This Disease Infects Us All

I unlock the door, wonder into the kitchen and light up a cigarette, ignoring the fact that Judith, the woman I used to call my mother, is sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper. A year ago, perhaps, I would have tried to hide the fact I smoked from her. A year ago, I hadn't smoked. I lean against the counter, drawing poison into my lungs, and catch the look of pity and disgust Judith shoots me. Great. I see her opening her mouth to say something and quickly cut her off.

"Please don't talk to me to me. It just makes us both miserable."

She blinks. It's been a long time since I spoke to her.
"I talked to the local priest," she says, refusing to look at me. For a second I think she feels guilty, then I realise she's just revolted. "He's happy to perform an exorcism on you."
I almost drop my cigarette.

"WHAT?!"

Judith doesn't answer, just gets up to leave. I grab her arm and spin her around.

"Are you fucking serious?! Tell me you're joking!" My voice is beginning to sound desperate, pleading. "Please, please, tell me you're joking!"

But Judith stares at me, hatred in her eyes, and then walks out, leaving me to collapse on the floor and burst into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ow, fuck. My head. After my sob fest yesterday, I drank myself senseless, a choice I now regret immensely. I massage my temples, realising my teacher is talking to me, asking me a question. Someone says something, people laugh. I honestly don't care. Suddenly, there's an arm around me, a voice saying "She gets migraines, Sir. Should I take her to medical?" Of course, Connor's in this class. He helps me up and I stagger out the door. "Thanks, I manage to mutter to him.
"Is it atchually a migraine?" He asks quietly. I shake my head.
"Are you ok?"
I shake my head again. Of course I'm not alright, my parents want to fucking exorcise me! I knew they hated me, but this is a whole new level...They think I've been possessed by demon, just because I've dared to be myself. And now I'm crying again, and Connor's hugging me, and he's seen someone he knows and he's talking to them and my head still hurts and I close my eyes and sleep.

I'm woken by someone gently shaking my shoulder. "Eliza?" Juliet whispers in my ear. "Wake up. School's over."
I sigh and open my eyes. At least my headache's gone. I pick up my bag and stand up with a groan. "Did I sleep all day? Might as we've not bought my bag..."
Juliet laughs, but I can tell both her and Connor are dying to know why I was crying. Like I'll ever tell them. Well, I'll say my hangover got a bit to much for me, it's kinda the truth. I close my eyes, savoring the freedom from feeling as if my head's about to explode. It's ok, I tell myself. Even if they weren't lying about getting you exorcised, it'll take the stupid priest ages to get permission.