🌟She's Special🌟

The Day After Talks

The Upper East Side (Olivia's Perspective)
"So how was the party sweet pea?" Bella seemed fidgety ever since we dropped Sapphire home.
"Um...It-It was okay." I always know when something is up with my daughter. She gets very shy and reserved, which means an event took place that she doesn't want me to know about.
"What did you guys do?"
"Dance." She stated calmly. I laughed.
"So you didn't socialize with your friends?" She laughed as well. I looked into my mirror. I smiled.
"Do you wanna talk at home instead?" I asked. Considering I was pulling up to the car garage across the street from our house, I thought it was a fair question to ask.
"Sure if you want to."
"You're giving me a lot of control of this conversation! Usually, you have a lot to say."
"I guess I'm tired." I nodded and parked the car.
"Let's go then sweet pea." She held my hand as we left the car garage and I smiled. Sweet girl.
"You really are a teenager aren't you?" I joked.
"I guess so. I don't feel talkative right now." She took off her jacket and raced upstairs to her bedroom. I heard her door close quietly. I let out a sigh.
"I couldn't even get a hello?!" Elliot said.
"Well look who's here," I said sarcastically.
"What?"
"You come after I put your crying daughter to bed. She said she wanted to see you tonight."
"My bad. What's up with Bella? She had that party today, right?"
"Yes, she did. She's been quiet since I picked her up."
"Typical teenage behavior Liv. Stop worrying."
"Thanks!" I said sarcastically. I went upstairs to our bedroom and laid down on our bed. I don't know, something's fishy, but at the same time, I don't want to be an annoyance to my daughter, she needs space.
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Saturday, December 21st (The Kitchen) (Bella's Perspective)
"Mommy, decorating cookies makes me happy." My sister said as we sprinkled sugar and other things on top of the cookie dough.
"I'm glad you love it." Mom kissed her and put more drops of dough onto the sheet.
"I have to use the restroom! I'm coming back!" Since last night I've felt kind of weird. Growing up is just really, really confusing and weird. I mean I've texted Jake and all but the vibe isn't the same at the moment. So I've just continued to replay the moment in my head while watching teen crush movies in the hopes that I could piece something together.
"Bella?" I snapped out of my thought.
"These things aren't going to decorate themselves." I continued decorating the rest of the cookies and sat down at the island. Mom put them into the oven.
"Bell?"
"Yeah?" I replied as Noah and Elliot came into the kitchen.
"I'm too late to help with the cookies! How sad." My older brother stretched and ruffled my hair.
"Thanks for that," I whispered.
"I'm making another batch Noah."
"He just came down here to eat them. He doesn't actually care about making them." I pointed out.
"Bella, you don't have to be sour about it." Mom said. Of course, she thinks I'm being sour about it. She's so annoying.
"Bella makes a fair point." Elliot pointed out while laughing. He attempted to give me a kiss on the forehead but I moved away.
"What's wrong Bella? Are you mad because-"
"No, I'm not mad. I just want to be left alone." I whispered. I went upstairs.
"Bella, come back downstairs," Elliot said. I went into my room and closed my door. I locked it before I got back into bed. I knew I should've just stayed in my room or best yet the living room. I always find myself in trouble at home, I guess. I opened my laptop and decided to watch a movie instead. I can't believe I'm thinking this hard over something that didn't even happen. Well more like almost happened. I closed my laptop. Why couldn't I just stop thinking about last night? Maybe I should take a relaxing bath. Baths usually calm me. I have these bath bombs that help me relax and they smell pretty nice. Besides, I hadn't showered yet for the day and it was past 1 pm. In my book that's kind of gross. I grabbed a change of clothes, went into my bathroom, closed and locked the door. I turned on the water and went inside. It was warm, which feels ten times better on a super cold winter day. My yellow bath bomb fizzled and I closed my eyes and just sat there in blank space until I stopped hearing the fizzing.
^^^^^^
When I woke up after falling asleep in the bath and washed my face as well and put on some sweats and a sweater. I know these aren't ideal clothes considering it's pretty warm in my house.
"Bella? Can you open the door please sweetheart? Nobody's mad. We just want to talk to you."
"Bella, if you don't open it, I will."
"You can unlock it. I don't mind." I said calmly. My parents came in and I sat at my desk.
"Bella, what happened in the kitchen downstairs? Why have you been so quiet today?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to talk to you about it. Just please give me some privacy, I'll talk to Mom when I feel up to it." I said calmly.
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Our Bedroom (Elliot's Perspective)
"Okay, seriously something's up."
"Well, when I said that last night you thought I was overreacting. Change of heart?"
"Look I'm sorry I doubted you. I didn't know it was that serious that she'd refuse to be touched by me. Something happened at that dance."
"Well, she isn't going to talk. So I don't know what to do."
"Do you hear yourself? I know you're not giving up right?!"
"That's not it. She asked us to give her space. She'll talk to me when she's ready."
"Why not me?"
"Because it has something to do with a boy Elliot. Why else?!"
"Knock knock!"
"Who is it?"
"Leia boo! I can come in?"
"Of course sweetie!" Leia let herself in.
"Mom, the cookies are done. And, I cannot reach the ones on the counter so I need your help!"
"Alright, let's go get those cookies out!"
"And some milk! Milk goes with cookies." I smiled at Leia.
"Come get cookies Daddy." She told me.
"I will in a second babe." She hugged me and went with Liv. I went downstairs to Bella's room and knocked patiently on the door.
"Come in, Dad." I came in and sat at her desk. Bella was quietly doing her homework.
"Are you going to yell at me? Tell me I'm hiding secrets again?"
"No."
"But you can't promise it. I don't get it! I'm 13 and you guys think I'm a little kid."
"Where are you getting that from?"
"You're literally hounding me when nothing's wrong. I'm not sad."
"Then why did you say you'd tell Mom later?" She sighed.
"Because I know I'm being a bit weird. But it's not intentional. Just, a lot of stuff happened in the past day and I'm still kind of thinking about it all. I don't know how I feel about it. Just letting it sink in."
"I can respect that."
"Things are kind of weird. I just need space to think. But I'm fine. I am. I don't want you guys to worry about me. I'm okay." I gave Bella a hug and a kiss.
"I'm sorry we made you feel upset."
"It's okay, I'm not mad. I'm not feeling much of anything, to be honest." She smiled.
"There's fresh cookies downstairs. Wanna go get some?"
"Yeah. That would be nice." Bella slid on her slippers and demanded I carry her downstairs. It was then I knew she was truly okay. Maybe, just maybe, we're too worrisome.
*****************
Our Basement (7:35 PM) (Bella's Perspective)
I decided to watch some Grey's Anatomy. It's one of my favorite shows at the moment.
"Derek!"
"Derek!" It was the episode where they got in the plane crash. I love me some Mer-Der. I felt my phone ping. I assumed it was Hannah, we'd been texting all day as usual, along with my other close friends.
Jake: Hey
Jake: Can we talk about yesterday?

I froze. I mean Jake and I texted but it was mainly just us sending memes. We never really talked about last night.
Me: Um sure. Would you like to call or text?
Jake: maybe call. So we understand each other a lot better.

I called Jake and we sat there quietly.
"So, um that was weird."
"Yeah. I'm sorry about that."
"You don't have to be sorry Jake. I leaned in too. It was a mutual decision. I just think that maybe we weren't ready. Correct me if I'm wrong."
"I think you said it perfectly."
"But, I wouldn't mind kissing you Romano. Just maybe under different circumstances. Don't think I want my first kiss in a staircase where anybody could walk by." We both laughed quietly.
"That's fair. I'll think of a better location next time."
"Next time?! You're planning it?!" We laughed again and continued talking. Aw man, I kind of wish I'd kissed him in that stairwell.