Royals

I rounded the corner and wiped a few droplets of rain off my face. It had been drizzling for nearly a month, now. A constant state of gray hung over Riddick, New Jersey, and honestly it seemed fitting. Trashtown, USA, was what Jamie had always called it. My eyes flitted towards a car up the street, honking incessantly at someone who had tried to cross the road. I scoffed and glanced back down towards my feet. After dodging a few puddles, I arrived at my gate, opened it, and locked it again behind me. Not that that would do any good against thieves, it was only came up to my waist. I bounded up the steps of my house and headed inside.

I slipped off my sneakers, jostling my backpack around. I smiled to myself, thinking of my research paper that I had been waiting to show my mom. She was always thrilled when I did well in school. Fumbling around with my backpack, I practically ran into the living room.

"Mom, guess what I got on my..." I trailed off, doing a double take. I stared at her. Her eyes were glazed over, her movements twitchy and erratic, and that smell. That fucking smell.

"What'd you say, baby?" She asked, flashing me a sad smile. I glared at her, dropping my backpack on the dingy floor.

"You're high," I spat. A look of pain fluttered across her face. She dropped her eyes to the floor. She rubbed her forehead quickly before raising her eyes to mine again.

"No, I-"

"Don't you dare lie to me!" My voice rose. "You promised! You fucking promised me you'd stay clean this time!" I could feel the tears beginning to burn in my eyes. "God, and you didn't even have the decency to do it outside, are you serious? Where is he?" I gestured wildly, and peered down the hallway adjacent to the living room. My mother stood up, banging her knee on the coffee table.

"He's not here, baby, he's not," She began, putting her hands out defensively. I laughed.

"Oh, he's here. Believe me, I know the only time you're ever like this, is when he's here," I muttered, violently brushing past her. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a shadow in the window of our back door. I stomped over to it and swung the door open so fast, I thought it might come off its rusted hinges. And there he was, my mother's boyfriend, standing out in the rain like a pathetic dog who had just pissed on the rug and was being punished.

"Marcus, you piece of shit!" I screeched, the tears now flowing freely from my eyes. He didn't even react, he just stared at the ground.

"Every time she gets clean, every time, you show up and get her high! Why do you do it? So she'll stay with you?" I waved my hands around, dramatically, and rolled my eyes. "Because you know the only time she ever wants to be around you, is when you can get her a fix?" I shoved him up against the porch railing. I was sobbing now, and turned around to face my mother. Tears glistened in her eyes as well.

"Tanya, I'm sorry!" She cried. I just shook my head and stormed by her into the house. I had heard it all too many times before. Oh it'll never happen again, I'm so sorry, I'll get clean this time. Her lies swam in my head as I ran up the stairs and into my room. I couldn't keep doing this. I slammed the door behind me and sank down the wall, trying to muffle my own sobs. She couldn't be using again, she just couldn't, she promised. And I believed her. I was so stupid.

After sitting there for a few moments, the sobs finally stopped racking my body. I leaned my head back against my door and stared at my ceiling. Once white and clean, it was now grimy with stains and cracks from water damage. I wiped my eyes and my cheeks, unsure of whether it was the tears or the rain that had soaked them. I picked myself up off the floor, and shuffled over to my mirror. My eyes were rimmed with red, making them appear bluer than they normally were. My nose was red and puffy looking. I pawed at the remnants of my smudged eyeliner. Nothing I could do about the hair. It was always curly, but the rain had caused it to frizz badly. I looked absurd, and at this point, I didn't care. I sat down on the edge of my bed, and glanced at my phone. I only hesitated for a moment before picking it up and dialing the familiar numbers.

"Jamie?" I asked quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Can I come over?"