Chapter 5: Chapter 5

"Why did you cause all that drama?" Ivory came to Monica's rescue. I don't know why she would hang out with a senior girl and not only that but would defend her so badly. The day passed and when night arrived, Ivory stormed inside my room while I was studying.

"Standing up against my bully is a drama?" I asked, my voice normal, but my words decent. I had to make sure I wasn't making any mistakes while talking to her.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" She stomped her foot and shouted, I knew she was going to create a mess to satisfy Monica. I frowned in confusion, this would mess up my image real bad.

"I didn't say anything wrong," I mumbled, closing my book and walking in her direction, I didn't want to turn her against me even when she was already against me. She slapped my hand away when I tried to reach her to comfort her.

"Don't try to be nice now, this is why nobody wants you because you love drama." She yelled with her full power, making Lauren run inside my room to see what the commotion was about. My heart began to pound in my chest, I would do anything for her to lower her voice.

"I swear I didn't do anything." I was shaking in fear; how can she lie at my face like that? How do people even do that?

"She yelled at me, called me names." Ivory began crying, faking the crocodile tears. My mouth hung open in shock, Lauren shook her head. I retreated at my steps, gawking at her face incredibly.

"Ivory you say one more word and I will slap you." She grasped Ivory's arm and shook her up, something inside my heart warmth of Lauren's love and affection for me.

"But mom--," confused at her mother's words, Ivory watched her face in surprise. I'd be lying if I say I was expecting Lauren to be on my side, but seeing it happen really boosted my confidence.

"I am your mother, I know you and her as well. She never lies." Lauren eyed Ivory angrily and when I saw behind Lauren, there Tucker on his foot, listening to us.

"Well, I don't want this conversation to linger on," Lauren mumbled, finally acknowledging Tucker's presence, "Tucker will take both of you for an ice-cream treat to cheer you guys up." She smiled, rubbing her palms sadly due to the fight between her daughter and me. Ivory hadn't blinked once as she glared at her mother blankly.

Tucker watched Ivory's face, who faked some more tears and walked out of the room. Walking after his sister, Tucker was gone too.

"Get ready, okay?" Lauren apologetically rubbed my arm and left after them. I really appreciated her effort to do the right thing and chose the truth over her daughter.

As for going out with Tucker, I was ready to put up with Ivory for him. I spruce-up, debating if I should apply lipstick, which I usually never considered doing, or would it make me look desperate? Finally, deciding not to put on lipstick, I was ready to go. I marched to the lounge, waiting for Tucker and Ivory to join me.

"Hey!" I saw Mr Ben getting inside the house with his office bag in his hand. I ran and took the bag off of his hand and offered him some water.

"Thank you." He mumbled, handing me back the empty glass. "Are you going somewhere?" he scanned me and asked, I smiled shyly.

"I am going out with Tucker and Ivory," I said, watching his face changing the expression.

"But they left already." He said, watching my face in confusion. I blankly stared at him, feeling insulted and stupid, I really thought he would forgive me for making his sister cry, even when it wasn't my fault but I guess he believed her. The thing that stung more was the fact that they probably knew I was getting ready.

"Oh!" I whispered, "I will get you dinner." I pointed in the direction of the kitchen, but he denied it as he had already dined in his office.

After spending a few minutes in the lounge, I jogged back to my room.

I cried the whole time they were out; I have no idea what else she has been feeding him against me. Fresh air might help, keeping this in my mind, I sat in the viewing area and watched the wind blowing the leaves rhythmically. I sat there silently, thinking about my life choices. Was running after Tucker a good idea? If he was to notice me, he would have done it ages ago. I was just simply not his type, and now that I was a reason that Tucker's sister and his friend Ken was hurt, I don't think he was ever going to develop feelings for me.

I have spent years chasing after him, had never thought about anyone else, never talked to someone because, in my head, I wanted to be loyal and save myself for Tucker. All that struggle, just to get his attention and I got what, nothing.

"Giselle!" I shook back to reality at the voice from behind me, Lauren came and perched with me. "I heard what happened." She whispered, her head lowered down in pure guilt.

"It is okay. She is his sister and he doesn't know me." My vision became blurry as the tears came to life.

"That's not the case." she quickly mumbled, "He probably did it because he knew Ivory would find a way to hurt you or insult you." she defended him like she always does.

"Aunt Lauren, it's not a secret that you and I understand each other, we both know what we want." I tilted my head to her and murmured softly. This conversation should have been done months ago, but for someone reasons both of us acted ignorantly.

"I want you to be with my son. There is no girl better than you for him." she quickly snapped, interrupting me from speaking anything further.

"But he doesn't want me," saying it aloud, broke my heart. "I have been fooling myself with a h---," I gasped as tears rolled down my eyes, "hope that he will someday feel the same for me, but it is a lie." I continued, sobbing silently.

"You are giving up hope?" she slipped her hand off from between my hands as I tried to hold her hand, "how could you turn your back from your love? I thought you loved him. I never for a moment thought you would give up so easily." her eyes glaring at my face. I didn't expect that reaction, she badly wanted me and him together.

After that happened, Lauren didn't talk to me for the next three days and neither did any of the siblings, except for Mr. Ben as was never a part of the show happening under the roof. It was hard to sit in the same car as the siblings in utter silence and feel left out.

"Did something happen between you and the siblings?" Dina matched her pace with mine as we walked towards my car after school.

"No, it's just like every day," I answered, Dina, asking me that question really shook me. She knew I never had conversations with either of them, then what made her think there was something wrong?

"Okay, see you tomorrow, bye." I hugged Dina and sat in the car with Tucker. I saw Ivory is waving her hand at her brother from her friend's car. So she was not going with us, and that leaves me alone with Tucker. I held my breath and kept my posture straight as he started the engine.

"Ehm!" He cleared his throat and frowned, I was looking at him through the rearview window. "Ivory is innocent and childish, if she says something she doesn't mean it. She is like an innocent person who loves everyone." So he began talking to me or more like bragging about his sister like I didn't know her. She loves everyone, when?

"I didn't expect you to act this childish." His voice raised a little. Wait! So it was okay that his evil sister is childish, but it's wrong for me to be childish? Was that even fair?

"I didn't say anything to her," I mumbled, feeling the heat in my veins. I would always feel hot in my head during arguments, but my self-restraint was strong. In order to not upset him or anyone else, I've kept my anger under control. For me, my image was very important. I felt like I needed to keep everyone happy or they will think I was a bad person. I was desperate for the world's approval of my character.

"Now you are going to lie on my face? First, you said Ken bullied you, I believed you and now you are telling me that Ivory is lying?" He grabbed the steering tightly and put pressure on it.

Wait! Wait! Why was I listening to him? It's not like I owe him something. He was my crush, I get it, but that doesn't give him a right to accuse me of a lie that his sister made up.

No, Giselle, what are you thinking? You shouldn't upset him; you love him remember?

I was holding my bag's strap tightly in my fist, trying to calm myself.

"Say something." He yelled, shaking me up on my spot. I've never talked to him after we grew up and this was the kind of conversation we were having right now.

"Stop the car," I muttered under my breath, closing my eyes tightly and feeling my ears turning hot.

"What?" He questioned, he honestly didn't hear me. "Giselle?" He pulled me back from my own imaginary hell where I was burning with anger.

I opened my eyes and felt relieved after hearing my name from his mouth.

"I said, you are right." I retracted from my own words, "she must have heard it wrong, but I didn't say anything wrong to her." I took a U-turn, despite the three-day struggle of not dreaming about him, I failed when heard him calling my name for just once.

"Hmm," he loosened his grip from the steering, "I'm sorry if I was being rude to you." He lowered his voice and whispered in his sweetest tone. See, it was easy to calm him down, all I needed to do was to just agree with him.

"It's okay. I understand." Even though I was mad, raging, and burning in the fire that has started in my heart, I lied. I can't upset him, I need to show him that my love for him was above everything and that no one can ever love him as I do.

"You are the first girl who said that to me. Otherwise girls these days, no matter what you do for them, they always have a reason to complain and even cry about it." He smiled, his compliment soothed my soul. At least something good came out of this fight between. I had crushed my ego, my self-esteem for him and it was worth it.

"I'm sorry for ditching you that night. I owe He smiled, his compliment soothed my soul. At least something good came out of this fight between.

Wow! Thanks Ivory.

"Thanks." But my lack of speech would always bring me back to zero. Instead of expanding the conversation I always ended up finishing it before it even began.

He parked the car and waited for me to come out. We went inside together, matching paces. Those few steps that we took together we're going to brighten up my mood for the whole day.

"Aunt Lauren?" I mumbled, after I quickly took a shower and slid in my Pajama, I head towards the kitchen after Lauren.

"Hm?" she didn't turn around to see me or greet me. I could totally conclude her anger was at justice, she never wanted her son to be with someone, who wouldn't love him like he dwarves to be loved.

"I know you are mad at me and I am sorry. It is just the failure really impacted my emotions that night. And guess what happened in the car today? We talked for the first time." I cheered and waited for her reaction. A tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes.

"Aunt Lauren, did I hurt you this bad?" I made her turn to me and watched her face.

"Giselle, I know I am always forcing you, but you two will be perfect. I can't trust any other girl, he will see the good in you." she smiled through tears, I was happy to have a major vote on my side.

"He will." I smiled, hugging her.

"But don't ever give up again," she reassured with a smile.

"I won't," I mumbled, after chatting with her for a few more minutes, I went inside my room to grab some rest. I laid on my stomach, the most relaxed position.

As I was laying down, I had a feeling that I was being watched. Unaware of Tucker standing at the door, his eyes at my butt, which vibrated every time I slammed my feet together, I neglected the feeling for a few minutes and then finally turned my face towards the door. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes caught Tucker staring at my butt.