>>hate to see your heart break by paramore (because i'm still obsessed with this cd)
west coast wonders
Wednesday April 10th: Wednesdays are the perfect fundraising day, so the West Beverly student council has teamed up with the entire senior class and we will be having a bake sale in the courtyard. Make sure you are there to either volunteer or support your school! And don’t forget to log in your volunteer hours!
- - -
I rushed down stairs into the kitchen, where my mom was sitting at the table with her reading glasses on, paper in hand. “Mom, do we have sugar and flour and eggs…” I rambled off, opening up all the cabinets and fridge.
“Would you slow down?!” She said, her voice tight and high-pitched. “Why do you need all that stuff, anyways?”
“West Bev is having a bake sale,” I said sarcastically like she should’ve already known. And, well, she should have because she technically /is/ on the PTA and was our class advisor for prom last year. All that has changed.
Now, she hardly knows what day of the week it is and when dinner has to be served and when the bills need to be paid… I push all these thoughts out of my mind and figure that I have just enough time – one hour – before school to bake up something everyone will love.
So I put my mind to it, and seeing as I’ve already gone for a run, showered, dressed, and eaten a small breakfast, I put all my energy into making the best cookies and carrot cake cupcakes I’ve ever made.
The second the desserts are decorated and packed into the back of my car, Quinn is on my ass, begging me to drive yet again. I roll my eyes, for no apparent reason, even though it’s completely unlike me.
“Yeah,” I snap. “Whatever, just go.”
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Quinn says angrily, dragging Carter out the door with her.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath and am completely surprised by my father’s voice echoing down the hall. “Hey kiddo,” he waltzing into the kitchen, dressed to the nines and ready for work.
“Hi,” I say slowly.
“What’s all that for?” he nods in the direction of my bake sale items.
“School bake sale,” I answer.
I watch as his brow furrows, and waits to speak after finishing his orange juice. “Are you okay, Sloane? Is there something wrong?”
This fatherly inquiry about my life has me confused. This is very unlike my dad. I mean, sure my dad loves us all but he’s more of a tough love kind of person, than an active parent. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I answer. “Gotta go.”
I’m even more surprised by the kiss that lands on the top of my head. “Have a good day, hon.” My dad tells me, putting his glass in the sink and picking up the paper that my mom had abandoned.
- - -
“Hi Sloane, these look amazing.” I hear a small voice say. I look up to see Natasha, faintly smiling in my direction. “Did you make them?”
“Yes, all this morning!” I laugh, glad to have some social interaction since this bake sale was a total dud… well, so far. I still had about three more hours of boredom.
Nat searches around in her bag for a handful of bills, gives them to me and points to my cupcakes. “I’ll take two of these. And I promise they’re not both for me.”
“No?” I smirk in a joking way.
“No, it’s for me.” I see Naomi come up and take the already paid for cupcake out of my hand and bite into it. “Thanks Nat,” she playfully laughs but we all know it was meant to be cold.
Natasha doesn’t even know what to say she’s so stunned. I know that she basically keeps to herself, except a few other girls, but even I wouldn’t know how to react. “Here, have another, that wasn’t fair of Naomi.”
“Thanks, Sloane.” Nat tries to smile.
“Of course!” I grin. “Dee!” I call, seeing the brunette bounce by. “Buy some of my cupcakes!”
I think that Natasha and Dee would get along, seeing as they’re both very quiet so I come up with an entire plan in my head. Dee is quite shy as well, so she’s a bit taken aback by my advance, but I assure her with a warm smile.
“What flavor?” She inquires, taking three big strides over.
“Carrot cake,” Nat answers, wiping a bit of frosting off her top lip. “And they’re too good for words,”
Dee laughs along with me. “I’ll take one. And a cookie! Don’t tell.”
“My lips are sealed.” I hand her the desserts in exchange for a few crisp dollar bills.
I watch as the two girls walk away, immersed in conversation, exactly the result I had wanted. All the morning’s drama was finally out of my mind, and all I could focus on was the good. The great, even, I thought as my amazing boyfriend walked over with a few other people.
I have to blink twice before I realize that Tinsley is at the front of the group, swinging her toned butt and golden hair all over the place. I’m wondering why Aiden is even with her, and then remind myself not to question it.
After all, he can hang out with whoever he pleases. “Hi guys,” I smile, but this time it’s a little fake.
Aiden leans over the table to kiss me, much to the dismay of everyone around them. “How’s it going?” I hear him ask.
“Good! I’m thinking I should have made more because I’m almost out. So are all the other girls,” I look down the line of chairs as I talk.
“I really don’t know why, everybody that bought one is just going to vomit it up later.” Tinsley pokes in, checking herself out in her phone’s camera.
Aiden and one of his friends, Evan, just laugh and ignore her. I’m put off by this girl, but I’m not going to show it because that’s not the type of person I am. Instead I give Aiden and the others a cupcake on me, and tell him that I’ll call him later.
“Bye everyone.” I smile.
“Bye.” Tinsley says bitterly.
An hour later Quinn and Carter stop by, disappointed that there’s hardly anything left. “Man, I was actually looking forward to those cupcakes.” Carter replies.
“Me too!” I hear another voice say, which I immediately recognize as Mady, an adorably small girl in my English class.
“Sorry, they’re selling like hotcakes.” I shrug.
Mady’s cheeks turn bright red for whatever reason, and I’m reminded that she’s not the social butterfly you’d expect her to be.
“Guess I’ll have to come back tomorrow, won’t I?” she answeres quickly before running off to her next class.
“Who was that?” Carter questions. “She was so cute.”
Quinn rolls her eyes. “Oh my god, stop.”
I laugh. “Go to class.”
It’s just another half an hour before we all have to clean up and return to our classes, and for me, that’s Art so I’m not complaining. I spend the whole class with no inspiration and only draw one thing on my paper, much to the dismay of my teacher.
“C’mon Sloane, I know you’ve got it in you!” He answers with gusto.
“Yeah I’m just not feeling it today,” I reply, closing my pencil case and returning my work to its folder. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be back at it tomorrow.”
“Here’s hoping.” He answers, wishing me a good day as the bell rings.
I decide to drive home, and ignore Quinn’s complaining all the way home. Once there, I’m surprised once more by my father’s car in the driveway. And I know this can’t be good. Definitely not good.
I look at Quinn who has the same expression on her face as we enter the living room, where my mom and dad are seated across the room for you. “Kids, in here!” My dad call us in.
I go in first, then Quinn, and finally Carter who takes a seat in an over-sized chair by the door. “We need to talk to you kids about something.” My dad looks at us all.
My mom clears her throat but doesn’t say anything and doesn’t look at anyone except a spot on the carpet. I’m wondering what’s going on but don’t have the courage to say anything.
“I don’t know how else to say this…” My dad trails off. “Um, after much thought and consideration… your mother and I have decided to file for divorce. I’m so sorry, kids, really. Sometimes… sometimes people just fall out of love with each other no matter if they want to or not. I’m sorry, kids. Do you understand?”
Carter immediately rushes out of the room and runs upstairs, stomping on each step as he goes. We wait for his bedroom door to slam, and hardly ten seconds later, it does. I squeeze my eyes shut and rush up to follow him.
If anybody knows my brother, it’s me. We’re best friends. I know exactly what he’s thinking, and right now, I know this news that my parents have just sprung on us is tearing him apart.
“Carter, c’mon,” I decide to walk right in instead of knocking first. He’s sitting by the window, looking out at our backyard and trying desperately not to cry.
I know that he’s in high school now and that he is growing up, but my brother is sensitive and emotional and caring. I sit next to him and pull him into a hug. “It’s okay, Carter, stop crying.”
My dad comes in about two minutes later, squeeze’s Carter’s shoulder and persuades him to take a walk down by the beach despite the ten business calls he’s gotten in the last hour. And I see my parents for what they really are – lost, confused but bound by their children, who are equally as lost and confused.
xx, Sloane
