Love Is An Action (What Love Is #1)

by Bry Foster

  “To be fair, I probably have said that to him.” I mutter.

  “”Do you not see how huge this is? What if colleges see this interview? This could affect your acceptance.” Liz says. My heart drops and I shake my head.

  “No. Wait. No that wouldn’t…they couldn’t do that, right?”

  “It would be hard to prove that they did it and there weren’t other factors, but I am pretty sure this isn’t good.”

  “But…what about defamation or something?”

  “Didn’t you just say that was a true story.”

  “Ugh. I’m calling Leo. I’ll call you back.” I hang up on her and promptly call the Castille family publicist but he doesn’t answer. Crap, aren’t they like twelve hours ahead of us? I leave him a message detailing my concerns and then get dressed in another new outfit for school.

  This time when we arrive the paparazzi and some local news vans are surrounding the school gates. Luckily Liz, Cash, and I are packed in a blacked out Escalade. I stiffen when I see them and Cash drags me closer to him and kisses my temple. It’s easier to keep my mind off the madness when he’s touching me.

  “Have you ever been in a serious relationship?” I ask him curiously. The thought of Cash being with someone else still disturbs me but in a completely different way than it did before. Now the disgust brings jealousy and pain along with it, but still, I want to know.

  “Not really.”

  “Not really? Or no?”

  “Non. I don’t think so. You?” He asks me.

  I shake my head. “No one really interested me before-“ I cut myself off. His ivy green orbs bore into mine.

  “Before?” He whispers urging me with his eyes. Before I have to say anything else we stop in front of the school and one of the security guards opens the back door for us so that we all pile out.

  What would I have said anyway? Are we in a relationship? Do I want to be in a relationship with Cash? The answer comes to me so quickly I almost fall over at the realization.

  Yes.

  I need to talk to him about this before I lose my nerve.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The snickering is starting to get to me. I feel like every time I walk down the halls people are pointedly staring at me and laughing at me. Marley walks up to me and I roll my eyes.

  “I’m not in the mood today Evans.”

  “Poor Penny. I would be upset too if my fiancé’s ex was bashing me all over Europe too.” I furrow my eyebrows.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about the text messages and emails that Demetria Leblanc put out. It’s all over the blogs. You should really start to keep up with what’s written about you.” She says with fake sympathy but the contempt there is real. My heart stops.

  “Cash doesn’t have any serious exes.” She grits her teeth. I guess that hurt her feelings.

  “Ask around if you don’t believe me. Sucks doesn’t it?” Marley asks before shouldering passed me. She’s crazy and obviously trying to get me worked up. Then why has my heart slowed to unhealthy levels? I suddenly don’t feel so well. This is exactly why I didn’t want to get attached to Cash in this way in the first place. I knew he was too much of a player to be able to stick to one girl. Especially one he hasn’t slept with. I had an inkling before that fact was the only reason he’s remained so invested in me and now that fear has been confirmed in my mind. I should have kept him in that little friendship bubble and left him there. Now I’ve started to actually feel affectionate towards him to find that he lied to me.

  I slowly walk to my locker where I pull out my newly replaced phone and try to google the messages. Before I find anything someone comes up behind me. I know who it is without even facing him. My body still lights up with him in my presence.

  “I have to discuss something with you.” My heart drops and I feel my face twist.

  I already heard about your little escapades Cashel. Cheating is still cheating even if the girl you’re communicating with is on another continent.” At his dumbfounded expression I push on. “Marley already told me about your little messages between you and your ex.” His eyes flash at that.

  “Really? Back to her are we? Maybe I should just be with her then huh? Maybe then you wouldn’t have to worry about whatever obsession it is that you have with her.”

  “Me!” I exclaim angrily. “You know what¸ maybe you should. You big cheating bastard! How sad must it be to not be able to just be happy with one freaking girl?”

  “Guys what’s going on?” Liz asks.

  “Your friend was just projecting all of her insecurities on me.” That hurt more than it should of. Probably because it was the truth.

  “My insecurities have nothing to do with you not being able to keep it in your pants! And on top of that, you lied to me about even having serious relationships before. Yet I find out about you texting a serious ex.” I know everyone has stopped to watch this but I can’t stop.

  “Cash, you didn’t.” Liz sighs.

  “No. I didn’t. And if your mouthy little friend here would shut it for just a second I could explain.” He grits out as he pushes a hand roughly through his hair.

  “You don’t need to explain anything to me. I’m over this. I’m over you. I’m done.” I start to walk away and Cash jumps in front of me. I guess we have two different fight or flight instincts.

  “No matter how hard you try to push me away, I know that you know better. You know that I care about you. Because everything I’ve shown you up to this point says so. When you’re ready to hear me out I will explain to you why what you’re showing me is irrational. My actions speak volumes for how much I care about you. And your actions show me that you care too. That mouth of yours doesn’t scare me off because your body tells me all I need to know.” To emphasize his point, he gestures between us so that I look at the way my body curves towards him. How harsh my breathing is and he can’t see the rhythm of my heart but it’s frantic pace terrifies me.

  He backs away from me but not before boring his sage eyes into mine. I think he sees my soul. My fractured, scared soul. The feeling of his eyes on me like this makes my chest feel so light and heavy at the same time. I’m unable to tear my gaze from his until his eyes leave mine.

  Liz and I walk out of the school and climb into the back of the Escalade. She’s only quiet until the car pulls out of the lot. “You always do this.”

  “Do what, Liz?” I know the answer, but maybe I need to hear it from someone else.

  “Whenever you start to feel something, anything, get close to anyone, you say or do whatever you can to distance them from you and it isn’t fair to anyone. Not just you.” She stops talking to shake her head as she grips her bag while we weave around the few standing paparazzi and the school security guards at the gate. “I don’t even think that you understand that you hurt yourself more than anyone else! I know that this can be scary but, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. It’s time to grow up, Khloe. We graduate next month. Have you even begun looking into colleges? Or filling out applications? Have you been taking any steps at all to prepare for a future outside of taking care of your dad and bitching at Cash for having a life when you refuse to even tell him how you feel about him?”

  I am stunned. Liz almost never talks to me like this and when she does, I know that it comes from a place of love but, right now it feels like another attack to me. It stings. I feel like a hornets nest just landed in the car and all of her words are small stingers to my chest. I almost put a hand over it but I stop myself, even as tears gather at the bottom of my eyelids. We stay quiet in the car until we arrive at her house. If only she knew how much I was actually doing for my future.

  When we pull into Liz’s driveway, I feel like my day has gone to shit. And I have no one to blame but myself for my mood. We climb out and head in to the house. Jasmine and Tomas sit on the couch. Making out. Like teenagers.

  “Ew!”

  “Oh my gosh.”

 
“Don’t you have a room?” Liz squeals again. I turn away and cover my mouth. To keep in the laugh or keep down the vomit? I’m not sure. This is kind of hilarious, in a gross way.

  “Hey, this is my house okay? Besides, you both could have continued to your room, like mature young ladies.”

  “Says the mother making out like a teenager on the living room couch?” Liz counters. I turn a laugh in to a cough. Liz gives me the stink eye before looking back towards the couch. Tomas’ cheeks are red as tomatoes as he fixes his shirt which is way passed wrinkled. I tap Liz with humor still in my eyes.

  “Let’s just give them some time alone.”

  “I think they’ve had enough time alone.” I think I may burst at the seams trying to contain this laughter. She starts to crack a smile too. “Fine, let’s get out of here. I’m sure we can find-“

  She is cut off by the sound of my phone ringing. I frown and pull it out of my pocket. My heart speeds at the idea that Cash is on the other line wanting to talk to me. I am disappointed to see that the call is from an unknown number. I pinch my lips and then slide my thumb across the green phone icon to answer the call.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello. Is this Khloe Hudson?” A woman says from the other end of the line. My heart thuds with adrenaline. Dread pulls at the pit of my stomach.

  “Yes it is. May I ask who I am speaking to?” Liz taps me and I mouth that I don’t know who it is.

  “Miss Hudson, this is Barbara Scott. I’m a nurse at Jackson Memorial. I was calling to inform you that your father, Darrell, arrived a few moments ago after an accident at work.” I put a hand to my chest in concern.

  “Oh no. Is he okay?” My voice is barely above a whisper. My heart starts to thump in an accelerated rhythm and I try not to spew questions at her.

  “He twisted his ankle pretty bad. We have him on an IV to hydrate him; however, he is being a bit combative.”

  “I’m on my way.” I tell her before I hang up and look at Liz. “I need you to drop me off at Jackson Memorial.”

  “Sure. What’s going on?”

  “Is everything okay?” Jasmine gets up from the couch to come towards me. She worries her lip as she looks at me.

  “My father is there. He had some kind of accident and he is giving the staff a hard time. I’m sure it’s nothing.” I say but my voice is a little shaky. Liz pushes me towards the door.

  “We’ll see you later mom.” She calls over her shoulder as we bolt out of the door. Liz guns it to the hospital. I would probably be afraid of the way she is driving if I was not so caught up in the idea of what kind of trouble my father has gotten himself in to. We arrive at the hospital about ten minutes later and head to the reception desk to have them search for my father’s information. We get on the elevator and head up to the floor he is on and easily find him behind a curtain arguing with a nurse and a doctor. My father is sitting up on the bed as a small nurse in purple scrubs adjusts some velcro on his foot. As I was told, an IV pole stands next to his bed.

  “I don’t need all this, okay. I am fine. Nothing is wrong!” He states angrily. The doctor looks at me. I have never been so relieved to hear my father arguing with anyone in my life. I feel like I take the first lungful of air since I got the call from the hospital.

  “You are?”

  “Khloe. I’m his daughter.” The sound of my voice makes my father turn around. He is in his dirty blue navy work shirt and I can smell him from here. Liz stands to my left slightly behind me. I am glad to have her here for support because the look of all of this surpasses embarrassment and leads me straight to anger.

  “Get out of here! Just like I told these bastards-“ He gestures angrily to the hospital staff. “I am fine.” His eyes are blood shut and his hair is so tangled they are well on the way to being dreadlocks.

  “Ms. Hudson?” The doctor walks over to me and sticks his hand out. “I am Dr. Lee.”

  “You want to put as little pressure possible on it-“ The nurse starts going over the education of what looks to be a brace on my father’s leg.

  “Yes?” I say to the doctor as I stick my hand out.” His grip is firm and his hands are a little more rough than I was expecting. I guess if you wash them so often they become dry.

  “Your father was brought in by ambulance after he had a workplace accident.” My stomach drops.

  “He went to work like this?” I glance back over at my father who is still arguing with the nurse. He is heavily disheveled and smells like he has not bathed in a few days. This is really not professional. I would not be surprised if they sent him home simply because his B.O. was turning customers away and giving coworkers a headache.

  “Yes. He said he was using some kind of machinery and stumbled off. An ambulance was called a couple of hours ago to get him.”

  “He’s been here for a few hours already? Why didn’t anyone contact me sooner?”

  “Well usually the process is only to inform a family member if the situation is serious. He refused to call anyone and he is not a minor. We knew that he would not be able to drive. So, we made a call for someone to pick him up. Your number was the only one he had in his wallet.” I wonder where the hell his new girlfriend is and why she was not called. Then I remember that I put a sticky note over his driver’s license in his wallet with my cell number soon after Cash gave it to me. Cash. Even with everything going on with my dad I still have not stopped thinking about him. In fact, I wonder if he is off somewhere right now hating my guts for being such a wench.

  I nod. “Well, my friend Liz,” I turn gesturing to her. She waves her hand at the doctor. “Has a car so she can help me get him home. What’s his diagnosis?” I ask.

  “He has a severely twisted ankle. He will probably need crutches for a little while to keep him from putting too much pressure on it too often. He should keep it elevated. The blood flow may cause a bit more pain if his foot is not at waist level often enough. We prescribed him some pain medication as well.” I will have to hide the medication when we get home. I am certain that no pain meds go well with alcohol. I nod my head and thank the doctor as he leaves. The nurse leaves soon after him, giving me a smile that screams pity.

  I walk over to my father who is climbing out of the bed on his own. Without the crutches. He flinches when his foot touches the ground. He has on one black work boot and the other foot only has a long sock and a foam boot.

  “Dad. You should use the crutches.” He glares up at me through blood shot eyes. The closer I get to him, the more I want to cover my nose.

  “I don’t need you to tell me what to do. You have a real problem remembering which one of us is the parent here don’t you?”

  “You have no idea.” I say as I glance back at Liz. She has yet to say anything, just observing the dysfunctional relationship between my father and I.

  “Did they give you any discharge papers yet, Darrel?” Liz asks him. My father nods in a jerky fashion.

  “Yeah. Just took ‘em.”

  “Well, let’s get out of here.” I say. I am ready to get him home before I strangle him. I guess I cannot be too upset with him for getting hurt at work. I am sure workplace injuries happen often enough. But, he is responsible for his own hygiene. He smells of must and smoke.

  My dad grits his teeth as he hobbles past us. I roll my eyes and grab his crutches.

  “You have to wait for them to bring you a wheel chair.” I say.

  “I don’t need no damn wheelchair.”

  “It’s customary that all patients leave the hospital in one.” I argue. The frustration and anger in my voice makes it quiver. Dad whips around to argue with me more when someone moves the curtain aside so that they can roll in a chair. The man is tall, pale, and kind of bulky. I would like to see my father argue with him. Without much discussion, the orderly helps my father in to the chair and helps us out of the hospital where we load my father up and the orderly takes the chair back in. My father grunts in response to all of my questions concerning what happened a
nd what the owners are doing to right the wrong of an employee being hurt on the job. I can’t hear much anyway due to the music and the wind ripping through the cracked windows to minimize the odor of my father. When we get closer to the house he suddenly speaks.

  “Take me to Pat’s.” He demands instead of asking, catching me off guard. I have been looking at my phone every two minutes to see if Cash has called or text me and I just missed it. No such luck. I want to text him first but I am not sure what to say. Sorry for being a jerk? Sounds a little absurd.

  “You are coming home dad.” I say so Liz doesn’t have to.

  “I don’t want to go back to all that crap.” He grunts sounding like a toddler.

  “Oh, but it’s okay for me to live there?” I argue as we get closer to home. Liz looks stiff and uncomfortable. I can’t blame her. My dad has the tendency to throw or break things when he is upset.

  “Whatever.” He replies lamely. “Where’re my pills?” He asks when we pull in to the parking lot of our apartment complex. I climb out at the same time he tries to but it takes him a little longer.

  “I didn’t get them.” I say. He slams the door roughly as I walk around to the other side and remove my father’s crutches.

  “What the hell do you mean you didn’t get ‘em?”

  “I am not getting you medication so that you can take them with liquor and kill yourself.” I tell him. His blood shot eyes narrow as he glowers at me.

  “You got some damn nerve trying to tell me what I can and can’t do! I want them pills! My damn foot hurts.” I rush around to the other side of the car, glowering back at him.

  “Then use the damn crutches! If you would listen to the doctor’s maybe you would be better off but you’re so damn stubborn-!”

  “Who do you think you’re talkin’ to?”

  “Hey, hey! Every one calm down.” Liz says as she steps between us before moving me back a little so that my father and I are no longer in each other’s personal space. Adrenaline pumps through my blood fueling it like oxygen to a flame. I am so angry. I should not have to deal with this. I did not ask for any of this.