Tied

White. White was everywhere: the walls, the floor, the ceiling, even my clothes. I never really liked white very much, but the entire room looked like the inside of a giant marshmallow. Even my skin was a deathly pale, except for my words. My black words stood out against my skin. I scratched at them, expecting them to peel off like dried paint. Nothing happened; if anything, they got darker. I scowled. That's impossible. They had to come off. I scratched at them again. Surely they would come off this time, maybe I just had to scratch a little harder. I scratched myself again and again, each time knowing, hoping that the words so deeply etched in my skin would magically disappear. It was crazy! Insanity!

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I woke up with a start, a burning feeling spreading across my shoulder blade.

I groaned. Not again... I would be so ticked off if that dream led to more of those stupid quotes.

My mind wandered back to yesterday as I sat up in bed and stretched. Did Aurore have those words too? I thought I saw something on her arm yesterday, but it may have just been a reminder for a test or something...

I ran a hand through my messed hair and stood up, heading over to my dresser and grabbing some jeans and a teeshirt. I slipped out of my pajamas and into my jeans and pokemon belt, leaving my chest bare and walking over to the mirror on my closet door. Just for kicks, I decided to check out my shoulder to see if that dream left its mark.

Marching across my shoulder in spidery writing were the following words: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I groaned. No way.

That totally sucked monkey toes. Why was this happening to me?!? I pulled my shirt on over my head and stalked into the kitchen, grabbing my socks and shoes and tapping my toes into them on the linoleum floor. Aurore wasn't in the kitchen yet, so I grabbed a muffin and scarfed it down, not caring about the crumbs I spilled in the process.

I walked down the hallway and into the bathroom, grabbing a brush to calm down my messy bedhead. I avoided my reflection as I brushed the morning crud off my teeth and grabbed my school supplies. I still had not sighted Aurore, which was strange. Usually she was the first person up and the first out the door.

I saw my mom coming out of my sister's room and closing the door behind her.

"Hey Mom! Is Aurore okay?" she smiled.

"Yeah. She's fine, just a little sick. She's missing school today."

My eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right with this picture. Aurore never missed school. Even if she was puking up her guts and bleeding from her eyes, she would beg mom to let her go to school. Sometimes she wouldn't even tell mom she was sick, because she knew mom would make her stay home.

I checked my phone and found that it was time to head out. I sent one more suspicious glance towards her door before grabbing my bookbag and walking over to the front door. Mom followed me out the door and got in the driver's seat, starting up the car with a sputtering, jerking engine. She sighed and smiled over at me.

"We'll have to take the car to the shop soon..."

I nodded and turned away, rolling my eyes. I could obviously see that the car needed fixing. My mom and I never talked about anything of particular importance anymore. Ever since my parents found out I was gay, they lost touch with me. They forgot who I was.

I was still the same person I had been all along, but they couldn't accept that. They didn't realize I still enjoyed doing the things we used to do as a family, they just stopped without asking.

I stared out the car window. I couldn't change anything about it though. They saw me as an alien, and an alien I became.

It was crazy really.

Insanity.