A Beautiful, Terrible Love by Lucky 97 (books for 9th graders txt) 📖

to move to Hollywood, for the paparazzi was really annoying my neighbors. Every day, our phone rang off the hook, fan letters were delivered in sacks to my door, and people dogged us every day at our tiny house. My mom hid herself in the laundry room every day, where there was no windows, and made her candles in there. Sadie, on the other hand, was off every day with Jack, staying away from the fan-infested house for as long as she could. Mom asked about Sadie many times while she was out, but I had nothing to say. It was Mom's fault for not noticing the diamond engagement ring on Sadie's finger. And the neighbors, who moved here for peace and quiet? They probably were going to sue me if I didn't leave, and take the popularity with me.
Because Dex and I had abruptly broken off our record deal when he suddenly ditched me with Serena, the CD had never been finished. However, the staff had been patching together the pieces, and they had released the five-song (originally twelve-song) CD to the public. It was an immediate smash hit, and money was pouring in so fast we were soon swimming in it. I could now afford things I had only dreamed about before, a new car, a room of my own, and most importantly, a house in Hollywood. People were calling me from all over, requesting me to sing their songs or have a concert in some place far away from home. I didn't really understand that. I had only FIVE songs out, all of them duets with Dex, and they wanted me to have a concert with those? It always made me want to laugh.
Anyways, I was seriously considering, when I graduated, to become a professional singer, for that seemed to be the most money-making option there was. I needed to embrace my newfound popularity instead of pushing it away like I was so good at doing. A normal life might not be an option for me anymore.
I swung my tanned legs over the side of the bed, my feet making contact with the floor. Grabbing a ponytail holder with my manicured nails, I grabbed my tangled and messy hair and pulled it back into a ratty bun. Pieces of my long hair trailed down my back, accidentally left out of my simple design. However, I didn't care. I was going to take a shower soon. Last night I had been too tired to do anything except crawl into bed. It had taken a ton of work to heft Peter into his own car, driving him home, and calling his dad so he could help. I supposed that he would be in a bunch of trouble, but there was nothing I could do to prevent it. In fact, telling his parents would probably help him in the long run.
Squinting as my eyes adjusted, I spotted a thick piece of paper as it lingered on my dresser. I snatched it, my eyes widening as I noticed what it was.
An invitation... to Sadie's wedding?! And two days after our birthday? That's only two weeks away. I supposed, though, that they would have to have it sometime. Might as well be sooner rather than later.
However, being the procrastinator she was, she probably had not told Mother yet.
Sadie entered the room, her golden hair shining in the meager light, her eyes widening when I waved the invitation at her. "Planning on inviting me?" I lazily asked, holding it up. She just looked at me, not comprehending, then understanding dawned on her.
"Oh. The wedding," she said, "yeah, well... I was afraid you would rat on us."
Just goes to show how much my own sister trusts me.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Thanks, Sadie. Have you told Mother?" I asked in retaliation. Her face grew pale, betraying the expected answer.
"Maybe, maybe not," she said, although we both knew that meant no. I grinned.
"Come on, I'll help you," I grabbed Sadie's arm with all my strength, forcing her with me out of the room. In the process, I rather felt sorry for her, but she deserved it for not giving me an invitation.
Jack was standing at the bottom of the stairs, his face crinkled in confusion as I plowed towards him, Sadie in tow. I smiled sweetly at Jack. "I just convinced Sadie to tell Lou that you two are getting married. Look at her smile!"
Judging by the grimace Sadie showed, it wasn't hard to tell that I was lying. However, Jack didn't seem angry at me for making her. "I've been trying to get her to tell Ms. Valencia for a while now," he said, cautiously tucking his shirt into his jeans, "I told her that if we waited too late, we would be worse off."
"Listen to your boyfriend, Sadie," I laughed, "he's smarter than you are." Sadie said nothing in reply, conforming to our will. She seemed to accept her fate, her head drooping slightly, waiting for the inevitable. Jack was busy preparing himself, his composure morphing from a tough bad boy into a perfect gentleman.
We entered the living room, Lou lifting her eyes to mine. She was reclining on the sofa, watching TV as usual. Her mouth was bent in a frown, her majestic hair splayed over the pillows. She was wearing a mildly skimpy nightgown, the dress reaching to her mid-thigh, the front reaching down into a V-neckline. As she took us in, her frown deepened,
"Who are you?" she asked roughly, half asleep. The sun peeked out from the surface of the crystal waters as it quietly rose above the lake. It illuminated the window, making it glow with energy, the soft yellow creeping through to shine on my face.
Jack blinked once, then smiled enchantingly. He slipped Lou's hand into his own, invoking a strangely satisfied sigh from her. "I am Jack," he said, "and I am Sadie's boyfriend," He leaned down, bringing her delicate hand to his lips. Carefully, he placed a gentle kiss on her hands. "I am so honored to have such a beautiful mother in law."
I winced on the inside. Jack was not supposed to say that first. Lou looked at him, suddenly losing all her weariness, focus regaining in her eyes. "Mother in law?" she asked, fire alight, "are you two MARRIED already? But you are both too young!"
I could tell Jack was mentally slapping himself. Being the perfect gentleman seemed to be rather hard for a man like him. "I'm sorry, Ms. Valencia," he quickly apologized, "I meant to say future."
"FUTURE?" she roared, "So you two are getting married soon? And you didn't tell me?"
"Yes ma'am," he nodded regally, his head bowed a little in shame. This actually wasn't too horrible. I had predicted that she would throw something.
"Mom," Sadie interludes, "it is not Jack's fault. I'm the one that said for us to get engaged first then get your permission. He wanted to tell you right off. So please, don't get angry at Jack," She disconnected herself from me, walking to Jack's side.
"Why would you not want to tell me?" she was visibly shaking, her anger clearly directed at Sadie now. Her hair was flying now, the static electricity building up in it until some pieces flew straight up.
"Because you might act like this," Sadie stated plainly, watching the anger spurt out of Lou. She always had a terrible temper.
"Please, Ms. Valencia," Jack pleaded, "am I not suitable for your daughter? I can take care of her, and I promise to love her for the rest of my life. What else would you want in a suitor?"
Lou opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Jack smiled at her encouragingly, "We will be happy. Isn't that what you want for us?" His words rang true. Lou sat, stone still, while she considered. Shock seemed to be overtaking her, the effect finally hitting home.
"Sadie..." she whispered, "gone..."
Jack stepped close to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She will not be gone. I will keep her right here. I've gotten a job in these parts so I could stay in this area."
"When?" she croaked, suddenly looking twenty years older.
"Two days after my birthday," Sadie uttered, her voice weaving its way towards Lou's ears.
"WHAT?!" Lou incredulously screamed, her voice growing raspy. However, I could tell that she was breaking, and eventually they would get her permission. I crept away, not willing to witness that battle. No matter how weak Lou would become, she would still have a barrage of ear-piercing yells, stubborn words, and scathing remarks. Not exactly what you would call fun to watch.
I crept back to my bedroom, laying down on the comforter that soothed my skin. I feebly tried to deny it, but soon I gave up. There was no doubt about it.
I... I missed him.
As I watched Sadie and Jack fight with Mom I, on the inside, rather envied them. I almost wanted it to be Dex and I waging a war with the monster, fighting for permission to get married. I wanted to touch his hair, to weave my fingers in-between the ruby red strands once more. His kisses still remained, imprinted in my memory forever, my desire for them rampaging within me. All I had to do was call him. Say that I forgave him. If I did so, he would come for me, and we might live a happily ever after.
But some strange force stopped my hand as it reached for the phone. Maybe it was my pride. My jealousy, maybe, from him being with another. I truly had no idea.
It was up to Dex.
My hand finally grabbed the phone, but it was not Dex whose number I punched in. The cord stretched as I pulled it to my ear, the rings echoing inside my head. He eventually answered, his voice rough and pained.
"Eve?" Peter asked, his tone of defeat.
"Yes," I said softly. There was a small, awkward pause, and I asked, "Are... you okay?"
"Yeah," he whispered, almost a low grunt.
"Are your parents' angry?" I questioned.
"Well, yes, but they seem to understand me. I ended up telling them everything. It takes some weight off my back, you know?" He said lightly, but then his voice adopted a darker tone. "I'm going to go to rehab after the end of my senior year," he said softly, hearing my gasp as my emotions spurted through the phone to his ears. "I need it," he quickly comforted me, reassuring me that everything was okay, "I need to get my life straight."
There was a silence, one that seemed to stretch for ages, then everything began to spurt out of him. "Eve, I'm so sorry. I feel so guilty, and I know that if Dex didn't come, I would have done even more. Please, Eve, tell Dex thank you," he requested, the tears he was crying not visible, but sensed through his emotional words and sniffles.
"I... can't," I emitted, barely above a whisper. Peter's words rang in my head over and over, almost impossible to believe, but yet so obvious. I would have done more. It seemed strange that, even when he was under the influence, he would do something like that. My heart sank when I remembered that the same thing happened to Dex... except that he didn't have a knight in shining armor to rescue him.
"Oh Eve," he said, "you didn't have a fight with Dex over that baby issue, did you?" My silence betrayed the answer, and he groaned. "Eve, I don't really know Dex, but I do know him enough to safely say that he is a good man. He regrets his earlier