Red

Loverscove: Red

Things Just Got Interesting.

Josiyah Martin

RED

Copyright © 2016 by Josiyah Martin.

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations em- bodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Book and Cover design by Josiyah Martin

ISBN: 978-1530171910

Second Edition: March 2016

Chapter One

The Beginning of the End

Told by: Addison Malahory

I get up just like I usually do with the smell of brewing coffee hitting my nose. I walk downstairs and go straight into the kitchen still wearing my flower pajamas. Instead of seeing my mom sitting down drinking her morning coffee, I see a cup with a note attached, Had to leave early, it read. My mom out again before dawn? It has to be a guy … it always is …

The doorbell rings, startling me I spill hot coffee down my shirt. Who could this be? I quickly stumble towards the door and look through the peephole.

It’s Melissa, one of my best friends; but what was weird was we always meet at the end of my street and walk to school. I open the door to see Melissa looking worried.

Are you okay, I asked. I know Melissa, something’s up, she’s terrible at hiding anything. I remember when I was twelve, and she found out that I was having a surprise party, and she couldn’t tell me so every time I came near her, she yelled, Got to go! I eventually figured it out.

I’m fine. Why? Did someone say something? I laughed at her; she acted like she was on drugs or something.

Oh, no reason. I needed to get dressed, so that’s enough of questioning her for now.

*

I hate English class; school should be over by now we know everything we essentially need to know. It’s just another way to keep us young people occupied and out of the way. I sit in the back of the class where all the rebels lie, the ones who aren’t paying attention to a word the professor is saying and not shy about saying it either. I look over, and I see all the cliques; the nerds, the in crowd, the rebels, and the couples. The couples are the worst they are so wrapped up in each other they barely know anyone else is there.

Professor Donavan must really be into what he's saying because he hasn’t turned around from the whiteboard for what feels like at least thirty minutes. Then out of nowhere a guy comes in, that I've seen a couple of times in the hall, sneaking in the room trying not to get caught by Professor Donavan because if you are late, that's a week of detention. He makes it to the back of the classroom not missing a step it was kind of graceful. How could someone be that good at this? Practice. He sits right next to me, and I avoid contact. He's a distraction. I tried hard to pay attention, but my eyes kept wandering back to him. He had dark brown hair and had this bad boy aura, the kind, which made him harder to resist. Everything about him down to his clothes screamed danger. He then passed a note to my desk, You need to go to the bathroom. Something in my head said stay here because you will regret it later. Not listening, I get up and walk out the room.

While I wait, I look at myself in the girl’s bathroom mirror. I’ve never done this before, break the rules having no care about the consequences wasn’t my usual everyday routine. The boy then walks in, as he comes closer my heart began to beat out of my chest. I’ve never had a boy look at me the way he’s staring at me now; I could see it in his eyes he wanted me. But why?

So you do this often, I said coming closer.

Do what? Hook up with girls in the bathroom, no. I could feel him staring me down.

So why do I have a feeling you’re lying, I said staring at him. He smiles.

You really are cute, thinking you can resist me, he said hand touching my shoulder.

Now, don’t you have a big ego? I said arms wrapped around his neck. So what happens next? I feel so alive and beautiful at this moment, and then our lips almost graze, but he pulls back, leaving just the heat of his body behind.

I can’t… I’m sorry you’re better off without me anyway. He stood there dazed face somber, and he was starting to scare me. After a minute of silence, he looked back at me with those oddly consoling brown eyes. I have to go; I’m sorry. He kisses me on the cheek and leaves the bathroom in a hurry. What just happened? What did I do? After a minute of self-hatred, I heard the principal call out from the overhead speakers, Addison Malahory please report to the main office. Great, what now. I walk out of the bathroom going straight to the main office. I've never actually gone to the main office to talk to Mr. Kahn, the principal, I've just seen people get called over the overhead speakers and take the walk of shame to his desk. Okay, here I am in front of the door getting ready to open it when a woman comes out.

You won’t get a dime from my family till you get rid of those creatures. My family lived in Loverscove since it was founded, and I will be darned if I let some monstrosity come in and destroy what my ancestors help make. Loverscove is a dangerous place, sir, so you should know to choose your friends wisely, said the clearly upset women. She then stopped in her tracks eyeing me up and down as if she was disgusted then moved through the halls clicking and clacking in her heels. I walked into the principal’s office uncertain. Inside, I saw Mr. Kahn; his face was as red as fire.

Bad timing, I asked, hoping he would let me turn around.

Have a seat, please! Great, there was no way to turn back. I sat in the seat in front of his desk.

What did I do?

Huh? He got up from his chair heading to the door. Please don’t close it. Please don’t close it. He then closes it heading back to his seat. Crap!

Ms. Malahory you are aware I am friends with your mother? His whole demeanor then changed the once red face, then mellowed, and his frown then lightened.

Just call me Addison and yes, you went to high school with my mother. But, she never told me how you actually met? He then shifted in his chair like my question made him uncomfortable.

That is neither here nor there. I need you to deliver this to your mother. He passed me a small yellow envelope. You need to give this folder to your mother right away. I nod, halfway, understanding.

What exactly is in this folder? He stares at me inquisitively.

You’re just like your mother. Curious, but your curiosity does you no good not in this world. It gets you six feet deep in a satin interior! Heat then rose to my cheeks.

I’m sorry you have the wrong person. I get up from the chair, turning towards the door, and he then grabs my wrist. "Ow! You’re hurting me!" I pull away and fall to the floor. I look up, and I could tell he didn’t mean it, but I didn’t care I had to get out of here. Now! I get up and run out the door. At this time school was over, and everybody was leaving, and then I saw Melissa grabbing her purse out of her locker. I run towards her with relief.

We need to go, I said, trying to catch my breath.

What is going on? You’re acting really psycho chick right now. I wanted to tell her what happened, but at the same time, I don’t really know myself.

I haven’t seen or heard from Tara all day. We need to check on her. That was the only thing I could come up with that would stop Melissa from asking questions.

I’m sure she’s fine … I don’t personally know if that’s what you’re thinking… let’s just change subjects, please.

*

On the walk home, I got a very undesirable feeling from Melissa; I’ve known her long enough to tell the difference between a surprise and a secret. She’s one of my closest friends, the one I look for, to never hide anything from me. She was my confidant, a sister, I could tell things I have never shared with anyone else. I have to know what was so important that she had to keep it from me. Thirteen years of trust and honesty instantly gone like that.

Is it not kind of weird how Tara didn’t come to school today, I said, trying not to sound accusatory or suspicious.

She responded with an irritated voice, Addison, don’t! This clearly has nothing to do with you.

I knew it, I responded back firm, You know something that I don’t, don't you? What ever happen to no keeping secrets, Melissa? I know a lot of things about you that you wouldn’t want to get out. We were right in front of my house, and she set out to start to talk again, but I couldn’t bear to hear what she was going to say so I ran inside. I peeped out the side door window, and I witnessed her walk away with her facial expressions showing that she was sorry, but I don’t care she betrayed my trust.

When I turn around from the window, my father Ryan, was in front of me. Which is odd because I haven’t seen him in the last four years. He handed me one of those false smiles that he gives when he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s anxious. He truly looks the same he still has the short brown hair, deceitful eyes, and the uncanny desire to be young. He walked me into our gourmet kitchen that is so clean you can visualize your thoughts if you look hard enough my mom often said. I think she has a cleaning disorder when it comes to the kitchen since the rest of the house isn’t so spotless.

We sat down at the table, and I asked curiously trying to get through the drama so he can disappear for another couple of years, and I can get back to my so-called life, What are you doing here I haven’t seen you in years. He looked down, and that’s an automatic sign that something is up.

He looks up at me after several seconds, I’m getting remarried, and we found a house close by. I was shocked he cheated on my mother with some slut, and now he’s going to marry her. Even his mother, my Nana, says that this is just some midlife crisis, and he will soon come to his senses. I never believed that I always thought he would never find happiness and continue to go after rich young, thoughtless women, but I’ll give him some credit.

Getting over the initial shock, I said, Close by? You can’t do that! You can’t come back into my life like this and expect everything to be alright, I said, trying to stay steady, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted him gone, and I wanted him gone now.

He began rubbing his hands together as if he was cold, I know you need time to process this but in time, you’ll understand. You just need to look at the bright side and plus you can always just walk across the street to see your old pop. After he said that something fell it sounded like it was coming from the foyer. I got up from my seat, and I guess he thought that was my way to get out of the conversation, so he followed me. We walked into the foyer, and there was my mom with her long brown hair and tedious fashion sense, but her eyes were darker than usual. She had dropped the egg carton that was in her grocery bag, which must have been the noise I heard. She manages to pick up the broken egg shells and stood. Her facial expression said one thing and it was I'm pissed. My dad reached out trying to calm her, but she pulled away. I then swoop in grabbing the groceries, bringing them into the kitchen. Even though I left it still didn't matter, I felt the animosity from here. Then the silence ends.

I’m sorry.

I then hear laughter, it was coming from my mom. Sorry? Sorry, is not supposed to make up for the missed birthdays or the days of remembrance that I spent alone. What happen to you? Before, you would do anything for your family and now ... look at you. I creep into the foyer, and I stood where they couldn’t see me.

It's not like that, and you know it. The one thing I want for my family I can't have, and it haunted me it still does! All the things I know. It was too much. I see Ryan’s face red with emotion he tries to grab her hand, but she pulls away slapping him.

"We were married, and you cheated on me for all these years. I asked myself why. Now I know why because you aren’t a man, a man wouldn’t do this to his family. You are a boy in a grown man’s body because a man would stand by his family no matter what! Everything I had to go through ... but never did I think about