Braver Than I Used to Be

Chapter Twenty-Six

The end of the school year was only a week away. Everyone finished their exams and I had completely checked out of anything happening at school.

Class was better without Anita there. It turned out that I had fractured her nose, but she healed up just fine. After the fight, everyone around school was talking about it and how I was just like Ray.

Another thing that happened after the fight was people kind of shunned Anita after they heard what she said. I think my concern with people in school was that they would be harsh or rude to Ray and Victor, but none of that happened. As a matter of fact, there were others that came out shortly after Ray and Victor did.

Ray and I had planned to make a trip to see Lucille for a few days with Victor and Matthew tagging along. We were going to stay in a hotel and the rest of family got their own rooms in the same hotel. We did this so I wouldn't have to encounter my mother at any time.

Being in the same state as her didn't bother me anymore. As long as I didn't have to see her, I was okay. We haven't spoken since the time she told me about the trial. Ray and Matthew did not permit me to call her again. They both said I had made too much progress to let her ruin it again. I didn't want to admit it, but they were right. I had gotten so much better and have learned to let things go easier. I knew if I saw her or tried to call her again, I would have to start the process over again. I didn't want to take away my own happiness.

Our summer was spent with days at the flea market buying useless junk, at the farmers market buying pretty much all of our groceries there and endless trips to the beach. We would spend the weekends at different beaches and there ended up being a lot of sand fights. Most of them were started by Matthew throwing wet sand at me. They usually ended with one of the guys throwing me in the water because I started putting sand in their swimming trunks.

We ended up waiting until the summer to get all of Matthew's things moved in. He just brought the rest of his clothes, his dresser and whatever game systems he had. He left his television and bed behind. We cleaned up his room and that was the end of Matthew living at his parents' house. Luckily my room was big enough for two dressers because he had entirely too much clothes for us to share a dresser. That even after I made him get rid of half of the clothes he didn't wear. Ray and I had this strict rule, if we haven't worn it in six months, it had to go. Matthew was no exception to this rule and he donated about half of his clothes. Ray and I did the same thing and got rid of our stuff too, just like we did every summer.

It was the most relaxing summer I have ever had. I found it amazing how much calmer and easier my life was without my mother breathing down my neck every day. Any time I thought of her or my Uncle I told myself life was too good right now to take myself back to that darkness. I have gotten to the point again where it took me no effort to push these things aside.

On the last weekend of summer vacation, we planned a party at our house. We invited Victor's family, but before they came, it occurred to all of us there was one thing we forgot to do. We forgot to tell Victor's family that he was dating Ray. Half the school was going to be at this party and there was no chance they wouldn't hear about it.

"Mom, Dad, there is something I need to tell you guys." Victor sat his parents down the day before the party and we all sat with him, including Adriana and Vivian.

"Do we need everyone here?" His Mom said to him.

"Yes, I asked them to be here." Victor was sweating profusely.

"Well go on, you're making me worry."

"Ray and I have been seeing each other." He blurted out. I knew from previous conversations that he just wanted them to know now. I had told him when he did tell them, just to say it and not beat around the bush.