To Mend A Soul

~ 6 ~

The First Interest

✠ 

Author's Note: The song given soon below in this story is NOT written by me or originally written and sung by anyone else but the amazing Olivia Rodrigo. But for the purposes of this story, please pretend it's an original by Charis Harding. Thank you.

The sun hit my eyes awake, knocking hard on my eyelids, forcing me to open them but squint after I did from being too powerful. It's a weird thing sunlight. It's somehow good for you but at the same time can drain you if you stand under it too long.

I groggily pull myself up and stand up on my two feet, like I had 0 balance but just discovered I didn't.

My senses started to kick in and I connected with reality. I didn't know which was louder, the sound of the boys downstairs or my alarm. I shut it off and make my way to the bathroom to do my usual.

Today I chose a pretty basic outfit, a blue sweatshirt with some dark jeans and my checkered converse.

Just got to get through another day of school

I was preparing myself to go down but decided to stay on the stairs just descending down from the first floor and overhear whatever they were talking about after I heard 'Charis'. The only people's voices I could manage to distinguish were Marco's and Kent's, because Marco had a very basic American accent and Kent was polished, almost British but you still cant say it's purely British. Maybe he just had a thick beautiful voice.

"I don't know...she's a weird one"

"Maybe she's just pretty introverted and insecure, she'll open up when she gets comfortable"

"I don't know man...maybe it's just that she doesn't want to get comfortable with us....you know like a family. Am I doing something wrong?"

"Nah man, if she can't see the effort you try and put in, her loss"

"Aside from her shy and quiet demeanor....is everything ok with her and her father? Like he seemed pretty hard on her yesterday"

"I don't know...I've definitely talked about to him during our game nights but, he just says she just isn't interested. Even after much pleading, she'd rather be on her own."

Liar.

"Wow...someone's got issues"'

Pfft, sure man. My step-family gets gaslighted about me and he also hid the fact about my mom for 11 YEARS. Yet, I'm the one with the issues.

"Ayo check this beat" the conversation drifted off completely into their own things, the same time my thoughts did. I felt more alone than I already was, the last bit holding me up was Aunt Sloan. Maybe...maybe I pay her a visit before I go to New York. She's the only real friend I have that I can depend on. It's gonna cost more for me to make that trip...but it's worth it.

I knew doing this would make it worse for me but, I did it anyway.

I texted Marco saying that I went to school early because I had to return Brielle's book back to her.

"She went early...now the only time we even had some time is gone too" he spoke with a sigh.

I received a text back and it said 'No problem'. Ironic.

"It's ok mate, she probably had a good reason"

"Yea...returning a book"

I heard the clatter of keys and the shutting of a door. Absolute silence filled the house. They were gone. Elaine was gone earlier, Papa went an hour later and then there was us. I waited until the car pulled out of the driveway and descended down from the pipe.