Chapter 19

The Dalton Family, a wealthy respected family in Vanilla Valley, they only associated with affluent households. A Mother, a father, and a daughter, all charming and appealing. They were Christian and went to church every Sunday. Cornelia; the daughter who is immoral and witty parties with sons and daughters of her parents' mobster friends. Of course, Cornelia was only friends with upper class people, she wouldn't even bat an eye at anyone who was considered a proletariat. Me and her never necessarily got along, we would always smile at each other in the hallways, or when our parents were holding clandestine meetings below the first floor of our house, we would sit in the dining room staring at each other, no words exchanged.

Today, school starts again and I have no friends accept for Ian, I've lost everyone. The friends I used to have don't talk to me anymore because I've lost my spot in the upper class hierarchy, the teachers love me though, everything else considered, my life basically imploded. My aunt is my current guardian, and Andrew is sitting at home feening while aunt Becky sits and watches television.
As far as my knowledge goes about my mother, she is still in prison, nobody has payed her bail and she has used her right to remain silent until a court day is suggested and a lawyer is by her side. My aunt has been helping me through the process with a bunch of paperwork and complex issues that fall with my mothers case. We live in a small town, my fathers disappearance was the towns dinner convention for at least 6 months, now however, once word gets out my mother was involved, the town will break in fear, if this case gets too deep or if my mother says too much it could be exposing to my family and could potentially put the Daltons family along with all their other mafia cronies in jeopardy. The only thing investigators need to know is my father abused her, and she murdered him.
That's all.

Me and Ian, both underneath a black umbrella while walking to school. We both want each-other, but we're both so confused.
"Bailey." He mutters, I turn my head towards him and look down at his hands gripping the umbrella with a anxious force.
"Yes?"
Ian sighs,
"I'm really sorry about everything." His voice masks the sound of rain falling off the umbrella and onto the ground. My breath comes out shakily as I consider how to respond.
"I know you are." My eyes meet his again, he moves his to my lips then back to my eyes.
"No. Bailey, I am. The girl I was talking about was an on and off relationship, the days I didn't have you made me reflect and I realized we've been best friends since kindergarten, and there's always been a subconscious part in my mind that told me I liked you more than just a friend. I cannot deny those feelings any longer."
Nodding my head as I count my footsteps, his words seep into my ears. I guess I've always has a subconscious feeling that I liked him more than friends as well.
"Me too." My response is quick and easy. I do really like Ian, but with everything going on I can't loose him as a best friend if we break up.
"So..." Ian's voice trails into a silence. Stopping midway, I grab his hand.
"I love you Ian." He stares into my eyes for a second until he leans his face closer to mine.
"I wanna be more than best friends." He slowly presses his lips against mine and releases after I don't kiss back. He inches back a little.
"Ian. I can't loose you, and right now all I want to be is best friends. Can that be enough for now." Ian nods his head slowly and starts sauntering as I gesture for him to continue walking.
"My family imploded, and all I need right now is tranquility, a boyfriend would be too much." I continue as we leisurely stroll down the side walk.
"I understand, and I am giving you all the time you need, Bailey."
Half-heartedly, I smile.
We arrive at school and set off our different ways without goodbyes.
The walk to school was calm with a concealed epiphany I felt as we took the two final steps together when we arrived at school. I do really like Ian, but I can't have him the same way he wants me, and believe me, it breaks my heart but I think he could do better than me.
"Bailey!" Cornelia welcomes me with her typical avarice.
"Hi, Cornelia."
"You're looking quit monotonous on this rainy inclement day." She smiles through her pearl white teeth.
"I mean it is January, what do you expect, late spring weather?" I respond with an undercurrent of sarcasm and offense.
"What do you want, Cornelia?"
A expression of contempt floods across her phony pride-covered face.
"What I want?" Cornelia scoffs,
"This isn't what I want, it's a demand, you pillock." She grabs my wrists and leads me into a custodian closet.
"For your information, everybody knows that your cretinous mother is in incarceration currently for her doing of your dead father."
I wrench my wrist out of her clutches, and with a strong scowl I raise my eyebrows at her.
"Pardon me?" My tone was severe.
Cornelia scoffs, her arms folded. She bites her lips and inhales as her mouth opens but quickly closes due to reluctance. "Actually never mind," she says, clearing his throat. "I wouldn't want to add to your anxiety."
she nudges me aside and leaves me alone in the closet, her grin forced as she looks back at me.

The school day passed swiftly. I started with trigonometry, then moved on to language arts, human anatomy, modern history 2, lunch, study hall, and psychology. I only have two classes with Ian, trigonometry and modern history, however, we saw each-other in the halls, we took a grace at each-other followed by a half-hearted smile.
My time, however, was the library.
I've enjoyed the library since I was a freshman here; there's a certain warmth that books can provide, with the fragrance of the pages and the distinct spine hues. Reading the summary of numerous books and dissecting the characters was oddly comforting to me.
The rain could be heard through the slender tall glass windows; usually I was there, although people would occasionally come to check in and out books. But I was in the library whenever I could be.
I'd even bring my stuff and study there on occasion.
It was calm and tranquil, which is what I liked about the library, the serenity and peace.