Chapter Thirty•Independence Day
My 3 cousins picked me up and we drove to this Hotel that Will and Carter were staying at. So it was gonna be a while, Hunter and I staying down at the lobby, scrolling through our phones and he decided to break the silence by starting a conversation,"Where are you from? I've heard stories of you from Alan, but never really met you"
"Seattle, it's okay though, I never really come here that much, well to stay here with Alan anyway" He nodded and said,"Alan's kind of an asshole, I remember Mom telling me about your guys' relationship and how he was when you were a kid. That's just messed up"
"Eh I made peace with it" I shrugged it off and he says,"I don't think I ever would, especially with a father like that"
"I know I shouldn't, but I'm his only daughter, all he's ever gonna get is one chance and plus I would like my grandparents to be part of my life still" He smiled lightly and scrolled on his phone,"Yeah that's true, my parents were separated for a couple years, but they worked it all out in the end" Must be nice having parents who believe in each other enough to fight for their relationship, not too long after, Will and Carter came back down with their backpacks,"Let's roll" We drove further out of Portland to go to Fireworks stand, that's where the good ones were at. We had everything by 6:47pm, Will and Carter bought a big one that they had to haul it to the trunk,"Sabrina give us a hand here" Will nodded to the trunk and I said sarcastically,"Now I'm a Senior, I'm exhausted" Carter scoffed and we laughed as I opened the trunk for them. I checked my phone and I had a message
Wanna hang out soon? -Blake at 11:18am
When? -Sabrina
Maybe next week? You can send me your address and I can pick you up -Blake
I'll have to ask my dad -Sabrina
Yeah I figured, your mom texted me about it, that's really thoughtful of her -Blake
My mom asked for his number when I had it and so that's why
I'm with my cousins right now, I was going to ask you, but we're kinda on the outskirts of Portland -Sabrina
It's all good, with my Dad anyway, wanted to shoot some hoops before we go see the fireworks -Blake
That sounds fun -Sabrina
Yeah -Blake
So I'll text you when I go back to the house and let you know what his answer is -Sabrina
Okay -Blake
My cousins and I finally made it to Theo's place to set them off, we bought lighters and the fireworks that we bought was enough to fill Will's trunk, but we definitely underestimated the fireworks that this lasted until almost midnight. The boys got drunk, well except Will, accidentally knocked one of the fireworks over that resulted in the firework going all over the street and one of my little cousins who was 13 went deaf temporarily. Will came inside of the house and asked how I was doing,"Almost exhausted, but still having fun"
"Yeah the guys out there are getting drunk. Being stupid and I'm here being their designated driver"
"And I'm the minor" He nodded and sat down,"So how's catching up with the old man?" I shrugged and shook my head,"I don't know really, I'm just here for Grandma and Grandpa, my friends and him being part of it…" He sighed slowly as he looked down,"He's always been an asshole anyway, that Doctor wife of his gives me the creeps too"
"I guess, but I'm too laid back to even care about their marriage, if it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. It is what it is, other than that, can't really change their relationship" I leaned back as I said it, he gestured towards me,"Don't think I ever met someone who is pretty chill about their parent's new partner"
"I've been used to a whole lot of different shit, so why should my father's love life be any different?" I slightly smiled, there was a silent moment between us and I patted his knee,"C'mon we're supposed to have fun, not sulk around. It's the 4th of July, how much of you wanna bet that Marty will knock over the sucker again?" His face lit up and he stood back up,"Most likely" Then not too long after, Marty did it again, he was running in the same direction as the firework was chasing him.
I didn't get back to the house until after 1am, it was just as well that we leave that time anyway, Will was flying back and Carter is driving back home while Hunter is gonna stick around, we talked about our lives and some of the funny shit that we've been through,"I have this friend who had long hair, this older guy was stalking him and he was getting really creeped out until he just turned around and flashed the guy by lifting up his shirt and asked out loud,'Do these look like titties to you?" The entire car was filled with laughter and Will said,"Oh god, that's what I'd do too, didn't that guy know or was he...you know?"
"Nah that guy was straight, he only saw him from behind and he was 13 then so he didn't have the uh build" Will nodded as he chuckled then he began talking about his time in Washington D.C., we went up the driveway and I thanked them for the best night of my entire summer. As I was walking up the dark driveway, I stopped for a minute and just took a look around, not at the houses, not at the city lights from a somewhat far distance, it was the moon and the tiny stars; From my own house, I can see them clearly as I do here, but this feeling was different, it felt like more at peace even though I'm staying with an unbearable father and a doctor wife along with my loving grandparents, but at my house….it's always chaotic emotionally and it always makes me feel unmotivated and being unmotivated makes me feel worthless and can't hang out with my friends whenever I want to then I find myself staying up until 4am feeling a whole lot worse. But being here is kinda helping me out, I'm starting to see this whole other side that I didn't know that I have and I can't wait to see what's to come next.
The next morning, Alan had to go to work along with Katherine, I was awake at the time,having an iced tea while watching a TV show on the couch that I have been sleeping on,"Dad?" He was in the kitchen making coffee"Yes?" I got up from the couch slightly fidgeting while walking towards him,"Blake texted me yesterday and asked if it was okay that we can hang out, only hanging out and that's it and he is okay with meeting you first because he understands the whole Father and Daughter relationship" He began tapping his finger that only made my anxiety go up and my heart beating faster than a speeding bullet,"When?"
"Next week, he is okay with any day and time, he has the entire week off to help out his father and half-sister" He slowly nodded,"Wednesday should do it, we'll meet at Pizza hut around 11am"
"Okay I'll text him later on today" Kate came walking out yawning while rubbing her eyes,"Morning Sabrina"
"Morning Kate" The coffee was finally made for them in time and they got it into their thermos, he tells me as he's pouring,"Sabrina, honey, today I want you to help out your Grandparents today by doing chores and what they need to get"
"Understandable, I'll help them" I never really see no reason not to help them, I went back to sitting on the couch and drinking my tea until Alan and Kate had to go,"Gotta go honey, I'll be back for lunchtime, okay?" I nodded as he hugged me and kissed my hair. I closed my eyes in extreme discomfort, but I also have to know that he's trying and that's all that matters. They walked out and I was finally at peace, no one to constantly walk in talking loud, no one to come in turning up the volume at 71 at 5am, it was just me and my grandparents, I was okay with that. I finally could relax and just watch TV without having to worry about someone taking the remote when I've only gone to the bathroom for 2 minutes or having any constant tension where sleeping was the only escape from reality. Around 8am, Grandpa Clifford came out of the room, he yawned and his cute little wrinkled face lit up when he saw me,"Heyyy good morning Sabrina"
"Good morning Grandpa" Grandma Priscilla came out of the room too,"Oh you're an early bird too?"
"Occasionally, this is just one of those days" She nodded as she walked to the kitchen,"Did your Dad leave for work today?"
"Hm mmm" I answered as I sat at the dining room table as I was seeing Grandpa at the end of the table playing his card game,"Well in about a half hour, we're going to McDonald's for breakfast, do you want to come with us?"
"Yes of course, I'll go get ready now" So a half hour later, I wore blue skinny jeans with black and white Vans with a black lace tank top underneath covered by a purple and black flannel shirt. I grabbed my headphones, phone, purse and sweatshirt just in case, it was a Beacon Hills sweatshirt that I brought along, I had no clue why but I guess it was because to keep me from being homesick, we got in the van and I helped Grandma walk to her car as Grandpa had a skip in his walk to the passenger seat of their car, "Oh thank you Sabrina, I really appreciate it" I got in the backseat on her side and the route to McDonald's was really fun, looking around at Portland, there was always a feeling about this place, it was about as close as I can get to being in Los Angeles or New York. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot of McDonald's, we came in and the workers greeted them, they were regulars,"I'll have a coffee, small and a egg and cheese McMuffin" Grandpa's order,"I would like some hot cakes"
"And do you want the side?"
"Ooh yes please" Grandma sounded so happy and then the anxiety came over,"And what would you like?" Erm, ah shit, I'm a vegetarian and it has been a while since I've eaten here,"I'll have a Strawberry Banana Smoothie, medium and an Egg White Delight" Then the to total came onto the screen and Grandpa had no problem paying for the breakfast,"And when your number is called, feel free to come it and grab it, enjoy your breakfast Clifford, Priscilla" Yeah they're regulars here, but there's nothing wrong with that, I'm a regular at the hotel that mom works at. We waited for our since there was a crowd there, we sat there and I pulled out my phone to work on a story, I really don't know why, but it just kinda became one of those outlets after that tedious period with my mother and so I just wrote fiction, but so far, I just think that this story is just straight up shitty. "How does those thingamajigs work?" Grandpa Clifford pointed at my phone, of course I couldn't turn down a conversation with him, so I closed out my apps and started from scratch. Showed him the basics first and he didn't necessarily understand technology language, so I used simple words and descriptions for him, showed him Snapchat and used a funny filter for him,"Who's that?"
"That's you Grandpa"
"But I have dog ears"
"Yeah, it's a filter, open your mouth" So he does and his adorable wrinkles formed when he smiled,"Ooh Sabrina, they have our food over there at the counter" Grandma Priscilla informed me then I made my way to the pick up counter, thanked the worker and brought the breakfast over to them. The rest of the morning, we talked, Grandma has been teaching classes here and there, Grandpa has been supervising from time to time, they asked me,"You're almost a Senior, what do you plan on doing after Graduation?" Hesitation tends to lead to a bad place,"I have no idea really, I wanted to be a Yoga Instructor, open my own studio, a singer, a writer, dancer, actor, but now it's hard. I'm still thinking about it, I still have time right?" I sipped my smoothie and Grandpa says to me,"That's what we all say, but the truth is, time will pass by hell of a lot quicker than you think"
"That's also what your father used to say for years, now look at you. 17 years old and almost a Senior, it seemed so surreal to him and he actually did think he had all the time in the world to spend time with you" I slowly nodded and they did have a point, but the thing is, I have always envied those who have it easy for them, who have a path that's already paved for them, whereas for me, I just came into this map without a map or a compass, it's hard to know who you really are when even you don't know yourself. I hate that as soon as we enter High School, we're all expected to know what we want to do when we leave, I never grew up in a house that had that type of motivation, my mother never really encouraged me to get a Driver's License and a job, but there have been days where just once, I actually wanted her to tell me to get on top of it, but no. She just let me do what I want technically, but she never really did push me outside of school,"Yeah you're right, but don't worry, I'll find what I'm good at" Hopefully.
Hey just asked Bobo the sperm guy, he says it's okay for next week. Pizza hut at 11am on Wednesday -Sabrina
Alright got it on my calendar. Wait is Bobo the sperm guy a nickname for your father? -Blake
Yeah why -Sabrina
I'm gonna start using that for my dad-Blake
Lol -Sabrina
So what's up -Blake
Just got done have breakfast with my Grandparents so we're going back to the house -Sabrina
Sounds fun -Blake
I'm in a different house with the same routine -Sabrina
Does that suck? -Blake
Kinda, but I can't really think of anything to do, I don't have any other friends here -Sabrina
So can't wait for next week? Get out of the house for a bit -Blake
Yeah, you excited to see another familiar face? -Sabrina
Yeah, your cousin just came in, so now we're moving in -Blake
Aww how sweet. Taking it to the next level, you nervous to spend your first night together? First meal? -Sabrina
You know what? Fuck you -Blake
In your dreams and I think it's sweet -Sabrina
Not really -Blake
Why did you say it then -Sabrina
Don't do this shit again Sabrina -Blake
Hey you said it, what else did you want me to say? "When and where?" "I wouldn't mind that" -Sabrina
Would've been funny for both of us -Blake
But I'd rather have it being funny for me, makes it more fun -Sabrina
Lol -Blake
So whatcha been up to? -Sabrina
Eh just working here at Ross, losing my fucking mind here, but need that paycheck right -Blake
Yeah -Sabrina
When I get off, I gotta take Jared to my Dad's for dinner and introduce him -Blake
That sounds fun -Sabrina
Oh totally, gotta go now before the boss sees me on my phone -Blake
Okay, talk to you later -Sabrina
You too -Blake