Chapter 20: Chapter 20
"Thanks," He answered, making me angry. I swiftly glared at his face to see if he had any shame left in him. He lowered his head and walked away from me. I clenched my jaw and looked around if anybody saw us together. My body was radiating heat just by imagining how he didn't bother to explain his side like he didn't care if I think wrongly about him.
I was home and so was Lauren and Mr. Ben. I, Ivory, and Tucker greeted them and sat around them like little kids. I know it is weird to mention it, but Tucker looked extremely cute, but upset at the same time. My soul ached to see him so distracted. He was trying hard to act like his breakup with Dina hadn't affected him, but It was all over his face that he was broken now. It might be that his rivalry with Steven was the reason he felt this breakup so bad. Both the girls in his life chose Steven over him.
"What did you bring me?" Ivory shouted, pulling her hand in the bag Lauren gave her. She was more excited than anybody else. She has canceled every call her mother made her during the time Lauren was away from the home, and now she was all over her mother.
"And this is for my son." Lauren smiled and concern took over her face when Tucker weakly smiled and grabbed the bag out of her hands and barely checked it.
"Thanks, mom." He answered sweetly, silent, and faking smiles which Mr. Ben hardly noticed, but a mother is a mother after all.
"And this is," Lauren suddenly pulled out a small red box from her purse and opened it, it was a small gold chain with a tiny diamond in it, Ivory couldn't stop admiring it the moment she laid her eyes on it. "for Giselle." She smiled sweetly, surprising us all. I looked around and then at her face.
"For me?" I asked, confused, totally shocked. Ivory glared at me and then at her mother, she didn't like the idea of her own mother giving something so expensive to me.
"That is unfair." Ivory, who was going to ruin the moment, stated. Mr. Ben eyed her to behave, but she was too insolent to understand gestures.
"You always get things, plus, she was taking care of the house when mom wasn't here." Tucker, for the first time, took my side in a soft manner. He lowered his face again, everyone was shocked to see this side of Tucker. I was stunned when he spoke to me, he noticed me. That chain and diamond were nothing next to Tucker.
"But---," Ivory was in a state of shock that everyone sided with me this time, and honestly speaking, so was I. Lauren smiled and watched my face, she helped me wear the necklace. I loved how things had started to get better for me.
Ivory stormed off to her room after she dragged her gift along. Tucker hadn't lifted his face during this whole time. Surprisingly, he wasn't even using his cell phone.
"My son is upset," Lauren mumbled, I was helping her in the kitchen after dinner. Mr. Ben was asleep now and Tucker and Ivory were in their rooms.
"Did he tell you about Dina?" I asked, washing the utensils. I was happy that she was talking to me now, I feel like Tucker has told her that Dina was the one who said that stuff about her. Thankfully, Tucker saw the good in me.
"Yep, at least my son will see things clearly now." She smiled weakly, hurt at her son's broken heart. "I told you, boys learn their lessons when girls like Dina ditch them." she has been telling me this for a long time and I never actually believed her before but now that everything was clear, I had no reason to defend Dina.
"I feel bad for him," I mumbled in my mouth and she turned around to smile for me. Her eyes shinned for my admiration towards her son.
"This is why I always knew you were perfect for him," she said nicely rubbed my arm.
I was a little off about thinking me and Tucker together because he was my friend's boyfriend at one point, but the fact that she stole my friend, had made me disgust her now. Wait, why was I so concerned about Steven not stalking me like he was for a few weeks. And when did I begin calling him my friend?
No! I was not mad at Dina due to Steven, I was mad because she cheated on Tucker.
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I was in the back while Ivory in the passenger seat while Tucker was driving. There was an awkward silence every time we sat together.
"So Giselle," Ivory, faking a very sweet tone, turned back to me and mumbled, "You must be very pleased to wear this thing, I mean you must have never thought you will ever see such an expensive thing." there was pure hate in her tone. I uneasily watched her face and lowered my eyes.
"Thanks to Aunt Lauren and Mr. Ben," I mumbled, not wanting to start a debate. I was honestly tired of her bullying me, if I wanted, I would have shut her up in no time, but she was lucky I was in love with her brother.
"And thanks for being an orphan, that changed your life, no?" Her comment made me shook, I stared at her face, and tears formed in my eyes. Who even says stuff like that? Is that a joke to her? Only my heart knows how badly I have desired and wished my parents were alive.
"IVORY," Tucker yelled out of the blue, the pain and tears quickly disappeared as surprise took my face.
"Why, did I say something wrong? The sympathies are working in her favor." Being a brat, she babbled annoyingly. Tucker halted the car and kept his eyes straight at the road ahead, we wondered what happened. Ivory turned her head to Tucker and gulped, she was watching his face while he clenched his jaw.
"Get out." He ordered, I nodded and opened the door of the car, I don't know why I did that, maybe because this has happened multiple times and my mind has kind of learned to accept the way they had treated me in the past. "Not you Giselle." He said confused, "You leave." he then looked at Ivory and yelled. I awkwardly shut the door close again and peeked at them secretly.
"This is my father's car." she stubbornly mumbled and sat straight.
"Then I am not driving." they were both siblings, stubborn and arrogant, but Tucker was the cute one.
"Why are you yelling at me for her?" she faked some crocodile tears and sniffled, "You never did that before." that was true. Even I noticed the change in his behavior towards me.
"You need to learn some manners. Get out before I drag you out." I have seen them fighting before, like literally fighting but over me, that was first.
"Fine. I will tell dad." she walked out and slammed the door to the car. Tucker began driving, he cared less about her because he knew she will call her friends, that's what she does all the time. I remained silent for a few moments and then slowly gathered some courage.
"You shouldn't have done that," I uttered, feeling slightly relieved. Her words took me back to the days when every family rejected me when I had seen parents taking their kids to the park while I stood in the window of an orphanage, wishing my parents were alive.
"I am sorry on her behalf, I wish she doesn't learn lessons the hard way, just like I did." His voice was filled with sorrow, all the confidence and smirks had disappeared. He must have really loved Dina, her betrayal left him shattered. He parked in the school parking and left without greeting the cheerleaders, who were desperately waiting for his arrival.
Dina and I didn't talk for the whole day; I didn't see her with Steven either. The day went by pretty peacefully, with no signs of the orphans too. As I was walking towards the car in the parking, I saw Ken approaching me. I grasped all the energy I could to defend myself against him.
"Tucker is with the group, he will be back in a few minutes," he announced very nicely, he has never been this nice to me. He didn't really stare at me or passed nasty smirks, what changed?
"Okay," I mumbled and stood by my car. He didn't walk away, instead started hovering around me like a bee.
"I am sorry for that day, I was drunk." he stated and subdued his laughter, "I know it's a useless excuse, but I truly am sorry," he added once I rolled my eyes. It was nice that things were turning better now.
"It is fine," I murmured, and he smiled before disappearing from my sight. I was bored to death; I don't know how long was Tucker gonna take but I did see a recognizable jacket that belonged to Steven. He approached his bike with Sid by his side and I straightened my back. It wasn't a good time to be here, I have pissed him yesterday and he was definitely going to take revenge.
I stood by the car and watching them from the corner of my eyes. Steven had something in his hands that he secretly passed to Sid, who nodded and turned around to walk away but surprise, they saw me. Sid blankly watched me, no smirk no smile, and walked away while Steven stayed put. I was uncomfortable, looking here and there, not wanting to look at him as he was standing there like a statue. It took him a minute to start walking my way and gulped silently.
"Need help?" he voiced, maintaining a distance.
"Not yours," I said, folding my arms on my chest and looking at the other side.
"Okay," he stated and stood with his bike, why wasn't he going? I didn't want Tucker to see us standing in the same area, Tucker has been hurt because of him and now he was purposely standing there to make it look like I was talking to him. I rolled my eyes and as I grabbed some courage to ask him to leave me alone, Tucker came into the view with a shock on his face, damn.