KotLC if Sophie was a Delinquent Badass

I Officially Hate Family Time

"Finally home?" Scared the shit out of me there, mom. She asked the question casually but she was actually panicking. I hated to give innocent people more reason to be stressed but I blame Fitz for this one. Plus, she looked like she was about to call the police or something.

"Sorry Mom, I was out with a friend," I said, calmly. Not a lie, technically. The dude is still a weirdo, though.

"We still have to have a talk about this, a long one." Stupid anxiety got me fucked up again. She was glaring daggers at me. "Mr. Sweeney called because he couldn't find you at the museum. Sophie, I know this isn't anything new but with the fires spreading around..." She took a deep breath. "I want you to be safe, okay?'

"I'm... sorry." Make fun of me all you want but I did say I'm a decent human. Not human. Elf. Gotta get used to that.

"I'm sure you are." Her anger seemed to fade away but her next question was not something I wanted to hear. "So who's your friend? You never mentioned having one before." She had a weird smile on her face.

"That hurt, mom." She smiled so I think I'm off the hook for now. "He's a weirdo." Again, not a lie.

"'He', huh?"

"This is where I leave." No 'cause, no. I started going up the stairs. Before I could make it she thought, I'm glad she's finally having a normal social life. One of the smaller 'I wish you were normal' themed thoughts but they all hit the same. Another aspect to my plummeting mental health.

I know they love me but that doesn't make hearing those thoughts hurt any less. Wow, I'm getting sappy.

I heard the footsteps coming up the stairs but pretended I didn't. My mom came and hugged me from the back. "I'm fine, mom I'm promise." We're lying now. O~okay. She just nodded and left, probably to make dinner.

At the top, I heard dad come through the front door. "Welcome home, honey! I'll have dinner ready in ten," Mom called to him. "And, Amy!" she added, raising her voice so it would be heard. upstairs. "Time to come down!"

Great no time to go sleep or something.

I sighed and went back down. I followed her into the kitchen feeling that anxiety eat at my stomach. Worn linoleum, pastel walls, tacky knickknacks-it all seemed so bland and boring after the glittering cities Weirdo showed me. But it's not brighter than the sun so there's a plus. I made a mental note to wear my gray hoodie next time.

My dad kissed me on the cheek as he set his shabby briefcase on the kitchen table. Ew, physical affection. "And how's my Soybean?" he asked with a wink.

I scowled. He'd been calling my that since I was a baby-apparently, I had a hard time pronouncing my name-and I begged him hundreds, no, thousands of times to stop. He refused to listen.

Mom took the lid off one of the simmering pots, and the smell of garlic and cream filled the room. She handed me the silverware. "It's your turn to set the table."

"Yeah, Soybean. Get crackin'," Amy said as she scooted into a chair, the little asshat. And she was only nine.

"Boo, Santa isn't real." I monotoned. She rolled her eyes. I'm never letting her live that down. You should have SEEN the temper tantrum.

Amy was my opposite in every way, from her curly brown hair and green eyes to her lower than average grades and incredible popularity. No one understands how she and I are sisters, especially me, I mean look at me. Even our parents wonder about it in their thoughts. My best bet is a side hoe. Or some kind of elfy magic.

Maybe it just hadn't hit me get but I realized that I may not be related to these people, froze and dropped a spoon. Pathetic.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked.