Soul Searching

"It's Saturday, Tate. I'm sleeping."

Tate smiles, rolling onto the bed. "You're sleeping your life away, Stace."

"I took a pill last night. I'm still tired."

He nods, "you really shouldn't take those."

"It's the only way I can be normal," Anastacia speaks, feeling herself ride the line of consciousness.

"Being normal is overrated."

She shakes her head, "no. I have to be normal."

He shakes his head. "You don't have to do anything. I think you know that, deep down. You're still just trying to please your mom, though."

Anastacia's chest rises and falls slowly.

"I've never met the woman," Tate says quietly, gently moving a small chunk of hair away from Anastacia's face. "But I don't like her. She reminds me way too much of my mom. My mom's a bitch."

In a seemingly unconscious state, Anastacia smiles and a laugh rumbles lightly in her chest.

"I know you think the same thing about your mom," he says quietly. "You just don't say it."

Anastacia's hands rest on her stomach, below her rising and falling chest.

"I mean, at least she's never here and you barely have to deal with her." Tate frowns.

Anastacia tilts her head toward Tate slightly, slurring her words. "S'worse."

"You think so?" He asks, propping his head up on his hand. "It doesn't really make sense to me, but I get where you're coming from."



"Nice sweater."

Anastacia quickly turns around, coming face to face with a woman exactly her height. She quickly narrows her eyes at the brunette, "who are you? And what are you doing in my house?"

The woman smiles, "just take the compliment, sweetie."

"Don't call me 'sweetie'."

"Tell me your name, then."

"Anastacia."

She nods. "My name's Hayden."

"Do you live in the neighborhood?"

Hayden's smile grows, "something like that. How's the house treating you?"

"Fine."

Someone in the doorway clears their throat. "Leave her alone, Hayden."

"Moira," Hayden smirks. "Long time, no see. Kinda disappointing this girl doesn't have a daddy, huh?"

Anastacia's eyes narrow, "excuse me?"

"Hayden, it's time for you to go." Moira says calmly. She follows the younger woman closely, escorting her out of the living room.

Blinking, Anastacia slowly lowers herself onto the large couch and pulls her right knee to her chest.

"I see you met Hayden," Tate says quietly, entering the room from the opposite entrance that the two women just walked out of.

Anastacia nods, staring at the fireplace. "Yeah."

"Don't mind her. She's crazy." Tate says, lowering himself on the couch across from Anastacia.

She rubs her temples, "yeah, I know that feeling."

"What do you mean?"

"These people keep showing up, out of nowhere."

Tate shrugs, "you get used to it."

"Will I?"

"Hopefully. Gotta learn to adapt," he shrugs, slowly sinking back into the couch. "It's a... shitty, dog-eat-dog world."

Anastacia puts her leg down, leaning back into the fluffy cushions. "I wish it wasn't."

"Why not?"

She shrugs, "I'm not ready for that."

"What makes you think that?"

Anastacia smiles, "look at me. I'm the definition of sheltered. I try and act normal and I have to take a medication to keep that façade up. Not exactly the poster child of 'real world ready'."

Tate shrugs, "the real world isn't for everyone."

"You're not gonna be one of guys who lives in his mom's basement forever, are you?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "Hell no. I can't stand my mother."

"Yeah? So what are you gonna do when you're eighteen?"

Tate hesitates, slowly shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know yet."

"Just gonna hightail it outta town?"

"Something like that," he smiles and nods.

Anastacia nods, "I kinda wanna do that. But I probably won't."

"Why not?"

"I'll probably go to school."

Tate rolls his eyes, "you don't wanna do that."

Anastacia runs a hand through her hair, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"You do have a choice. You can do whatever the fuck you want, Stace. You're smart," Tate nods.

She smiles, "you think so?"

"Yeah!" He nods. "Don't let that bitch push you around and make you do something that you don't wanna do."