On My Own

”Your mother is trying to ruin our family? Why can’t you understand that?” Mom screamed at dad. I cringed and pulled my knees up to my chest. “She does all this stuff to piss off me and Brittany, she gets into everyone’s business, and keeps acting like she’s innocent!”

“It’s not her! This is your fault! You and your beer!” Dad yelled back. I looked up at my brother who was leaning against his doorway. He told me to stop eavesdropping.

“Oh, so it’s my fault she does all these fucking things?” Mom demanded. I heard the sound of beer bottles clanking and something hitting a wall. Mark ran passed me and downstairs. Tears welled in my eyes as I pressed my nails into my arms.

Twenty-seven years of marriage. This was the first time I had ever heard them fight. Usually, they just didn’t talk to each other for a day or too, but this was bad. How could my dad pick grandma’s side when she was destroying his marriage? Doesn’t love mean that you’re always supporting each other? That you care for each other? That the person you were in love with was the most important person in your life and nothing was going to stop that?

I dug my nails in more and moved clawed at myself. Something else was being thrown. Mark tried getting my mom to calm down. Grandma peeked out from her room and just rolled her eyes. I closed my eyes as a few tears rolled down my cheeks; did love even exist at all?

My phone vibrated and I woke up. I shut off the alarm on my phone and looked down my arms. They were covered in scratches and blood. I groaned and stood up. I fixed my glasses and started walking. I found a hotel and walked in their side entrance. I went into the bathroom and changed in a stall. I fixed my hair and used a sink to clean the blood up from my arms.

When the blood was cleaned up, I headed towards school. It was still early, but I knew that Matt was there and didn’t feel like wandering Huntington Beach for ninety minutes. I saw Matt’s truck in the parking lot, so I headed straight through the school and to his classroom. “Good morning,” I greeted, walking in and sitting on top of a desk. Matt was writing on his board. I want to know what you want to write about.. “Is that for Monday’s assignments?”

“Good morning,” Matt replied as he finished writing. “And yeah. I figured it’d be good to include some of what everyone wants to write about. Plus, we’re going to be starting a lot more writing assignments during the week.” He turned around and narrowed his eyes at my arms. He walked over and looked at them carefully. Matt’s eyes moved up my face and into my eyes. They were full of concern. “What happened?”

“I’m pretty sure I was scratching myself in my sleep,” I explained. He grasp my arm gently and ran his thumb over a couple of the scratches. When Matt looked back up at me, I continued talking. “I had a bad dream and I think my body was just responding to it.” Matt nodded and looked at them again. “At least if I get into a cat fight, I’ll be able to defend myself.” Matt chuckled and looked at the door before kissing my forehead.

“You’re a strange girl, Adeline,” he told me. “But it’s a good strange.” I smiled and rested my head against his chest. He ran his hand through my hair before going back to preparing for his morning class. My stomach growled and I glared at it. “Here.” Matt opened a drawer in his desk and tossed me a granola bar. “Didn’t you it breakfast?” I shook my head and he shook his right back. “Adeline, it’s most important meal of the day.”

“I’m not a breakfast person,” I said, opening the granola bar and taking a bite. He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, usually I’m not a breakfast person. Very rarely, like when my stomach decides it’s hungry or there’s a cheese-cake flavored coffee cake.” Matt chuckled.

“Do you want to come over tonight?” Matt asked. I smiled and nodded. “Clear it with your mom and then let me know.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and nodded.

“Can I sleepover?” I asked. I bit my lip and gave Matt puppy-dog eyes behind my glasses.

“As long as it’s okay,” Matt replied, giving me a grin. I smiled my phone vibrated. Stephanie was asking if I was at school. “Girl time?” I raised an eyebrow. “I know how you girls work. You girls text each other to see if you’re at school and then go gossip.” I laughed and nodded. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” I said, hopping off the desk. I left his classroom and walked to Stephanie’s locker. She was unpacking books and binders into her locker. “Hey!” I poked my best friend in the side, causing her to jump a little and laugh.

“Hey, girl,” Stephanie replied. “What happened to your arms?” She pointed at one of my scratches.

“I attacked myself in my sleep,” I giggled, pretending to karate shop her locker. She laughed.

“Don’t you know you’re supposed to attack other people, not yourself?” She asked.

“Apparently not,” I replied. She laughed again and began arranging her books in order. “Guess who’s sleeping over at their amazing boyfriend’s house tonight?” I grinned widely and giggled.

“Well, since I’m still waiting for you to hook me up with said amazing boyfriend’s friends, I’m going to guess you?” Stephanie laughed. I nodded. “That’s cute!” I giggled. “Can I ask you a question? And I’m only asking you this because I’m worried.”

“Go right ahead,” I agreed, pushing my glasses back up the bridge of my nose.

“Why did you give our boss the address of Super 8?” She asked.