Chapter 5
If glares could kill, I would be a corpse by now.
After we got to the kitchen, Cienna took a seat on the black chair by the kitchen table. He stares a me the whole time while I think about what to make. I finally decide on cooking some Spaghetti. It's the least difficult dish I've seen my step mom cook. I search the cabinets for some premade tomatoe sauce, a pan, a pot and a wooden spatula. After I get all the ingredients, I start cooking.
"Do you even know what your doing?," Cienna asks with a look of irritation and bordem. I don't even blame him, I probably look like a fool holding kitchen utensils.
"Yes, I've got this," I lie.
"You're sure?" he asks, whith an eyebrow raised.
"Yep," I lie again.
"Then you wouldn't mind if I leave now, would you?," he says while getting up from his chair. I look back at him. If I'm being honest, I want him to leave more than anything but if my step mom finds out we disobeyed her….
"Actually, I don't think that's a good idea," I say, unsure.
He stares at me for a minute before saying, "why not? I'll only be gone for an hour, and you'll probably be done cooking when I get back. You don't need me to babysitt you, do you?"
"No, but—"
"Good then, we're on the same page." He starts to get up and collect his jacket before walking to the door.
"Hey, I still don't think it's a good—" I say, following him, before he cuts me off.
"Do you think it's fair? I made promises and now I'm going to let some of my closest friends down by bailing on them, all because of you. Is that fair?"
"…..No."
"Okay then, I'll be back in hour," and with that, he opens the door and steps out before it slams shut.
*****
Making sure the dinning table is set, I put all the used kitchen utensils in the sink and begin to wash. 2 hours later, I'm finished in the kitchen and he's still not back. Drops of water fall, hitting the sink one by one as anticipation fills me. What if he's in trouble? What if my step mom walks in and finds he's not here?
As if summoned by my thoughts, I hear keys jiggling before she walks in, Ciena right behind her. I stare wide eyed before quickly concieling my panic.
"Sit down!," step mom says with a tone that suggested she wanted an explanation. Keeping my eyes on the sink, I rewash the dishes to occupy myself even though I already can see my own relflection.
"Lissa, go to your room."
I don't wait around to be told twice.
Quielty I climb the stairs and close my bedroom door, pressing my ear against it. Voices rise from the kitchen — low, sharp, and too quick to catch. Then my name. I lean closer, holding my breath.
"…not supposed to—" That's my stepmother's voice, clipped and cold.
"…why is it always me—" Cienna's voice, lower than usual.
I detach my self from the door until there's only muffled noise. Then silence. Following it was the sound of something heavy being set on the table.
I pull back when footsteps approach. By the time I dare open my door, the hallway is empty. But there's something on the floor — a folded slip of paper.
Skeptically, I pick it up and unfold it. The letters looked like they'd been scribbled with haste, and they're largeness could only tell me it had come from exactly who I thought.
"You always have to ruin everything, dont you?"
With a sigh, I cumple up the paper and throw it in the bin next to my bed. I'm tired of being blamed for everything he does wrong. Why am I treated as the punching bag when I'm always the one who tries to save him from himself.
Scratching noises come from the other side of my door and I open it to let Gertrude inside. Strutting around the door, she jumps up to my desk and lays still, eyes pinning on mine. It was almost like she knew something or was trying to communicate. I walk over and stroke her head, dissmissing my funny, stupid thoughts. What on Earth's wrong with me?
I walk over to my bed and lay down, covering my face with one hand. There was no time to even think about the events of the day. Lolan Academy starts in 3 days and there are so many things I have to get done. For example purchase new Uniforms and books plus the assigned reading for literature class. Oh and I can't forget about the first-aid kit.
Increasing dread always fills me the closer and closer I get to the first day of school. Well not always. There was a time of peace when I didn't have to worry about anyone harming me in school but that was before Jade Silas transferred to Lolan. Ever since she joined school's been nothing short of a Nightmare. I don't know what on earth I had done to her but I do know that I've got a huge target on my back that I now must face alone, now that Aeron's graduating and all.
Ever year since year 7, on the first day of school, there's always been a huge prank she's pulled on me with her friends. Every year it's unpredictable. 2 years go, she put a real snake in my locker, which bit me and led me to be rushed to the East wing for medical attention. Last year, she made one of the boys in our year lure me to an empty classroom by feigning his love for me and dunked ice cold water on my head. In heindsight, it was probably my fault for following the boy but she would have probably done something else if I hadn't.
Although these pranks are harsh, they aren't even close to the rest of the stuff I put up with the rest of every year. One time, she made an excuse about how I stole her lunch money and she not only punched me but shoved my head in an unflushed stall. Another time, we were playing Bonny bally in fitness class, which requires someone to pass only to their teammates, and she threw the ball hardly at my head, uprovoled and knowing that I wasn't even on her team. I had a concussion that caused me to stay home for a whole week.
And the worst part? She's one of my neighbors. Every year I have to take saftey percautions, mapping out hallways that she doesn't use and trying to avoide her at all times but in her twisted ways she always manges to find me. I don't expect this year to be any different, I just want to be completly prepared. My grades have already been tanking to and I have to find a way to raise them.....
*****
Licking. Licking. More licking.
I jolt awake to find Gertrude peering down at me. The sky's already turned into a color of Ocean Navy. How long had I been asleep? The cat pushes the black bathroom door as if she knew exactly where I was going to go. I walk in and bend to wash my face.
"You're a smart little Kitty-Cat, aren't you?" I say and get a pur in respose.
I grab a towel and begin drying my face before I see something under the sleeve of my sweater. I drop the towel to pull my sleeve and make it out at once.
Startled, Gertrude knocks some perfume bottles, as I let out a piercing shriek.