Thirteen - "Hold My Rings"

                                    

                                          
Jennifer:
                          
So after a fifteen minute debate on whether to watch Ice Road Truckers or Say Yes to the Dress, the trucking show won. My mother was not amused by this, but personally I didn't mind whatever we watched.
                          
 The three of us sat on the couch directly facing the television, my parents on either side of me. I always lived for these moments when both of them were finally home from work and we could just sit in this cozy silence, with the exception of the blaring television.
                          
"I don't understand this, so we just watch them driving on the ice?" mom questioned.
                          
"Honey, this is a lot more complex. It's hard enough driving a truck, imagine having to do it on ice. Plus there's a lot of backstory about their lives if you really listen. Much better than watching people pick out dresses," that was my dad. Mom scoffed at his remark. 
                          
She turned away her gaze from the television and looked at me. I could feel her eyes boring through the side of my head. Her mouth and eyes were drooped and clearly she wanted to say something but didn't know how.
                          
"What is it mother?" I asked, my eyes still stuck on the truck that was tipping over on the screen. That's gotta hurt. 
                          
"Why won't you tell us about what happened at school? If your principal thought it was important enough for her to call us then it must be a big deal". Dad turned down the TV volume and I already knew that if both of them were going to be pestering me about this, it was going to be difficult trying to wiggle out of it. Caving in would be the much easier and less time consuming route. I let out a huge sigh.
                          
"You really wanna know what happened?" they both nodded. I sighed again. "Jason invited me to sit with him at lunch along with a bunch of his friends"
                          
"Who's Jason?" my dad said as he sat up straight in his seat. His face had turned red.
                          
"Honey I told you about him. He's the young man who came here on the weekend to do a project with Jennifer. He also drove her to and from school today. Such a nice boy," said mom. Dad just nodded, but his fists were clenched. They told me to continue. I told them most of what happened at Jason's table, omitting all my comments about them biatches and bastards. I wasn't about to curse in front of my parents. My explanation ended at the part where Jules came over to talk to me. 
                          
"So you don't like him, that doesn't give you the right to slap him if he was just talking", mum said as she through me a quizzical.
                          
"He um... He tried to kiss me", I confessed. 
                          
"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry", said mom as she rubbed circles on my back.
                          
"There's nothing to be sorry about here. I'm proud of my baby girl for sticking up for herself", dad got up and gently kissed my forehead. He left the room and went to the kitchen, probably to go get a beer. I was trying to decide whether or not he'd be within earshot of us before I spoke.
                          
"It's okay mom. That wasn't even the worst part of my day", I sighed. Thinking back to that moment in the pizza place just made my stomach flip. But the weight and effect of it all was so overwhelming I just had to let it out somehow. 
                          
Maybe telling someone else would help me understand what was going on in my brain.I wanted to tell Asha, but I just ignored all her texts because I thought she'd just be rubbing a big "I told you so" in my face. Mom didn't say anything, but her furrowed brows and tight lips told me she was concerned and most importantly ... all ears. 
                          
"I forgave Jason since he was the one who incited the whole Jules incident. I said he had to make it up to me somehow, so we went to get pizza at some place in town. The pizza was good and all, we were getting along just fine.