Slutgarden

Derek’s POV

“Harley.”

My step-sister released me from her embrace to look over my shoulder as I turned around. Frankie was standing in the door way that was adjacent to the kitchen and the hallway. Pushing herself off of the doorway with her shoulder, a smug smirk was present on her face.

“Hello.” Harley replied shortly. She never liked Frankie. Ever. And Frankie didn’t like her.

“How are you?”

“Fine.”

I almost wanted to laugh at the tension between the two of them, it was almost cliché. Kind of like the whole mother-in-law/wife thing. Always bickering. Just because Frankie absolutely had to poke at Harley’s temper. And mine sometimes.

Walking over to me, she nudged me, signaling I was to put my arm around her waist. “I haven’t seen you since Derek left.”

“Well no. I wouldn’t have any need to see you, so I would avoid it. Obviously.”

I held back a laugh, sensing a “Dumbass.” that should have been added onto the end of Harley’s remark.

“Frankie just stop.” I said to her.

“What? Why? I didn’t say anything rude or anything, babe.”

She nearly hissed the final word, knowing it bothered Harley.

“You know she doesn’t like you, so just stop.” I abruptly removed my grasp from her waist and she gave me an almost shocked look, seeing as I was usually more detached and never really stood up for my step-sibling.

“Hey hun, how was school?”

The three of us tore our eyes off of one another to see my step-mom, Harley’s mom, leaning at the other side of the island.

“Fine I guess.” She bitterly replied, taking off her messenger style backpack and laying it on the counter.

“Did you welcome your brother back?”

“Yeah. Until she had to come in.”

Amanda shot Harley a disciplinary look, obviously non-verbally telling her to be quiet. It was kind of an obvious thing, that Harley and Frankie disliked each other. It used to be the elephant in the room, but now everybody had become quite used to it. Although it bothered Amanda, when Frankie wasn’t around everyone found it quite hilarious.

Taking her bag off of the counter, Frankie looked at me. “Well, I better get going. I have to do my History project.” She stood on her tip toes slightly and kissed my cheek, “Love you hun. Text me or something. Good seeing you Mrs. Chapman.”

“Good seeing you too, Frankie.”

We all watched her walk out the door and waited for the sound of her car pulling out of the drive way until Harley could explode.

“Why did you even let her in the house, mom?!”

“Because Derek just got home and I thought after being locked up, he’d want to see his girlfriend!”

A wave of anger came over me. I was “locked up”? I was in rehabilitation for something that I didn’t even get myself addicted to. If anything, fucking Frankie should be “locked up”. As much as I loved her, she was fucking ridiculous.

“Oh, so I was locked up now? I see how it is Amanda. I’ll be in my room.”

My first day back home, and this is the shit I get thrown at me. I get to spend a little bit of time with the girl I love, sometimes love to hate, and then Harley gets home and all fucking hell breaks loose. I mean, I couldn’t have expected anything different, but it was just kind of annoying. And then Amanda’s little comment? Just…wow.

As I fell onto my bed back first, I exulted a long sigh. I was back to this. Living in this house. Going to that school. Everything. The stress of being thrown back into the real world came over me, and my eyes began to fall shut.

***

“Derek! Wake the fuck up man!”

I woke up to see brown eyes staring back at me through straight, black, sleek hair. My best friend Jeremy. Our other friend, Zebekiah, was standing over by my TV, arms crossed and a smile on his face. “Poppin’ ‘em already?” he said with his infamous cackle at the end.

I laughed shakily, sitting up and shaking my hair. “Fucking slacker. Comin’ home from a practical vacation and then sleeping? Tsk tsk tsk.” Jeremy said to me, laughing.

“Shut up Jay.”

“Man calm down.” He said through laughter. “So, what have you done since you’ve been home?”

“Came home. Frankie came over. Hung out. Harley got home. They argued. Frankie left. Amanda and Harley got into an argument. I got treated like I just got back from a mental home. Came up here. Slept. Got woke up by you, you fucking dick. What happened while I was gone?”

Zeb laughed again from his spot near the TV, Jeremy cracked his knuckles and badly suppressed a cocky grin. “Guess who I fucked.”

“Who?” I said to him, this was nearly routine by now.

“Noelle.”

“What?!”

“Yep.”

“Where?”

“Party.”

“Who’s?”

“Brandon’s.”

I fell back and put a pillow over my face, laughing. “Man you’ve gotta start watchin’ who you fuck. You’re gonna end up with some disease or something.”

“Or a fetus.” Zebekiah said slightly.

Jeremy laughed, pulling his phone out of his jeans. “Shit. Man me and Zeb gotta go. Justen is skating in a competition down at Nixon. Wanna come?”

I considered it for a second, “Nah. I think I’m just gonna chill. But aye, give him my best luck for him.”

“Will do, broski. Will do.”

“Peace guys.” I said to the two of them as they exited my room.

Sighing, I got out of my bed and walked over to one of my unpacked bags. The black backpack. Reaching into it, I unzipped the smaller pocket on the inside of the largest section and pulled out a little orange transparent cylinder. After twisting off the white cap, I poured four of the little light blue circular pills into my hand and swallowed them.

Hello world.