Teenagers
Don't worry, Darling
Just as I had hoped, no one was home. It was a medium-sized brick house, with brown shutters and a brown front door. Inside the walls had been painted a deep velvet, but it was empty of people who might complain or form accusations.
After snatching two pieces of bread from a cabinet, I cut up half of a banana, placing the slices neatly on one piece of bread, and then took a glob of peanut butter and placed it on the other. I took one bite and walked out the back door. Snowball, my fluffy, white American Eskimo, was waiting for the snack she knew I'd give her. Tearing off a piece of my sandwich, I held it in front of her face. As she ate it, I could see her struggling with the peanut butter sticking to the roof of her mouth and her tongue. I laughed while tearing off another piece.
When I went back inside, I stalked to the bathroom, brushing my teeth after visiting the toilet, before walking to my room. The four walls were painted black, covered with band posters and memorabilia.
My throat was sore and my head ached, but it didn't matter. They should be home soon, I thought, emotionless. Coincidentally, just then I heard a car door slam shut. Looking at myself in the mirror, I knew they wouldn't suspect anything. I wasn't sure why they pretended to care. Wondering, I lifted my shirt and counted my visible ribs in a daze.
Footsteps. I smoothed my shirt down quickly and grabbed the fish food from the dresser where my fish tank was. I was pouring it just as Mom walked in.
"Hey, sweetie."
Smiling, I turned. "Hey, Mom."
"How was your day at school?"
"Great," I lied smoothly.
Her brow furrowed slightly. "You sure? You don't look alright."
"I know; I'm tired." Terrible, Insecure, Restless, Emotional, Dead. Yeah, TIRED.
"Alright, but if you're going to sleep, make sure you eat first."
In my most reassuring tone, I said, "I already did. Don't worry."
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything more on the subject.
"I'm going to sleep." It was merely said so she would leave. I knew I wouldn't get sleep tonight, especially not at 6:30. "Is Dad home yet?"
She hesitated. "No he'll be back late."
Nodding and trying to look natural, I lied down on my bed with my face in the pillow, my usual sleeping position. Soon, I heard my door close, and when I turned over on my side, I found that she had turned the lights off, too.
"Adira, you up?" My step-dad's voice broke through my sleep.
"Yes, sir," I said groggily. As my stomach began to gurgle out a growl, I shoved a hard fist into it. I couldn't see him through the darkness, which made me feel uncomfortable.
"How was your day?"
"Same as always," I told him honestly. "How come you had to work late?" I felt the bed sink slightly as he sat on the corner by my feet.
"Don't worry, Darling." His hand fell on my leg. With no blanket covering me, I was open for business.
"Chris...don't I deserve to know?"
"No, Addy." I hated this little petname, and he knew it. I could just imagine his pretty sapphire eyes laughing at me, and I almost smiled. He had been married to my mother since I was 10 months old, though.
"Okay, " I said in a small, innocent voice that made me sound 6 instead of 16 years old.
I feel him moving around in my bed, and for the first time in a long time, I was scared. I had become used to him, leaving myself absent and empty whenever he came into my room at night.
Then his lips were on mine and I coujldn't do anything but make myself not care. What was the point anyway?
After snatching two pieces of bread from a cabinet, I cut up half of a banana, placing the slices neatly on one piece of bread, and then took a glob of peanut butter and placed it on the other. I took one bite and walked out the back door. Snowball, my fluffy, white American Eskimo, was waiting for the snack she knew I'd give her. Tearing off a piece of my sandwich, I held it in front of her face. As she ate it, I could see her struggling with the peanut butter sticking to the roof of her mouth and her tongue. I laughed while tearing off another piece.
When I went back inside, I stalked to the bathroom, brushing my teeth after visiting the toilet, before walking to my room. The four walls were painted black, covered with band posters and memorabilia.
My throat was sore and my head ached, but it didn't matter. They should be home soon, I thought, emotionless. Coincidentally, just then I heard a car door slam shut. Looking at myself in the mirror, I knew they wouldn't suspect anything. I wasn't sure why they pretended to care. Wondering, I lifted my shirt and counted my visible ribs in a daze.
Footsteps. I smoothed my shirt down quickly and grabbed the fish food from the dresser where my fish tank was. I was pouring it just as Mom walked in.
"Hey, sweetie."
Smiling, I turned. "Hey, Mom."
"How was your day at school?"
"Great," I lied smoothly.
Her brow furrowed slightly. "You sure? You don't look alright."
"I know; I'm tired." Terrible, Insecure, Restless, Emotional, Dead. Yeah, TIRED.
"Alright, but if you're going to sleep, make sure you eat first."
In my most reassuring tone, I said, "I already did. Don't worry."
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything more on the subject.
"I'm going to sleep." It was merely said so she would leave. I knew I wouldn't get sleep tonight, especially not at 6:30. "Is Dad home yet?"
She hesitated. "No he'll be back late."
Nodding and trying to look natural, I lied down on my bed with my face in the pillow, my usual sleeping position. Soon, I heard my door close, and when I turned over on my side, I found that she had turned the lights off, too.
"Adira, you up?" My step-dad's voice broke through my sleep.
"Yes, sir," I said groggily. As my stomach began to gurgle out a growl, I shoved a hard fist into it. I couldn't see him through the darkness, which made me feel uncomfortable.
"How was your day?"
"Same as always," I told him honestly. "How come you had to work late?" I felt the bed sink slightly as he sat on the corner by my feet.
"Don't worry, Darling." His hand fell on my leg. With no blanket covering me, I was open for business.
"Chris...don't I deserve to know?"
"No, Addy." I hated this little petname, and he knew it. I could just imagine his pretty sapphire eyes laughing at me, and I almost smiled. He had been married to my mother since I was 10 months old, though.
"Okay, " I said in a small, innocent voice that made me sound 6 instead of 16 years old.
I feel him moving around in my bed, and for the first time in a long time, I was scared. I had become used to him, leaving myself absent and empty whenever he came into my room at night.
Then his lips were on mine and I coujldn't do anything but make myself not care. What was the point anyway?