Animal Attraction

The next morning I woke up happy for about half a second before I remembered who was here. I sat up straight and saw Angie sleeping on the floor with a bunch of blankets under her. The sun that peeked through my window relaxed me. I stayed in the quiet of the morning for just a couple of minutes before Angie woke up. She whined that it was hard to sleep when she wasn’t sleepy at all.

Time change was going to be hard for them, good. I got up and went downstairs to talk to my mom. She was up and making breakfast already. She smiled towards me.

“They can’t stay here.” I said.

“Erin, they are your family.” She whispered as if they were listening.

“They are not my family, mom. Family comes for holidays and send presents for birthdays and know each other’s existence and to them I didn’t and I was so much happy back then.” I growled.

“Your father has a right to see you.” She said.

“I didn’t want to see him. I don’t care about him.”

My mom gave he a hard look and she looked over my shoulder and her eyes softened. I turned around to see who it was and sure enough, Landon was standing there with a hurt look on his face.

“Morning.” He said.

I felt my face get hot red. I turned back to my mom.

“Morning, Landon.” My mom said.

“Sorry I didn’t get you see you last night, Lois.”

“It’s all right. I get here late a lot.”

“Good morning, Erin.” Landon said.

“Hmm.” I said.

I walked out of the kitchen and raised upstairs. I never thought I would miss school as much as I did then, anything to get away from all of those people. I felt bad. I didn’t want to feel bad but Landon had not done anything to deserve what I said. Sure, he wasn’t there for any thing for me but at least he kind of cared because there was never a month when a check didn’t come.

Angie hogged the bathroom and I banged on the door.

“You can not just hog it, Angela.” I said as I shifted from side to side.

“It’s Angie.” She growled.

“Same difference!” I hissed lowly.

“Not until you say my name right.”

“What is going on?” Margaret’s voice came from the side.

I smiled internally and put on a desperate look. “I really have to go bathroom and Angie has been inside there for half an hour.” I lied she had only been there like five minutes.

Margaret knocked on the door. “Angie, sweetie, let Erin, you’ve been there a long time.”

“But--”

“No but’s, you need to get out now.” Margaret said as she raised her voice.

I kept up the act until Angie opened the door and her blonde hair was everywhere. She sent me a death glare as we passed each other. I locked the bathroom and did my business. I washed my hands and then splashed some water on my face. I dried my face and hands and walked out of the bathroom. Angie was leaning against the wall from across the door.

“What kind of house only has one bathroom?” Angie walked past me and ‘accidentally’ bumped shoulders with me.

“The kind that’s humble.” I spat at her.

I went to my room and groaned. She didn’t pick up the blankets and her suit case was on my bed and she had some stuff out. My room was already dirty, I didn’t need her to make it anymore dirty.

I went to my computer and put some music on. Dave Days did a cover for Down by Sean Jay and it has a bit of Lady Gaga in there too. It was really good and I prefer it from the original version.

I changed into something. I was going to get my plan into action. Phase one, apologize to Landon and find something in common. I took my shades and got out of my room before Angie could get her things. My mom, Landon and Margaret were in the living room and they were talking. I walked in and they stopped to look at me.

“Landon, can we talk?” I asked.

He knew that I meant alone. As he got up I wondered where Sean was. Landon and I walked out to the front porch of my house. There was a bit of wind but it wasn’t strong.

“I’m sorry about what I said earlier.”

“It’s quite understandable. I’ve been absent most--”

“All.”

“--of your life.”

Our eyes met and I saw the hurt in them. Something in my stomach clenched.

“I was in a difficult situation.” He said.

“My mom has told me many times and I understand as well. I get grumpy in the mornings.” I smiled brightly for him.

He did it back. I noticed we had the same smile. I didn’t know what to make of it. I tried to deny I was his daughter but there I was finding similarities. We had the same smile and ears.

“I want you to know I have always thought about you.”

I nodded. We hugged.

Phase one was complete.

“I’m so sorry, Erin.”

“It’s all right, Landon.”

We pulled away from the hug and he took my shoulders.

“Do you think you’ll be able to call me dad?”

I gulped a little. “Not right now… but who knows? Maybe before you leave.”

“We have the whole summer.” He grinned.

Whole… summer? I fake a smile. “Yeah, see… plenty of time.”

This was insane. A whole summer with Angie and Sean. Landon and Margaret I could stand but not so much the others.

“I have to go to work.” I lied.

“You have a job?”

“Yeah, found one yesterday and today is my first day, what time is it?”

Landon checked his watch. “Oops, I haven’t changed my watch to this time.”

“I’ll go check inside.” I said. I tip toed and pecked his cheek.

He kissed the top of my head and I felt a chill. It was so foreign because only my mother did that to me and there was my father doing it too as if seventeen years of my life never happened.

I walked back inside of the house and I saw my mom she gave me ‘what happened’ look. I gave her the thumbs up and luckily Sean was there to see it. I smirked at his direction when my mom looked away to talk to Margaret.

“Mom, I have to go to work.” I said as I looked at the time. It was ten in the morning.

“You mean you found a job?” She asked.

I nodded my head. “Jared’s giving a ride so don’t worry and I don’t know when I’ll get back but I’ll call.”

“Good riddance.” Sean muttered under his breath.

Jared’s place was easy to walk to since it was only about ten minutes away from mine. That might be the only good thing about small towns.

“Have a good day, Erin.” Margaret said.

“You too.” I said as I took my bag and strapped it across my body and on my shoulder. I took my keys and phone with me and waved good bye to them. Landon was still outside when I got out there.

“Do you need a ride?” He asked.

“No, I’m going to my friend’s.”

“Oh, all right. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” I waved at him.

I made my way to Jared’s. He said Kim was going to be gone the whole weekend so he must still be asleep. I would just watch TV over a this place. His mom likes me. She doesn’t believe I’m a bad influence and the rumors about me. She was sweet.

What did suck about walking to Jared’s was that I had to pass Paul’s place in order to get there. As I passed Paul’s place I noticed Jared’s car there. I cursed. I took out my phone and called Jared.

It rang three times before he answered.

“Erin, hey.” Jared said and chuckled nervously.

“Hey, you over at Paul’s?”

“How did you know?”

“I was on my way to your place.”

“Oh, I see… well… I’m done talking with Paul, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just… go back home.”

“No, I promised I would be yours for the entire weekend.” Jared said.

“Okay, I didn’t really want go back home. Too many feelings over there.”

Jared chuckled.

“I’ll be right out.”

We hung up. The sun hit me and I embraced it. The summer was the only time the sun was out for more than a few minutes. The sun would be out for at least the entire day. It was a good thing I had a tank top on of Hello Kitty.

Paul’s door opened and Jared walked out.

Paul walked out too. My muscles tensed. I was prepared for anything he was going to do.

“Get off my property half-breed.” He yelled.

That was the Paul that I knew. The one who wasn’t trying to get with me and he just insulted me.

“Will do half-brain.” I called back and smirked.

I missed his death glare. Jared looked back and forth between us and muttered.

“Please, they love each other.” He said under his breath but I heard him.