Pancake House

Chapter Six

"Father," I bowed my head.

"Marie," my father slightly bowed his head as well.

I raised my arms for a hug but put them back down, knowing I wasn't going to get a response. My mother's mouth turned into a frown when she looked at me, which made my smile waver. 

"Please, join us for dinner," Auntie Gray broke the silence, gently placing her hand on my arm. My mom looked tore her eyes away from my face and turned to Auntie Gray. A smug smile was placed on my mother's mouth.

"Jackie, so nothing's changed huh?" mother venomized.

Auntie Gray scoffed, "Lydia, too much has changed huh?"  I heard Jeremiah stifle a laugh and I smacked his arm. With intensified air all around, the five of us sat down at the dining table. 

"Let's not waste anymore time," my mom sighed, pushing away the meatloaf platter. Auntie Gray narrowed her eyes at the platter as my mom pushed a folder in front of me.

Jeremiah, who was sitting next to me, nudged my leg. My hands shakily picked up the folder as my mother resumed talking.

I opened the folder and saw a type of contract. "Your father and I have been traveling around in New York  for quite some time now." she stated. She continued boldly, "And we have decided to move there permanently."

Everything went red.

I whipped my head up and looked into my mother's eyes. No regret. No sympathy. No emotion.

With Jeremiah and Auntie Gray in awe, I looked back down at the contract, my hands shaking violently.

This was real.

Very real.

"Since you are only a couple months from turning 18, all you need to do is sign and we'll be leaving you to the Grays," my mother tapped the folder.

Jeremiah grabbed my hand and stood up, forcing me to stand up as well. Auntie Gray stood up abruptly too. She raised her booming voice, "Who do you think you are?! Treating your child, your own child, this way! You are no mother." 

My mother gracefully stood up, my father right behind her and said, "This is for her own good. She needs to become an independent young lady."

Jeremiah scoffed while Auntie Gray raised her hand - to slap my mother.

This entire time I kept my head down, tears forming in my eyes. I grabbed the pen swiftly and shakily wrote my signature on the contract.

The room became quiet and the only sound to be heard was me dropping the pen onto the floor.

Auntie Gray's eyes widened with concern as she rubbed my back, "Ariela, why-" 

She was cut off by my mother, "Ariela Marie Flores, you made the right choice. Now, we must get going." She checked her watch, "Our flight leaves in two hours." 

My mother grabbed her bag. My father, his coat.

My father was silent this entire time and I knew it was because he didn't want this, but under the rule of his wife, he was powerless. He gave me one last hesitant look before they walked out of the house.

Like the sound of the door closing was trigger, I fell to floor. Tears started rolling down my face as I sunk onto the cold tile floor.

   Jeremiah fell with me, enveloping me into his arms. "It's okay, El. I'm here. I'm always here."

I pulled at his shirt, mumbling incoherent pleads of help. I shut my eyes tightly with the only thing I heard being my cries and Auntie Gray's curses under her breath.

"Why don't they want me?" I laid my head on Jeremiah's shoulder, finally calming down.

Auntie Gray grabbed my hand and lectured, "You are wanted. We want you, and you should never forget that."

I gave her a small smile but I still had doubts in my mind. Auntie Gray yawned and said, "Jeremiah we're staying the night, okay?" He nodded.

She left the room with a simple, "I'll leave two alone now. Make sure to get some sleep, you still have school tomorrow."

Jeremiah obviously noticed and turned my head by the chin. He looked me in the eyes and declared, "Don't think about it too much. If they don't want someone as beautiful as you for their daughter, then we'll take you." He bumped his forehead onto mine and it took me awhile to realize how close we were. 

My eyes slowly drifted down to his endearing lips, and not long after I caught his eyes staring down at mine. I could feel his cold breath on my face and his eyes began to cloud.

Teri.

I tore my face away as he started to realize his mistake. He coughed awkwardly and I stood from where we were sitting. 

"I think we should head to bed now. It's almost 11," I mumbled quietly. He gave me an uplifting smile which made me turn my head to the side. He held his hand out to me which made me smile. I took his hand in mine and pulled him up from sitting, allowing him to stand full height next to me.

Upstairs, I changed into my pajamas and Jeremiah changed into his extra pair of sweats and a shirt. 

He laid on the floor of my room while I settled on top of my bed. I leaned over and gently tugged at his hair, "What're you doing on the floor?" 

"What do you mean?" he replied, propping his head on the side of the bed.

"You always sleep next to me when you come over," I joked. His ears tinged pink and he answered, "Okay, make some room." 

He jumped into the bed, did this weird flip thing where he turned to the side, and covered himself in the blanket, all while almost making fall off the bed.      

Regaining my balance and covering myself with a blanket, I threw cracker box at the light switch which surprisingly turned it off.    

In the complete darkness, Jeremiah asked me, "El, are you really fine with the way things turned out today?"

"I mean, no of course not," I sighed.

"Then why don't you let you, y'know, show your emotions?"

I let out a breath and turned to face his eyes in the dark. "Because now that I'm all alone, I have to stay strong."

I paused then finished my sentence, "And if I cry, then I break."

Jeremiah's eyes bore into mine as he opened his mouth. "I love you,  El."

My cheeks were dusted in bright red as I blushed, relieved it was dark. After a few moments of staring at each other, I finally relaxed my body and took his hand in mine.

"I love you too, Jere."