𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎

Chapter 7 ~ Jealousy

Reece

"Reece baby you don't want any dessert?" My mom asks me. "No, I'm stuffed from dinner." I lie as I lay down on the couch. My dad and Cole are watching the game as the twins and my mom and Abby play board games.

"I know you're lying, why don't you want to eat?" She rubs my leg and sits down on the floor next to me. I wish to tell my mom how I'm feeling, but nobody knows why me and Mayella stopped being friends. I would get my butt beat if they ever found out.

"It's nothing mom, I'm just tired." I say and she sighs. Looking to dad who is too invested in the game. "Do you want to go home?" I shake my head, I don't want to make us leave early just because I don't want to be here and moping at the fact that Mayella is on a date right now with Max.

Max. The captain of the football team. I don't get what she sees in him honestly. All I know is that I'm jealous and I have no right to be.

Mom walks away and leaves me on the couch to rest. I close my eyes trying to think of any scenario of how I'm going to manage to get Mayella back. I'm thinking of just breaking it off with Bree and getting the backlash.

Bree was always one to blackmail ever since third grade. She even blackmailed a teacher because she caught them with another teacher. So she blackmailed them into giving her a good grade.

I feel bad for her sister, I know what she has to go through at home. Their parents both work so it leaves just them too. Bree makes Amara do every chore, every single meal. It's exhausting to watch.

"Hey sweetie! How was it?" I can hear Abby's voice at the door and open one eye to see a soaking Mayella coming through the door with a smile. Everyone's heads turn to her and she drops her face.

"It was nice mom, I have to go get changed before I get sick though." She rushes up stairs. Abby looks at Cole and they exchange a glance I can't read. I can see his mouth though, 'do you think they kissed?' He looked a bit panicked.

Abby shrugs and smiles nonetheless. Cole sighs and he and dad go back to the game. A couple minutes later, Mayella comes down in sweats and a brand new sweater I have never seen before.

And I have seen her hoodie collection. It's too much. She has more hooded clothing than any other piece of clothing. She comes and sits on the floor next to Abby and takes out her phone.

She smiles at it the whole time and I just can't take it anymore. I close my eyes hoping to die in my sleep.

"Kiddo! How was it?" I hear my dad ask and I groan on the inside. I open my eyes a little bit to see mom giving him a look. Mayella rolls her eyes. "It was fine Eli." She brings her knees up to her face.

"Anything happen?" He asks and I want to look at him and give him a 'drop it' look. "You know what, yeah something did happen that I thought was weird." This makes everyone turn their attention to her and pause what they are doing. Even Coco, their dog, does.

"Well?" Cole brings out the L. "Spit it out!" He says not in an angered tone though. More like in a teenage girl tone where he can't wait to hear what she has to say. I try to close my eyes, not letting Mayella know I'm listening.

"Well, we were eating.. And he asked me something that I thought was kind of funny." I can hear the amusement in her voice.

"If you don't spit it out right now, you're grounded." Cole says which makes her laugh. "It's probably nothing but, he asked me to teach him a bit of French..." She doesn't even get to finish because mom is gasping for air and is on the verge of passing out.

This makes me get up and try to calm her down to see what is wrong with her. Dad seems to be a little concerned as well. Mom regains her breath and sits up straight. I furry my eyebrows in confusion. How was she just dyeing a minute ago?

"He said that?" She puts her hand on her heart. Most of us are still confused. Mayella bits her lip and nods.

Mom looks to dad who is trying to figure something out. After a minute of looking at mom he looks like he just remembered a memory. "Oh my gosh.." He chuckles and joins in on the fan girling.

"What did you teach him?" Dad asks, putting his elbows on his knees leaning forward. "I just told him that I enjoyed out date, and I taught him how to say 'honey"

My mom gasps again. "Can someone tell me what the heck is going on?" Cole yells out. And my mom laughs.

"On mine and Elias' first date, he asked me the same thing." She says looking at dad. Of course, I didn't know this, I wasn't that interested in their love story like Mayella was. All I knew was that dad liked mom first and they ended up together.

No other detail was shared with me.

"Oh wow." Abby says, "That's really sweet, and kind of creepy." They all laugh. At this point I'm back on the couch laying down as I pretend to be asleep.

"I won't tell you he is the one because you're only seventeen and about to be eighteen.." My mom trails off. "But, don't let him slip so easily, love only comes so many times."

It was dead silent after that, either because no one knew what to say, or I just fell asleep. All I remember thinking, is that, it should have been me.

A/N

THAT SHOULD BE ME HOLDING YOUR HAND!

Sorry