Chapter 20

       I was honestly hoping school would never end for once because after school, I was going to Orchid's house. And her dad was home. So after today, my funeral was probably going to take place.

       Orchid wanted me to go over so I could stop blaming myself for the car crash, but it wasn't going to be easy with Grayson there. At least Orchid told me her mom was fine with me going there. Too bad her dad hated my guts just because he hated my dad's guts.

       I had to admit, I was pretty much stalling after school so I wouldn't have to go to her house right away. However, since I was going to be driving Orchid to her house, she easily found out that I was stalling.

       "Are you just going to keep pretending you're looking for something in your locker?" Orchid asked.

       "I'm not pretending," I said. "I really can't find my, uh....history textbook."

       "You don't have a history class," Orchid said. She then sighed and closed my locker before taking my hands in hers. "You have nothing to worry about."

       "I have to worry about your dad," I said. "He hates my guts."

       "He's just being childish," Orchid said. "Seriously, you already met my family and they love you because of everything you've done for us, mainly Nolan. You saw how grateful my dad was. You know, until he found out who you're the son of."

       "Yes, so he hates my guts and I probably shouldn't go near your dad," I said.

       "My dad will get over it," Orchid said. "Eventually. Besides, I want you to finally see how we're not blaming you for the car crash at all. Now come on." She probably knew I was going to find a way to stall again, so she pulled me out of the school and to the car.

       We got in the car and I was going to stall again, but Orchid decided to grab my keys out of my hand and started up the car herself.

       "I will drive this thing if I have to," Orchid said. 

       "Wouldn't you rather come hang out at my house?" I asked. "You haven't really met my family yet."

       "Atticus, I told you why I want you to come over," Orchid said. "Trust me, it will be fine."

       I sighed before pulling out of the driveway, then heading to Orchid's house. When I pulled into the driveway, I turned off the car before we both got out. After locking the doors, I stood by the car but Orchid grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front door.

       "Just to warn you...." Orchid said before opening the front door. "Tulip is going to go a little crazy seeing you."

       I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why?"

       I soon got my answer when Orchid and I walked into the house. Tulip was sitting in the living room with Alan, Rose, William, Jerome, and Nolan. Nolan was sitting on the loveseat beside Jerome with his wheelchair beside it. It was the first time I had ever seen Nolan out of his wheelchair since the car crash, and I still felt guilty about it.

       Tulip was colouring on a piece of paper before she looked over. She gasped loudly, then started squealing. "My ship! My first time seeing my ship dating! I'm so happy I can faint!"

       Orchid's family was downright crazy.

       "Ooh, please faint," Alan said. "Then we wouldn't have to deal with you being annoying."

       "You're just jealous because you're not one of my ships," Tulip said.

       "That's because I don't have a girlfriend," Alan said.

       "And who's fault is that?"

       "Just shush and colour on your paper."

      "Where's Mom and Dad?" Orchid asked.

      "Mom is in the kitchen, and Dad is u--" Alan was cut off when Grayson came down the stairs.

      "Right here," Grayson said, immediately glaring at me. "I, apparently, have no say in who comes over, but I am setting a few rules. You're not allowed in Orchid's room at all, even if the door stays open. You have to stay where I can see you."

       "Dad," Orchid said, but she was cut off when Poppy walked out of the kitchen.

       "Grayson, stop being so strict," Poppy said.

       "I'm not," Grayson said. "Those have always been the rules, Orchid. I'm not changing them. I don't want any of my children's boyfriend or girlfriend in the room with them, even if the door stays open."

       "Uh, Jerome is allowed in my room," Nolan pointed out. "With the door closed."

       "Yeah, and they've been sharing a bed since Jerome moved in here," Orchid said.

       "Uh, because neither of them are going to get pregnant," Grayson said.

       "Yes, because I brought Atticus over just so we could have unprotected sex and I could get pregnant," Orchid said.

       Grayson did not seem happy Orchid said that, and I was honestly trying my best not to laugh, or even smile.

       "You better not be having that," Grayson said.

       "Says the one with seven kids," Orchid said.

       "Who waited until he was nineteen."

       "So? I'll be eighteen this year."

       "Not happening."

       "Nolan was fifteen. And you basically praised him when you found out. That's sexist."

       "It's not sexist when he can't get pregnant."

       "That is sexist."

       "No, it's because he's gay."

       "Oh, so you're a homophobe now?"

      "How is that homophobic?"

      "Oh, my bad. It's heterophobic."

      "Orchid, I'm a hetero."

      "He's Smythephobic," Alan spoke up.

      "That, I'll agree too," Grayson said.

      Poppy sighed. "How about you get started on dinner? Atticus, would you like to stay for dinner?"

      "And feel even more awkward?" I asked. "I would love to."

      "I like his sarcasm," Jerome said. "Grayson, my man, how can you hate him?"

      "Reasons," Grayson said before heading to the kitchen.

       "I'm sorry about him," Poppy said.

       "It's okay, I guess," I said. "My dad is the same way about Orchid. Probably not to that extent, but I do feel the feud at home."

       "It will pass soon," Orchid said.

      "I honestly doubt it," Poppy said. "I've been with Grayson since the start of the feud, and the whole thing is childish, but I doubt it's going to end when it's been going on for eighteen years."

       "It's funny," Alan said.

       "Not for me," Orchid said. "You don't have to date one of the children of Dad's 'mortal enemy'."

       "It's still funny," Alan said. "I'm just happy I won't be dating someone Dad hates."

       "You know, I'm really feeling better about this," I said sarcastically.

       Orchid just shrugged before leading me over to the couch so we could watch TV with everyone else.

       "Jerome, I'm hungry," Nolan said.

       "Your dad is making dinner," Jerome said.

       "But I'm hungry," Nolan said. 

       "Fine, what do you want?"

       "Food."

       "Obviously. I mean what food?"

       "Anything edible."

       "That makes it easy." Jerome got up and headed to the kitchen before coming back with a bowl of chips and handing it to Nolan.

       Nolan smiled brightly before giving Jerome a kiss, and that smile honestly was enough to lift some of the weight off my shoulder. Seeing Nolan in his in home really did make me feel less guilty about him being paralyzed. He wasn't letting it affect him at all.

       Maybe I could actually stop feeling guilty for once.

___________________

Orchid is my Queen. <3

I honestly don't even know what to put in this author's note, apart from the fact that I'm hungry but it's too late for me to go downstairs to eat. :(

So, I shall go sleep away the hunger.