Just Like That

47. "the sad part"

Breanna Michelle Santana

My parents wasted no time packing all of our things and loading the Jeep. They grabbed Joey, too, and didn't bother saying goodbye to the Jansen's.

With a door slam, I was in the vehicle and before I could even fasten my seatbelt, my dad pulled off.

I was still fuming from the incident with he-who-shall-not-be-named.

We all rode in silence until my dad stopped glaring at me through the rear view mirror and finally said something. "Okay. When we get home we are going to discuss what the hell just happened back there, young lady."

"Chandler-" my mother talked in a soothing voice to calm my raging father down but it didn't work.

"Are we clear," my father shouted at me.

"Okay!" I yelled back, fighting off more tears.

The car came to a stop outside of Joey's hotel. I jumped out with as well, receiving a strange look from him and my parents.

"What're you doing?" Joey asked me.

"What, I'm no longer welcomed up?" I snarled, crossing my arms over my chest.

Joey looked at me father and then to me. "I think you should go with them," he suggested.

"Woah. I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to finally get me alone."

"Not when you're like this. You're a mess, you had a rough night," Joey said, trying to reach for my hand but I pulled away forcefully.

With a tore up face, I scolded him, saying,"I haven't had a rough anything, fuck you. I don't need this. YOU wanted me and now that I'm vulnerable you don't want me? Well you won't get another chance."

"Breanna, get in the car." My mom cooed, giving me puppy eyes.

"Fuck off," I breathed out,"I'm walking."

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Coming back from my self-loathing walk around the city, I sulked back to what I thought would be an empty house.

I shut the door behind me and tiptoed to the staircase but was stopped abruptly by the sound of my father's voice.

I thought wrong.

"Where were you?" He began the interrogation.

My mom stepped into the light and stood by my father's side, the same disappointed look on her face.

"Do we really have to do this," I scowled, flailing my arms.

"I asked you a question," dad put his foot down.

"We're doing this." I exhaled dramatically and plopped down on the couch where they followed and stood across from me.

"We need to know what happened with you and Grayson, it didn't look good." My mom told me.

I shrugged, straight-faced, with large eyes. "Nothing happened, you're all overreacting."

"We saw you throw a waffle iron at him, Brea," my dad said to which my mom nodded,"it's pretty serious."

"Holland said something about a bet?"

I sucked my teeth. "Holland, that stupid bitch. She's a liar, I'm telling you, she just doesn't want me and Grayson together."

"Why wouldn't she?" Asked my dad.

"I dunno," I shrugged again,"maybe she wants him all to herself. They're weird."

"Breanna, this isn't funny. We just want to help, tell us what happened between you two."

I dropped my shoulders and looked in both of their eyes and saw the concern.

"Okay," I agreed to tell them,"it all started when-"

======

"Wow." My mom didn't know what else to say.

I told them everything. From our fling in college, to our "coincidental" reunion, the bet, Grayson's apparent affair with Bethany, me poking the holes in his condoms, my infertility, — all of it.

"Say something."

"So it was never real?" Asked my mom.

"I don't know, the feelings were, I think. But no, our 'relationship' is - was - fake."

"I'm sorry," my dad said, rubbing my back as I sat in between both of my parents on the sofa.

"I'm not," I grumbled,"as much as I don't wanna say it, it was starting to get toxic— the lying, the miscommunication, the jealousy. It's everything I didn't want, everything I said I wouldn't do, and now look."

"It's not your fault."

"But isn't it? If I would've just been more open, he would know how I feel and we probably could've been happy. I don't think I'll ever find a man, I don't deserve love-"

"Stop all that crazy talk right now, young lady. Everyone deserves love; yes, even you. You may not think you were ready, but you loved Grayson."

"You could tell?"

They both nodded at me with proud parental smiles.
My mom said,"A mother knows."

"The sad part is, if he told me to come over right now, I'd go." I admitted.

"He's not a horrible guy." My dad blurted, earning an eye roll from my mother.

"Not now, Chandler," she said.

"No, seriously. Listen, Brea, in every relationship, there's gonna be ups and downs. It's not a straight line. You just have to find the right person to go through Hell with and make it work. That's what's wrong with you younger kids; not every relationship is 'toxic' just because you had a few bad arguments."

My mom nodded at Dad's statement and they locked eyes. I just wish they could take their own advice.

A yawn flew out of my mouth so I covered and stretched, cracking my back.

"I'm gonna bed."

"You're staying here?" Asked my mother.

"Where else would I stay, my things are at... Grayson's." I made a face once I realized my belongings were primarily in his apartment where I was staying for a little while. In all honesty, I could care less about the clothes I left, I just really missed Alfie.

"We'll get your stuff tomorrow. Go, get some sleep." 

My parents stopped consoling me long enough so that I could get up with a sniffle and sigh, and trudge upstairs to lay awake in bed by my lonesome.