Flames and Starlight

1🌘

LAURA

"I can't believe how irresponsible you've become," my mother shouted as she slammed the dishes in the cupboard so hard it was a wonder she didn't shatter them. "You know it's your job to clean and put away the dishes after dinner, you know your chores, you know what you're supposed to do. . ."

She droned on and on and on to the point I had my fists clenched in my lap, my jaw so tightly clenched I almost cracked a molar, irritation, and fury surging through me so intense that I was on the verge of causing a lot of damage.

I'd forgotten to clean and put away the dishes last night. It didn't sound like such a big deal, did it? I had a shit ton of homework due to finals coming up and spent the entire night studying to the point I fell asleep at my desk still working on papers. It wasn't like I was out partying or lollygagging. The time got away from me and I completely forgot about them.

When I came into the kitchen this morning, I was about to clean them and put them away before anyone saw them, but of course, Mom saw them and started her whole spiel.

She, my father, brother, and sister had it really out for me lately. They pretty much changed into completely different people this past month. Mom and I never had the best relationship, but she never acted this over the top before and I used to be close with my dad and siblings up until my sixteenth birthday. Every tiny thing I did, Mom would yell and go on and on about how irresponsible I was, that I always messed things up, despite the fact that I was doing good in school, was an honor roll student, did what I was supposed to do, never got into trouble. They were acting as though I was some rebellious teen sneaking out every night and flunking classes. Meanwhile, Dad didn't seem to realize I existed and my own brother and sister treated me like a complete outsider.

I tried to finish the rest of my breakfast, my hands trembling from rage to the point the omelet kept falling back on my place as my Mom continued to rant. After three more tries, I gave up and set the fork back down, my appetite gone.

My siblings, Alison and Derek had already left, wanting to run by the store on their way to school and Dad left a few minutes early for work since traffic was bad on Monday mornings, leaving me alone with my mom acting like a raging lunatic.

Of course, Mom noticed I stopped eating and I braced myself for another onslaught of attacks.

She threw her hands dramatically up into the air in exasperation and continued yelling, "And of course, you're not even going to finish the food I made you. What a surprise! Discarding everything I do for you, always taking everything for granted -"

That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I shot up from my chair and stormed towards my room.

Her footsteps pounded after me and my blood pressure soared. It was going to be one of those mornings.

"Do not walk away from me!" she screeched as I walked into my room.

I tried slamming the door shut before she could follow me in, but she shot her hand out and smacked the door so hard it swung towards the wall so hard it left a small dent and swung back full force, nearly smacking her in the face. I would've laughed if I wasn't seething.

"How dare you slam the door in my face!" she roared.

My resolve finally disintegrated. "What is your problem with me?!" I screamed back. "Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?!"

She charged towards me, her hand raised, but I didn't flinch or recoil. I wanted her to hit me because if she did, it'd give me the chance to hit her back.