Manic

Chapter 23.

I wake up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window.

It takes me a moment to process where I am, and even then, it still feels like a dream.

I get out of bed and dress in a white t-shirt and blue jeans with my black hightop converse. I ruffle through my suitcase, is it really possible that I didn't pack anything to make me look not so... average? I throw on my navy blue hollister hoodie over my t-shirt and walk across the room to stand in front of the full body mirror that sits against the wall.

I stare at myself, wondering how Rivers could possibly want to be with me. With my vampire pale skin and my dark hair and dark eyes, there was absolutely nothing about me that stood out. Even my personality wasn't that interesting. If only he knew just how much trouble I really was, he would run in the opposite direction.

That's what scares me, really. If Rivers knew what a mess I really was, would he want to stick around? Would he even care to know? I sigh and shake my head. No one deserves to carry the burden of knowing about me. About my voices.

Especially not my mother.

I shake the thoughts of guilt from my mind and pull my gaze away from my reflection. I head downstairs to the dining room.

Rivers, Arden and their dad are already seated at the table. When I walk in they are silent, but the air in the room is tense, as if they had just been having a heated conversation before I came in, and had stopped in the middle of it.

"Good morning," I say as I sit at the table beside Rivers.

Mr. Thomas nods at me, and Arden smiles. "Good morning, sunshine," Rivers says.

In front of me, breakfast has already been served on a silver platter. Literally. I take the top off the platter and on my plate is a stack of three pancakes and a pile of fruit. I start with the fruit, trying to eat and hope that the awkward tenseness of the room will disappear.

I had no such luck.

"As I was saying," Mr. Thomas begins.

"Not now, dad." Rivers says under his breath.

"Now is as good a time as any." He replies.

Rivers buries his head in his hands, frustrated at his father. Arden sinks lower in his seat. "Someone needs to take care of Gully." he says.

I feel the color drain from my face. Mr. Thomas could mean plenty of different things by 'take care'. But the look on Rivers' face tells me it was exactly what I was thinking it was. Not to mention the vibe that his dad could rip my fingers from my hand, I didn't doubt his words.

Arden shakes his head, "Gully says he can get the money to me by tomorrow."

Mr. Thomas scowls. "I've heard that many times already." He says, "Have you thought to carry out the threats, Arden?"

Arden glances at me before answering, "No."

Mr. Thomas slams his cup on the table. "Well how do you expect to ever get the money from him?"

Arden sinks lower in his seat.

Mr. Thomas looks at me now, and I find myself trying to pull away as far from him as I can while seated in the wooden chair beneath me. "Elijah, what would you do if someone owed you five hundred dollars?"

"Gosh, I don't know sir." Is all I could manage to say. Rivers looks at me and then lowers his head.

"You would want the money back, I am assuming."

"Yes sir."

Mr. Thomas turns back to Arden, "See? Even Elijah would do anything he could to get the money back."

I bite my tongue from saying that I wouldn't do anything to get it back.

Arden nods his head, "I will carry out the threats today, dad."

"Very well." Mr. Thomas nods his head as if satisfied. "And Elijah?" He turns back to me.

"Yes sir?"

"I trust you will not repeat this conversation to anyone?"

"Of course, sir."

"Good." Mr. Thomas stands up from the table and excuses himself. Rivers looks at me apologetically and follows his father from the room. I am left alone with Arden.

"I'm guessing Rivers hasn't told you about the family business?" He says to me.

I shake my head.

Arden chuckles. "I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to brag about his father being a cocaine dealer."