Under the Stars

14: Summer

I still went over to visit the Joneses, especially when I needed someone to check up on dad while I was away. I tried to go over when I thought Stevien was gone, though I wished over and over again to talk with him before our version of "Around the World in 80 Days." I decided to leave the ball in his court and when he was ready to talk to me, I would talk. However, he wasn't ready to talk yet. One day about a month later while I was visiting with them, I asked Mr. Jones the question that had been weighing on my mind for more than half of a year.

"Mr. Jones, why does Stevien hate me?" I decidedly asked.

"What on earth do you mean El?" Mr. Jones replied, completely taken aback by my question.

"I, well, I guess I mean, it feels like he hates me. He won't talk to me or even look at me. And he hasn't ever since the accident. And if he is forced to address my existence, he calls me 'Eliotte' just like Beth-Ann, never 'El' like he used to do all the time. I just want to know what I did to make him hate me so, so much." I replied, unable to hold the tears at bay.

"El, I had no idea he was treating you that way. That is a long time to go through that. Why haven't you said anything before this?" He asked me.

"I... I don't know..." I said with a sad chuckle, covering my face with my hands. "I guess I had been waiting for him to talk to me, but he acts like...he doesn't want to ever talk to me again. I just... I hate this whole thing. He's my best friend, or... was... I feel like I have lost that friendship and I'm never going to get it back. And it hurts. It hurts worse than my surgery did. And... And I just want to know what I did to make him... hate me... s-s-so... much."

"Oh, dear, sweet El, I don't think you did anything wrong. It wasn't your fault that we had an accident. They are called accidents for a reason. You were there to get the help that we needed. You were there for Lucy and me and from what I understand, you held it together quite well, especially comforting Lucy while I was unconscious on her shoulder. You have done nothing wrong Eliotte. If anything, you have only done right by us. Just give him time to come around. He took the accident pretty hard. I think he still struggles with thinking about it. He will come around eventually. He just needs more time."

"I feel like I have given him time. It has been over half a year now. I don't think that he will ever talk to me again. I tried talking to him at the graduation party and...and he told me there was nothing to talk about. Then Beth-Ann stepped in and I just left." I replied.

"Ah. I see. Beth-Ann. Well, I don't think that relationship will last. With Stevien going to Boston, Beth-Ann will have a hard time controlling and manipulating him from SoCal." Mr. Jones replied with a look of a sour taste in his mouth.

"Mr. Jones?" I questioned him cautiously.

"Sorry, El. Lucy and I have never had a settled feeling about her. And honestly, I am looking forward to Stevien going to Boston if only for him to be away from her."

"What? Won't she go with him?" I asked. I had pictured her going with him, no, leading him through Harvard, parading him like her prized possession, much like this past year in high school.

"No. Her parents told her that she had to stay in SoCal if she wanted any of her inheritance. I highly doubt she would chase our son if it meant losing her fortune," he scoffed.

"Oh, I see...Well, I do hope that he exceeds all his expectations for college," I said trying to not let my thoughts linger on the information that was just thrown at me.

"Me, too," Mr. Jones replied, pausing only briefly before he continued. "What about you? I hadn't heard what your plans for college are? Where are you going? Are you staying here, close to Eli or are you flying the coop?"

"Well, that's because I didn't apply anywhere. I am taking a year off. Rocky and I are going to travel around the world and see where that takes us. I don't want to leave dad here alone, but I feel like I desperately need to get out of this place for a while. Rocky and I have grown close this year. She was one of the main reasons I made it through after the accident and what followed. She was like a lifeline for me. So...yeah...I guess I am flying the coop."

"Wow!" Mr. Jones said with wide eyes. "How does Eli feel about that? I would imagine he is having a hard time with letting you go."

"Yeah. It took a lot of convincing but with some negotiations and compromises, he is willing to let me have this adventure," I replied with a laugh.

"Oh, I bet he has lots of stipulations for you."

"Yes. Yes, he does," I laughed, recalling all the stipulations dad first set out. "Luckily, we were able to come to a list of reasonable requests. Though I am to call him every day, twice a day, as well as take self-defense classes until we leave and keep practicing that training when we are out on our own. I think that I am more worried about leaving him here on his own than he is about me leaving and I know how worried he is about that," I said, beginning to feel sad about leaving my dad by himself.

"Would it make you feel better if I checked in on him? Or if Lucy and I had him over for dinner at least once a week?" Mr. Jones asked.

"Yes! That would make me feel so much better. I would appreciate it so much. I know that he is stubborn and would say that he is fine on his own, but ever since mom died, it has just been the two of us. And I don't know what being alone in that empty house will do to him."

"Well, then we will look in on him. Besides, I am quite certain Lucy would love to hear of your travels from him. She has never traveled outside of California, so she tends to live vicariously through others," he said before he leaned over to me to whisper the next part. "As soon as all the boys are graduated and out of the house, I am selling this house and taking her traveling. I want her to experience the world."

"She will love that!" I whispered back.

My phone began to ring. "Oh, it's my dad," I said as I saw his picture on the screen.

"Okay, El. I will talk to you later about this. I want you to keep in mind your favorite places on your travels. I want to plan the best trip for her," Mr. Jones said as we walked to the door.

"Thanks, Mr. Jones. I will. Bye!" I said, rushing down the steps while answering my dad's call.

Word Count: 1243