Her uneven breathing made too much noise in the new deadening silence. She had been recovering from the nightmares haunting her when she heard a scream from downstairs, followed by a crash.
A slither of sweat traveled down the middle of her back, a remnant of the viscous dream. She flipped the switch and watched as the light glow bathed the room. The shabby couch where Helen slept on most nights, was turned over and the woman herself faced down flat on the floor.
"Mom?" Her voice came out tight with nerves. "Are you okay?"
Dear God!
As she got closer, the blood rushed away from her face and her heart ran for the hills. A crimson pool had formed around Helen's head, her eye which was visible from this side was wide open and
"What?" Lake bolted upright in his seat. "When? Where is sh—"He quietened down, listening to the explanation given over the phone and nodding every now and then. Storm and Celia exchanged looks over the table as their mom came in from the kitchen.Just as Lake ended the call, Storm voiced his question. "Dude what was that about who was it?"Lake took a second to soak in everyone's curious expressions before saying, "It was Adana.""And?""She was in an accident." Lake takes off his reading glasses to massage the bridge of his nose while reeling from the new information. "She only called to let us know that's why she won't be in school for this week or until everything is resolved."Celia clicked her tongue in her mouth and shook her head. "I saw the news this earlier this morning but didn't know you guys knew the girl involved. It wasn't a pretty sight. Can't imagine how she must feel."Sara stood from her chair and came
She looked so calm and helpless in this state but that illusion contrasted with the truth. Steady beeping being the only sound in the room, kept her company as Adana took in every curve of her soft face. "What have I done to deserve this?" She sighed. "I never went against your rules as a child. Everything changed so fast." In the blink of an eye, the eyelids which were previously closed lifted open and those eyes, a clone of hers stared back at her. The blank expression lasted only a second before morphing to one of anguish and anger. The woman on the bed, dressed in the light hospital gown sat up. "You deserve everything I'm doing to you." She started to rise, not taking mind of the connected drip to her hands. "Every single thing, you deserve!" "No." Adana placed a hand on her chest her eyes widening significantly. Mom couldn't be waking back up and comi
Small wisps of smoke emitted out of the cup of cocoa on the breakfast table, the gleam of the sun reflected off it and unto her face. Her fingers swiped and tapped endlessly on the phone in her hand. The clattering behind her seized and the sunlight got blocked out by a particularly curious shadow."You're on that picturegram thingy again." Sarah pointed out and."Instagram, mom." Celia rolled her eyes and narrowed it at a particular post. "It's called ÏÑSTĀGRÂM.""Whatever it's called, you can do it after breakfast and right before first period." Sarah turned away to switch off the cooker. When her daughter continued, she cleared her throat loudly. Celia sighed and dropped her phone on the table."Mom, do you think it's possible to skip P.E?"Sara carried her tray to the table, sitting across her daughter. "Why would you want to skip P.E?"Celia lowered her eyes, playing with a piece of toast. For the past week, she'
Slivers of sunlight peeked through the blinds piercing the darkness in the room where she laid in her back staring at the ceiling. She had refused to go out since the interrogation perusing how little she had knowledge of.The smell of pizza filled the room giving it an Italian diner's aroma though the room looked like a birds' nest. Maybe a birds next was a bit more organized than this. The pizza boxes of the past week littered the floor and her bedside table, her phone laid on the bed on airplane mode to elude the numerous messages and phone calls she had been getting.A knock sounded from her door but she groaned and rolled over. Nobody but her had occupied this room since the interrogation last week. It wasn't as if she didn't want to go out but the possibility of Helen jump out from the shadows and attacking her were high. Staying indoors wasn't the safest way to go but the harmless and easiest."You've been in there
Wisps from the cigar end infused the air as she took a big inhale, releasing through her nostrils."How are you gonna pay up the credit?" The man beside her asked, lifting a bottle to his lips.The stars ahead beg for their attention as they conversed. "I don't know but I'll pay up okay? ""Boss is getting suspicious and it gets harder to keep things from him." He lifted his shoulders in what should be a shrug. "I got a few friends that owe me a favour tho, and I can easily pay off the debt myself.""But?" Nothing goes for nothing with the man, she had come to learn over the treacherous path which defined their 'friendship'. "I wanna taste a certain broad." He salivated on his thick lips. "See if bigger is always bett—""Don't."His now empty bottle clanged against the floor. "You don't have a roof over your head, your debt is causing trouble, and did I mention you're homeless?!"Her nose flared, eyes darkening. "You lay a hand on her and there's no telling what I'll do to you.""I do
Exams. Why did they exist in the first place? To torture students or to just rate their ability to master topics that wouldn't aid them in the real world? She could go on with being diplomatic about it but it didn't get rid of the fact that this test would crush her. A fat and proud 'D-' on her History paper when she got it back and was called into the principal's office due to the saddening decline in her grades. She could see it all happening."I'm going to flunk the paper, Lani." She groaned into her elbow. "So bad, nobody will see it coming."Her friend's hand come up in a 'hold on' position. "You're going to do fine and will get a C at best."With an eye roll, Adana gave her the stink eye. "Is that meant to make me feel better?"Leilani mirrored her earlier action, not breaking her gaze with her phone. "Sort of?""Wow, I feel so motivated.""That's my girl.""Who are you texting anyway?" Adana scrunched her brows. "No one special," Leilani muttered lowering her head. The slig
"Do you have a date to the dance?" Riley shifted his weight from one foot to the other."Are you asking me to the dance?" Celia stuffed a textbook in her locker. She had to keep her cool. Can't have her slight crush on him show. "Uh Yes, but it's okay if you don't want to go with me, I mean why would you wanna be seen with Humpty Dumpty, I—""Riley." She turned to him staring at his sneakers. "Don't."He sighed. 'I understand. I'll see you around?"She gathered all her courage to make eye contact with him. "I don't have a date to the dance, Riley."The reddish tint of his ears and nose didn't go unnoticed to her while he fiddled with his bag strap. "Is that a yes?""Do you want it to be?""Yes.""Then yes." She smiled through the pain of suppressing a full-blown smile. "I'll go with you."Shock registered on his face for a while but he quickly recovered with a beam. "Awesome, I'll see you
“You know, you're still the most ugliest piece of thing I've seen in my life.”It's okay. It shouldn't have hurt so much but why did it? Countless mornings since the third grade and she still wasn't used to the comments, the jabs, the insults. Why couldn't they just have accepted her?Pidgeon gray lockers staked closely beside each other with various students all dressed in casuals, leaned over lockers observing the pair intently.Typical of them not to help her. All they did was watch from the sidelines cheering him on. Him. The golden-haired male who had only added to her nightmares every single night. His creaky voice which cracked ever so slightly in the brink if teenagehood.A smile which entranced half the female population of the school stretched over his soft features when she didn't give him a reply.“All that fat better come off with junior yea
"Do you have a date to the dance?" Riley shifted his weight from one foot to the other."Are you asking me to the dance?" Celia stuffed a textbook in her locker. She had to keep her cool. Can't have her slight crush on him show. "Uh Yes, but it's okay if you don't want to go with me, I mean why would you wanna be seen with Humpty Dumpty, I—""Riley." She turned to him staring at his sneakers. "Don't."He sighed. 'I understand. I'll see you around?"She gathered all her courage to make eye contact with him. "I don't have a date to the dance, Riley."The reddish tint of his ears and nose didn't go unnoticed to her while he fiddled with his bag strap. "Is that a yes?""Do you want it to be?""Yes.""Then yes." She smiled through the pain of suppressing a full-blown smile. "I'll go with you."Shock registered on his face for a while but he quickly recovered with a beam. "Awesome, I'll see you
Exams. Why did they exist in the first place? To torture students or to just rate their ability to master topics that wouldn't aid them in the real world? She could go on with being diplomatic about it but it didn't get rid of the fact that this test would crush her. A fat and proud 'D-' on her History paper when she got it back and was called into the principal's office due to the saddening decline in her grades. She could see it all happening."I'm going to flunk the paper, Lani." She groaned into her elbow. "So bad, nobody will see it coming."Her friend's hand come up in a 'hold on' position. "You're going to do fine and will get a C at best."With an eye roll, Adana gave her the stink eye. "Is that meant to make me feel better?"Leilani mirrored her earlier action, not breaking her gaze with her phone. "Sort of?""Wow, I feel so motivated.""That's my girl.""Who are you texting anyway?" Adana scrunched her brows. "No one special," Leilani muttered lowering her head. The slig
Wisps from the cigar end infused the air as she took a big inhale, releasing through her nostrils."How are you gonna pay up the credit?" The man beside her asked, lifting a bottle to his lips.The stars ahead beg for their attention as they conversed. "I don't know but I'll pay up okay? ""Boss is getting suspicious and it gets harder to keep things from him." He lifted his shoulders in what should be a shrug. "I got a few friends that owe me a favour tho, and I can easily pay off the debt myself.""But?" Nothing goes for nothing with the man, she had come to learn over the treacherous path which defined their 'friendship'. "I wanna taste a certain broad." He salivated on his thick lips. "See if bigger is always bett—""Don't."His now empty bottle clanged against the floor. "You don't have a roof over your head, your debt is causing trouble, and did I mention you're homeless?!"Her nose flared, eyes darkening. "You lay a hand on her and there's no telling what I'll do to you.""I do
Slivers of sunlight peeked through the blinds piercing the darkness in the room where she laid in her back staring at the ceiling. She had refused to go out since the interrogation perusing how little she had knowledge of.The smell of pizza filled the room giving it an Italian diner's aroma though the room looked like a birds' nest. Maybe a birds next was a bit more organized than this. The pizza boxes of the past week littered the floor and her bedside table, her phone laid on the bed on airplane mode to elude the numerous messages and phone calls she had been getting.A knock sounded from her door but she groaned and rolled over. Nobody but her had occupied this room since the interrogation last week. It wasn't as if she didn't want to go out but the possibility of Helen jump out from the shadows and attacking her were high. Staying indoors wasn't the safest way to go but the harmless and easiest."You've been in there
Small wisps of smoke emitted out of the cup of cocoa on the breakfast table, the gleam of the sun reflected off it and unto her face. Her fingers swiped and tapped endlessly on the phone in her hand. The clattering behind her seized and the sunlight got blocked out by a particularly curious shadow."You're on that picturegram thingy again." Sarah pointed out and."Instagram, mom." Celia rolled her eyes and narrowed it at a particular post. "It's called ÏÑSTĀGRÂM.""Whatever it's called, you can do it after breakfast and right before first period." Sarah turned away to switch off the cooker. When her daughter continued, she cleared her throat loudly. Celia sighed and dropped her phone on the table."Mom, do you think it's possible to skip P.E?"Sara carried her tray to the table, sitting across her daughter. "Why would you want to skip P.E?"Celia lowered her eyes, playing with a piece of toast. For the past week, she'
She looked so calm and helpless in this state but that illusion contrasted with the truth. Steady beeping being the only sound in the room, kept her company as Adana took in every curve of her soft face. "What have I done to deserve this?" She sighed. "I never went against your rules as a child. Everything changed so fast." In the blink of an eye, the eyelids which were previously closed lifted open and those eyes, a clone of hers stared back at her. The blank expression lasted only a second before morphing to one of anguish and anger. The woman on the bed, dressed in the light hospital gown sat up. "You deserve everything I'm doing to you." She started to rise, not taking mind of the connected drip to her hands. "Every single thing, you deserve!" "No." Adana placed a hand on her chest her eyes widening significantly. Mom couldn't be waking back up and comi
"What?" Lake bolted upright in his seat. "When? Where is sh—"He quietened down, listening to the explanation given over the phone and nodding every now and then. Storm and Celia exchanged looks over the table as their mom came in from the kitchen.Just as Lake ended the call, Storm voiced his question. "Dude what was that about who was it?"Lake took a second to soak in everyone's curious expressions before saying, "It was Adana.""And?""She was in an accident." Lake takes off his reading glasses to massage the bridge of his nose while reeling from the new information. "She only called to let us know that's why she won't be in school for this week or until everything is resolved."Celia clicked her tongue in her mouth and shook her head. "I saw the news this earlier this morning but didn't know you guys knew the girl involved. It wasn't a pretty sight. Can't imagine how she must feel."Sara stood from her chair and came
Her uneven breathing made too much noise in the new deadening silence. She had been recovering from the nightmares haunting her when she heard a scream from downstairs, followed by a crash.A slither of sweat traveled down the middle of her back, a remnant of the viscous dream. She flipped the switch and watched as the light glow bathed the room. The shabby couch where Helen slept on most nights, was turned over and the woman herself faced down flat on the floor."Mom?" Her voice came out tight with nerves. "Are you okay?"Dear God!As she got closer, the blood rushed away from her face and her heart ran for the hills. A crimson pool had formed around Helen's head, her eye which was visible from this side was wide open and
The voices floated around the café as more people came in for lunch break. There seemed to be even more people than usual today. Lucas served twice as fast, Mrs. Briggs used more materiels at once and Adana and Diego tried to take as many orders in as possible.Adana wiped her brow with her forearm and squared her shoulders just as another couple walked in. She made a beeline to the table. "Welcome to Big B's Café, what's your order.""Adana?"Her head which was concentrated on her poised pencil over her small notepad snapped to the wide eyes of the woman at the table and she choked on a gasp."You didn't tell me you worked here?" It came out as a shocked question to anyone listening but Adana could just here the implore