Chapter 2
Drew – Age Seventeen
I scrunch my nose and grumble with frustration, struggling with this science question. I usually excel in math and every other subject, but science—especially physics—is my weakness, which is hilarious considering I do ballet.
“Come on,” I mutter, “Why can’t they put the physics mathematical questions in layman’s terms?”
I groan and drop my pen before dropping my head back, suddenly glad no one else thought coming to the library was a good idea during study period.
I knew senior year was going to be hard. I knew it was going to kick my butt, but not the first freaking week!
I huff, look back at the sheet, and take a deep breath.
Okay, I’ve got this, I… dammit, I don’t have this, I need help.
Shaking my head, I scan the library's top floor – it's completely empty – I grab my phone and pull up my mom’s number—Dad is good at math, but not at physics.
Scrunching my nose again, I press on her number and put my phone to my ear.
Mom and I are not close. She still puts my little sister first, who still wants everything I have, including the newest one, my room.
Mom would have given into it too if Dad hadn’t put his foot down and threatened to divorce her if she continues to treat Elizabeth like she’s made of glass.
She’s spoiled and loves that she gets her own way.
Mom still hasn’t been to one of my shows, breaking my heart but I know where school is concerned she has my back.
Can’t let the good Christian’s daughter look bad now, can we?
“Hey, darling,” Mom answers after three rings and asks, “Shouldn’t you be in class?” and I huff.
“Mom, how do I solve x = Rcosθ, and y = Rsinθ, where R is the radius of the circle, and θ is in radians?” I exasperate without saying hello or answering her question.
If she looked at my schedule, which I put on the fridge next to my ballet schedule, she’d know I have a study period.
She chuckles softly, “Physics again?”
See, this is why I struggle. Mom is sweet as pie—amazing, just set in her ways and Elizabeth can do no wrong. Mom is never there for me unless it’s about schoolwork and I get it. She nearly lost Elizabeth, but she still has me. I’m still around.
Crap. That anger bubbling up—does it mean I sound bitter? The question stings, and the uncertainty unsettles me.
I shake my head. “Yeah,” I reply, “I’ve spent the past forty minutes of study period stuck on this last question, everything else is good, but…”
She chuckles again as I trail off.
"Okay, darling, tell me the whole question, and let's break it down," she begins.
I grab my pen, keep my phone to my ear, and explain, "A particle moves in a circle; its position is given in polar coordinates as x = Rcosθ and y = Rsinθ, where R is the radius, and θ is in radians. From these equations, derive the equation for centripetal acceleration."
For the next ten minutes, Mom explains it in layman’s terms, step by step, until I finally understand, and I sigh with relief, making her giggle.
“I swear if I had gone to Dad with this, he would have just frozen, and I would have kissed valedictorian goodbye,” I mutter as I drop my pen, and Mom agrees, “Yeah, considering your dad is the best mechanic in town, Physics was always his weakness.”
I smile slightly before saying, “Thank you, Mom.”
“Of course, you know you can ring me anytime,” she replies, and I swallow hard.
I can’t, though, can I? Even when I broke up with Drake two days after our Black Beauty show and he told the whole school I had herpes, she wasn’t there.
Instead, she told me I shouldn’t have dated a guy she didn’t vet, just like she hasn’t given me any advice on how to stop Drake from trying to get my attention every day.
He is practically bullying me to the point he’s no longer my partner in ballet and he’s been demoted only making the bullying worse.
Drake didn’t take the breakup well. I ended things respectfully, saying we were better as friends and after trying to embarrass me for a year, he’s now attempting to win me back.
Most likely because he wants the lead role for his senior year.
Ballet of the Arts rarely chooses understudies, which is what he is now.
“I should uh go, I’ve got some more work to do before practice,” I whisper, suddenly feeling cold, not knowing what to say because normally she says it first, and she sighs.
“When is your next show?” she asks, and I swallow hard.
She does this sometimes—gets my hopes up about ballet, only to disappoint me.
“The first one is tomorrow night,” I reluctantly admit, “We’re doing Beauty and the Beast and have raised twenty thousand dollars in tickets, all going to Rose Hill Memorial hospital.”
“I’ll be there,” she swears, and I swallow hard yet again and protest, “Mom,” knowing she won’t be, she never is, and honestly, I don’t think I can take the heartache anymore when she doesn’t show.
“I promise, Drew, I will be there. I think it is about time I see the passion the whole town says you hold when you dance,” she quickly says.
“And what if Elizabeth needs you?” I question quietly.
We both know that as soon as my little sister hears about this, she’ll intervene like she always does. Mom will choose her, while I’ll feel left out and abandoned.
“I think it is about time that I be there for you, darling,” she whispers, “I had a long hard conversation with your father half an hour ago when I went to give him his lunch. He’s helped me realize while I’m trying to make up for the fact I gave birth to your sister ten weeks early, even though it wasn’t my fault, I’ve neglected you.
I haven’t helped you rise to the top with your passion while you are trying to become valedictorian.
I haven’t been there for you when I should have been. I really am sorry, Drew.”
Tears well up and I blink rapidly, fighting to keep them from falling. My voice trembles as I choke out, "I would love for you to be there, Mom, but Elizabeth—she just wants everything I have. If you come, I’m scared she’ll lash out, and I’ll end up heartbroken when I don’t see you there."
“Oh, darling, I am so sorry,” she whispers, “I have failed you miserably, and because I’ve given your sister the mentality that she can do whatever she wants, her lashing out cannot get any worse than screwing your ex-boyfriend in her English class right now.”
I blink, then blink again, Mom’s words shocking me before anger and disgust rush through me at how mean-spirited my little sister can be if she can’t get her own way.
She’s hoping to get my attention and make me jealous, she’s hoping to hurt me. All it has done is piss me off that Elizabeth would give herself to a nasty guy like that, to put herself in danger.
“That’s statutory rape, Mom!” I snap, angry that she’s putting herself in danger, “And Drake is nasty mom, what on earth is she thinking?!”
“She’s thinking that I said no to her buying a new dress worth three thousand dollars so she can win over agents,” Mom replies flatly, and I stutter, “What, I mean, huh?”
She did… not over a dress?
“Yep,” Mom states, “it is the first time I’ve said no. A church parent sent me a recording of her bent over a desk that their son has sent them ten minutes ago.”
“Oh my god,” I whisper in absolute shock, and she sighs, “It’s my own fault really, I never should have babied her. I’ve created a spoiled monster while neglecting my eldest, and I truly am sorry, Drew.”
A few tears fall, and I sniffle as I wipe them away, and Mom sighs again.
"I promise I’ll be there tomorrow, front and center, to cheer you on.
Tonight, I want to talk about Ballet of the Arts.
Your dad showed me the paperwork and I’m proud of you darling.
We should send the down payment, so you don’t lose your spot.
I want you to follow your dreams, I promise I won’t hold you back again. "
Damn.
“Okay,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say because a small part of me doesn’t believe her right now, doesn’t believe the nice side she’s showing.
I sniffle and wipe away the few tears that have fallen, just as the warning bell for lunch rings and Mom sighs.
“Right, you go and get something to eat, I called the police about Drake and your sister. I’ve got to get to your school with your dad, so let's see how she handles that. I love you, darling,” Mom whispers before she hangs up, and I swallow hard.
I want to believe her, I want to think she’ll keep to her word, but years of being pushed back in favor of my little sister, I just can’t.
This time, I won’t get my hopes up—not until she proves it.
Sighing, I pack away my books into my bag before standing. I walk through the quiet library ready to fight through the crowds of students heading to the lunch hall, but as I walk out the door, I halt in surprise at the scene before me.
“You can’t do this, it was consensual, she said yes for fucks sake!” Drake shouts as he fights against the cops who have handcuffed him with his hand behind his back. His shirt is undone, his jeans barely staying up, and I blink.
Holy…
Elizabeth walks down the hallway with a female cop, tears staining her cheeks from embarrassment.
Crap.
Her eyes come my way, and I take a few steps forward, but the cop puts her hand up and says, “Stay back,” and I snap, “She is my little sister!”
The cop nods, but Elizabeth shakes her head and chokes, “I’ll be okay, I’ll see you at home,” and a little bit of pity fills me, something I didn’t think I’d feel for her, especially when she’s done this to hurt me.
Shaking my head, I walk over to her and link my arm through hers, showing her that I’m standing by her despite her mess up, and she sniffles, “I really messed up…” As she leans into me and I hum, not refuting her words.
She knows I’m only doing this because she is my sister, and as soon as our parents come, I’ll head off for practice.
Keeping her head down, Elizabeth allows the cop to guide her towards the principal’s office, and I stay by her side. I know this won’t change her, for about a month, she’ll act like a little princess until she finally gets what she wants again.
I just hope I don’t get burned in her vicious ways, that my heart won’t be broken because she is so set on hurting me and believes the world owes her everything.