Bad Things

Twenty-One: Vincent

As I sat at the dinner table during a weekday that I wasn't scheduled for work, I move my fork around my plate and click my tongue absentmindedly. I can't seem to get my mind off of the fact that Roxy is Cameron's sister. Of course this only complicates things further.

My dad is working so it's just me and my mom. A rare occurrence, especially lately. My mother and I rarely have things to talk about and this evening isn't any different. My mind slowly drifts to my dad, could he possibly be harassing Cameron some more? I feel like maybe I could somehow change that, but I'm not sure how without getting caught in my lies.

The only option was to come clean.

"Mom?"

My mom looks up from her phone as she takes a sip of her water. Her eyes land on me and she raises an eyebrow, "Yes, honey?"

I take a deep breath and set my fork down finally, "You love dad, right?"

"Of course," She laughs, "Why do you ask?"

"I just... I wonder, when you and dad first met and you were starting to develop feelings for him, what would you have done if you were told that you couldn't be together?"

I know my question is far fetched and sudden, but I had to ask to get her perspective. Of course I don't love Cameron, but I am developing feelings for him even when I know that we are doomed.

My mom seems to be just as confused by my question, she takes off her glasses which she only uses in certain situation such as reading, "Where is this coming from, Olivia?"

"Nowhere, I just wonder... If someone tells you that you can't be with someone you really care about, how do you handle it?" I seem to be ranting but my mom isn't an idiot, she can see through my questions and can tell that I am asking for myself. Not because I'm just curious.

"Who is it that you're involved with?" My mom complete ignores my question and instead decides to question me instead, "Olivia, what's going on?"

I shake my head quickly, trying to defend myself before my mom can jump to assumptions, "No one. I'm not involved with anyone, I--"

"Olivia."

I know that she isn't going to drop it now that it's been brought up, so I do what I do best and I lie, "I'm thinking about my relationship with Luke."

"No. No, no, no." My mother begins to rant, shaking her head in disapproval, "Absolutely not. Olivia, he hurt you in ways that you should have never been hurt. You know your father and I do not approve of him, how could you even consider getting back with that piece of sh--"

"This was a bad idea," I stand up, deciding to not go any further with this discussing this. It would only get worse if my mom found out who I was referring to. Before my mom can stop me, I head towards the front door, "Forget that I said anything."

I hear her calling out after me but I don't stop. This has gone on too far and I need to get everything off of my chest or else I will explode from everything that I'm keeping to myself. I was getting feelings for someone who doesn't even know me, at least not all of me. He sees me as a twenty-one year old girl who has nothing planned in life, someone living on their own and someone who has already experienced high school. Maybe I could have pulled this off if there hadn't been so many obstacles, but my dad being the cop who's harassing Cameron is one things, but Cameron's sister being a fellow classmate makes this secret next to impossible to keep.

***

The longer it takes me to get to Cameron's bar, the less I want to tell him everything. That was to be expected, though. Of course I would begin to get cold feet when I was closer to confronting Cameron, but I can't make up another excuse to put this off.