Drella Here

My legs were curled up on the couch. Vic was sitting next to me and I took his hand. He squeezed mine to comfort me. I stared down at my phone anxiously. Vic kissed my temple. "Do it," he urged. I sighed heavily and nodded. I dialled my dad's number and waited.
"Hello?" Dad asked.
"Hey, it's me," I said.
"Drella?" he asked uncertainly. The last time I called him was just after I became official with Vic properly.
"Yeah, it's me," I confirmed.
"How are you?" he asked brightly. "Is that one with the long hair looking after you?"
"Yeah, Dad, I promise," I smiled a little. "Look, I need to tell you something,"
"What's wrong?" he asked carefully. "You're not in trouble, are you? Money? Jail?"
"No, stop guessing,"
"Go on then," he urged. I bit my lip to ready myself.
"Mom was sick,"
"I know, Drella. She has the condition with her blood,"
"So you know and I don't?!" I exclaimed.
"I'm sure your mother would love to tell you," he tried.
"She called me Christmas Day," I explained.
"Okay . . ." he trailed away.
"She wanted to talk to me about it. I went to her house,"
"How did it go?"
"It didn't," I muttered. "She'd died before I arrived,"
"Died?" he echoed. I had to give myself a moment. I was always closer to my dad. I could hear the tightness in his throat. The quick breaths that came down the line and rang like bells in my ears. Telling him was painful.
"Sorry," I tried.
"When's the funeral?" he was eventually able to ask.
"I don't know. They asked me to sort it, but I don't know what I'm doing,"
"Okay, I'm coming down, Drella. Everything will be okay," he soothed.
"Promise?" I asked.
"I promise," Dad replied. "I'll be there in a day," he said.
"Okay, bye, Dad,"
"Bye, love," he replied. I hung up and put my phone down. I turned to Vic and put my head on his chest. Vic wrapped his arms around me. I pursed my lips against his shirt.
"What's going to happen?" I asked.
"Nothing. Did he say he'd sort it?" Vic asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "He's coming up,"
"Everything will be okay. I promise," I looked up at him and smiled a little.
"Pinky promise?" I asked.
"Pinky promise," he agreed. I held my pinky out and Vic wrapped his around mine. I smiled back and pulled him down to me. Vic kissed my lips and my arms wrapped around his neck.
Then the door knocked and I groaned. Vic got up and went into the hall. I tucked my legs back up. I saw Vic walk back in with Jaime. Jaime grinned at me and I waved. Vic pulled Jaime to him and whispered something to him. I narrowed my eyes at them and folded my arms across my chest.
"I'm going for a shower," Vic said. I nodded and Jaime came over to me. He sat down and raised my eyebrows at him.
"Why are you here?" I asked bluntly.
"Just hanging out," he shrugged.
"Vic wants you to watch me,"
"Well, not watch. He thinks you need supervision,"
"Great," I mocked.
I knew this would happen. Vic was worried. But I didn't need babysitting. Just because I have a tendency to run when I'm sad doesn't mean I need the most irresponsible person in the world to keep his eyes on me. I'm going through enough. I just want to know what Mom would have said to me. She might have apologised. If she had died after she had said sorry I wouldn't be angry like I am. I may be sad, distraught even. But my feelings wouldn't be this mixed. I just want to be able to talk to her. I can't have that though. I can't take everything. All the what ifs and could haves. My thoughts are making me mad. I can't even think properly. All these stupid feelings, adolescent like in their strength are leaving me disorientated. I'm getting whiplash from all these scenarios.
I turned to Jaime and smiled brightly at him. "Hey," I said quietly.
"Hi Drella," he smiled back.
"I need to tell you something," I blinked up at him.
"Go on then," he urged.
"I've been thinking about high school. We went out,"
"Um yeah we did," he said awkwardly.
"You were so cute back then,"
"So were you?" he offered.
"You were such a good kisser," that isn't true. Vic's way better.
"Um . . ."
"Are you still a good kisser?" I rushed. I went to lean in and Jaime jumped up off of the couch. I internally grinned and got up too. I followed Jaime and he ran down the corridor. I chased him into a random room and closed the door. I locked it and heard Jaime bang on the door.
"Drella!" Jaime called.
"Sorry!" I yelled back.
Then I ran out of the apartment. I hurried downstairs and got outside. I don't know what I was doing. I just wanted some time alone. I started walking across the stretch of grass by our apartment. I walked a few blocks until I came to a park. I went to a tree and started to climb. I know it's wrong and stupid. I shouldn't be doing this. But I can't help myself. This is my safe place. I don't want babysitting. I think I've proved that.
I stayed up their a while until I saw someone at the bottom of the tree. Vic was looking up at me and frowning. I begged him with my eyes to just leave me. But he started to climb. He reached me and sat on the sturdy branch with me.
"I'm too old for this," Vic said.
"I know you are," I smiled.
"So, want to talk about it?" he offered.
"Nope," I shook my head.
"Ella,"
"There's nothing new. I just wanted time to get away,"
"You sure?"
"Sure," I nodded.
"How did you get Jaime to leave?"
"You - you didn't find him?" my eyes widened.
"No . . ." Vic trailed away.
"Um, I locked him in our laundry room," I said awkwardly.
"He's still there now?"
"Yeah,"
"Wow, this will be a conversation starter for him," Vic said. I could see the smile tugging up the corners of his lips. I leant against Vic and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"Victor?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever miss it?"
"Miss what?" he frowned.
"Us. You know, being just friends,"
"No," he replied immediately.
"That was a little quick," I noted.
"Ella," Vic sighed. "You need to see it from my point of view. I loved you for so long. I was in love with you a few months after we met. I used to have dreams where we'd be together. I'd dream that I'd finally tell you and you'd kiss me and tell me how you secretly love me too but you didn't want to be rejected by me. You need to understand that. My seventeen year old self would be amazed to find out I'd be with you,"
"Sometimes I miss it," I said. "You know, not the whole not being with you part. More the us not caring about much part. There's so much bullshit in the way now,"
"I guess that's growing up,"
"It sucks," I sighed.
"I know," Vic agreed and kissed my head.
"I want to feel young, Vincent," I said, using his rare nickname.
"I'll make you feel young, Monroe," he said easily. I smiled back at him and Vic gestured for me to get down. I nodded and climbed down easily. Vic managed to get himself down too. He came to me and took my face gently in his hands.
"I want everything gone," I whispered. I leant in to kiss me. After he pulled away and took my hand. He led me across the park to a lake. I looked around, squinting through the dark park. I couldn't see anything. "What are we doing?" I asked.
"You'll see," Vic replied. He stepped away and tugged his jacket and shirt off over his head. I frowned at him but watched as he took his jeans, shoes, and socks off too. Then finally he pulled off his boxers. I looked him up and down standing completely naked int he empty park. "Ella, go on," he urged. I sighed but grinned back. I took my jacket, shirt, jeans, shoes and underwear off. Vic held his hand for me and looked at me. "This is what teenagers do," he said.
"Ready?" I asked reluctantly. Vic nodded and squeezed my hand. We started running for the water. Until we met it. It was cold, too cold for San Diego. We dived in with our hands still entwined. And right then, without a doubt we were young again.

Notes

Hey! This is finally up! Ugh I'm sorry! But Christmas has been a bitch, as has my flu. Thank you everyone who gave me get well soon wishes, you rock! But anyway, what did you think? Drella went all crazy again. What about Jaime? What about Drella's dad? What about Vic and what he did to make her feel better? :)