Taion

“…Whose he been hanging out with?” The voice is Alex’s and it carries to my room. I roll over and freezing, thinking I’ll squish Emma, but upon further investigation, she’s not in the bed with me. I roll over completely and listen.

“Avery. Avery. Avery. That’s all he ever talks about. It’s like he’s adopted the boy as his brother.” Mrs. Barakat sighs. “Yesterday night when he came and picked him up was the first time I’d ever heard of Adrian. When I ask who he ate with on school days, he says, ‘Avery and the others’. I have no idea who he’s talking about half the time other than Avery.”

“…Is Avery trust worthy?”

“Not after tonight. Both him and Phoenix told me they were going to hang out at his house, but no. I haven’t the slightest idea where they could have gone. But from now on, Phoenix isn’t going anywhere with that kid.”

I thought right about now was a good time to make my appearance and I climb out of the bed, throwing the covers back. I shuffle to the doorway and stand there looking into the living room, then past further –to the kitchen where Mrs. Barakat, Jack, and Alex are all sitting. I walk towards them and softly say, “It’s not his fault. He’s really trustworthy. But every teenager is going to jump at the chance of going to a party. I’m sorry.”

Alex is glaring at me. I can feel it, and I don’t look up. Then Jack speaks. “Yeah, well it was your choice to drink and lie. We actually care about you Phoenix and you pull a stunt like this? Na-uh.” He snorts.

I slowly look up. Mrs. Barakat pats the table, telling me to sit down without even opening her mouth. As I do, Cricket whines from the screen door, stretching out like a cat and only three times as big. Alex stands up, grabs a bowl from the cabinet, and slides it to me with a box of cereal. Honey Combs. “We have no milk,” He says, before sitting in front on me.

I pour a shallow bowlful of the cereal and start eating it, picking out the deformed shapes and eating them before eating all the other perfect octagons. Or were the hexagons? I couldn’t remember; I have math next semester, though.

Alex puts back the box and I can tell by his face he’s tired. Probably of me and of all the circles I seem to lead them in. I steal glances at him and he’s messing with his fingers. “What’s my punishment?”

He looks up and Jack snorts again and Mrs. Barakat leaves. “What?”

“Punishment. What are you going to do to me?” Thinking over my words, it sounds like I was afraid of them, as if they were my dad or something. And they weren’t. They care about me. Jack just said it. But I wasn’t perfect like these Honey Combs left over. I take one and crush it in my fingertips. “You know basically everything already. I lied and sneaked out. I’m just waiting to see what happens next.”

Alex looked at me, as if studying an unknown, curious looking bug. “I don’t want you hanging out with them any more.” I frowned, eyes narrowing at him and he narrowed them right back at me. “In fact, I want you to call them right now and tell them you won’t be seeing them any more.”

“What?” I snap. I raise my voice, stand up –the chair topples backwards. Both rock stars are watching me amused. “What are you?! A dictator? You can’t tell me who I can and can’t be friends with!”

Alex smiles softly, like the Cheshire Cat and I imagine him with a purple-pink fuzzy tail. I don’t laugh. “Obviously, the temptations of a normal teenage life are too frustrating for you. We’re going back on tour in two days. You’re coming with us. We’ll set you up for online schooling or hire a tutor, but you won’t be here anymore. End of discussion.” As Alex passes me the phone the tears are already in my eyes and I’m begging him not to do this, shooting out phrases like, “I thought you loved me?!” or “You’re supposed to do what’s best for me!” and even to the point of threatening to start cutting again if he went through with the punishment. Shortly into my breakdown, Mona walks in and explains to me that they all made the decision last night. Together. And it was the best for me. She clams me down enough to where I’m only sobbing and can hand me the phone without bashing it into the wall.

I stare at the numbers and start dialing.