Chain Reaction 3.36: Bad Mood

     It's been a few days since that crazy night with Kade. I woke up the next morning in his bed with the biggest headache of my life, wondering how I got there. Then, I remembered. That was the most brainless thing I've ever done. I dated Jarvis for months, and we hadn't slept together. Yet. So, I date this guy once and then hop into bed with him?
      I left before he woke up. I haven't heard from him. Typical guy.

     Well, why should he call me? He got what he wanted, and I feel like a cheap whore.
     My mind reminds me that I also 'got what I wanted,' but I don't want to listen to that. I can't believe how easy I was.
     No more wine for me!

     I still don't hear from Kade for several more days. Most of the time I spend at home with our new cat, Oreo.

     She is the most spoiled cat that ever lived. Mom picked her up at an animal rescue function, hoping having a pet would ease the pain of losing Dad to jail.
     Dad's trial is in a few weeks.

     This afternoon, my phone rings.

     "Hi," I say, nonplussed, after seeing who it is.
     "Hey," he replies, sounding much happier than I do. After a long pause, he asks, "Are you still there?"
     "Yes." And I would've hung up already except that I'm curious about what you have to say.
     "You're just quiet."
     I don't reply.

     "Everything okay? How's your dad?"
     "His trial is set in a few weeks." I still use as little words as possible.
     "I'm sorry you're having to go through that."
     I get mad. "Are you?" I snap.
     "Yeah." Pause. "Do you need me to let you go?" He's misinterpreting my silence.
     "Do you think I need to let you go, Kade?"
     "Uh... Yeah, I do, actually. You're not yourself."
     "You barely know me!" Accusing me of not being myself?!
     "Well, uh, I was hoping to fix that, but you don't sound like you're in a mood where you agree with me."
      I don't like playing the conniving shrew, but he's acting clueless. And that pisses me off. "And why might that be? Huh? How long has it been: 5... 6 days?"
      "It's Friday night. I was kind of hoping... You know what? Never mind." He hangs up on me!
      I turn and throw my phone hard. It hits the wall then slams down on the floor, shattering. I don't care. Instead, I run over to my bed and cry my eyes out.
      Why are all the men in my life abandoning me? My mind reminds me of Ethan, but I'm mad at him still from that argument we had.

     I spend the next few weeks doing nothing but hanging around the house in my pajamas. That is--when I'm not attending Daddy's trial. It's bad. They make him look like a villain in a superhero movie.
     He's convicted--and given a thirty year sentence. He may not live fifteen! And they gave him thirty?!

     Mom comes into my room. "Bella, tell me what's wrong. Is it Dad? Do you want to talk?" She cried for a straight week after Dad's trial. We both did. She, however, recovered enough to function. As for me, I hate my life. I don't know what I want to do; Jarvis broke my heart; I had a one-night stand with Kade and haven't heard from him since; and worst of all: Dad went to jail.
     "It's everything, Mom! There isn't one part of my life that hasn't fallen apart!"
     "That's not true. You have a family that loves you. You have a roof over your head and enough to eat."
     I sigh. Eat. Yeah. I've been doing plenty of that. "And that's another thing! I'm getting fat! How is it that I can be sick to my stomach one minute and starving the next?"

     "And I'm sorry, Mom, but I just can't find a bright spot in any of this. Sure, I have room and board, but I'm not the one earning it, so I feel useless there too." I bite my lip. I don't want to cry again, and lately, I've been able to cry at the slightest thing.
      Mom looks at me with her eyebrows raised in a concerned way, and she comes to sit next to me.

      "Bella, did you and, um, Jarvis, um..."
      Oh, great idea, Mom. Mention Jarvis. Just what I need. I mentally roll my eyes. "Did we what? Break up? Yes. Apparently, he's known Charlotte almost his entire life. She was the one he was trying to get over. Yeah, I was stupid to date a guy who was obviously still hung up on someone."
      Mom blurts out, "Did you sleep with him?"
      My mouth drops. "That's none of your business."
      "Maybe, but answering that question would answer another question I have."
      "No, I didn't sleep with him!" Geez! Butt out!
     Mom breathes a sigh of relief. "Okay. Maybe you could see someone to help you get through all this."
     "I was seeing someone, but he never called me after we..." My face turns red.
     "I meant a psychologist." She pauses, looking at me. "After you what?"

     I take in a deep breath. "Fine, Mom! I slept with a guy I barely knew! Happy now? It was stupid! It's just one more thing to add to the plum-pile of my life."
     Mom lets out a shaky breath. "You need a pregnancy test."
     Shock bowls me over like a locomotive. Oh, plum.

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Sorry to throw something as important as Graham's trial as more of a summary in the midst of Isabella's pity party. I just hate writing those things. Basically, you just needed to know that he's been convicted.
And no, I'm not leaving it at that. For now, however, that has to take a back burner to Isabella's part of the story.

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