. I took my time in the shower, singing to myself. When I was done, I walked into my room with only a towel to go get changed. It was empty so I dropped my towel and went to my dresser for underwear. I put them on and turned around to get clothes from my closet. I screamed. Jace was standing in the doorway of my room smirking at me. I swore I closed my door.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I scramble to pull my towel up to cover my half-naked body. “I was told to come to get you,” he said simply. “Well, have you ever heard of knocking?” I asked rhetorically. “No, never. I don’t know what that is,” he replied with a glimmer of humor in his eyes. “Get out,” I hissed through my teeth. He threw his hands up in defeat as he walked out throwing a smirk over his shoulder.

I rushed to close the door and put on my clothes. When I go downstairs my mom asked, “What was that scream I heard?”

“Jace just surprised me when I opened my door,” I reply. I didn’t want to ruin my dad’s friendship with his colleagues. “Oh, okay. Well, your dad is home,” she said. I lost any professionalism I had and ran to where my dad was hiding and jump into his arms. “Hi, Daddy,” I said while I buried my head into his chest. “Hi, Babygirl. How was school?” he asked. “Same as always,” I replied as I climb out of his arms. I may be 17, but I am a daddy’s girl. Always have, and always will be. Plus my parents weren’t supposed to be able to have kids. I was always their miracle baby, so they never chaise me for it.

I get control of my emotions and start to head to the kitchen to serve dinner for my mom. When it is done I call mom and we set the table allowing everyone to take their own portions of beans. I am forced to take the seat across from Jace who still had a smirk on his face. I wanted to wipe it off so bad, but I didn’t.

He didn’t try anything and I didn’t allow him to even look at me. I kept my eyes on our parents and talked when I was spoken to, otherwise, I was silently eating my dinner.

After dinner, they had to leave, but Mom said Jace would be picking me up for school tomorrow. He cornered me before he left and said, “See you tomorrow, sexy.” And with that, he winked then turned to leave. My face was left beet red in his wake. ‘Thank God,’ I thought he would never leave. I did the dishes then headed upstairs to do my homework and get ready to babysit the Redwood twins in an hour.

“See you tomorrow, sexy.”

his words echo through my head.