Do I love her

Chapter 10

     As you most likely assumed, mom and Francis blew up. I mean, I can't blame them. I fucked up their lives, did I not? They went from shocked, to frozen on the spot (Francis's face would have made me laugh if I wasn't flipping out myself), to rage beyond any description that would sound sane (compare to category five hurricane), to crying a new great lake. Francis, my usually level-headed, quiet step dad flipped. A table. A literal table. I guess the alternative was flipping me, so I'd rather him take it out on the table. Shame my homework was on it though. He got all up in my face and yelled,
     "You let them take her!"
     "First I-"
     "THIS is YOUR FAULT!"
     "I-"
     "NO. YOU don't get to talk. YOU listen to me. I-we left you in charge of Lilly, MY DAUGHTER, and what do you do? You let her get kidnapped!" I wince. A fleck of saliva hits me on the cheek. He wags a finger two centimeters in front of my face. By now, my mom is crying (completely messing up her mascara and eye liner), and sobbing on the couch into a designer pillow. Black and gray make up smearing all over it. Watch. I'll be blamed for that, even through I wasn't even wearing make up today. I didn't like my sister, no. But I did feel responsible. Heck, I was.This was my fault and as much as I wanted to, I couldn't deny that it was my fault. But what else could I do? Francis continued to rant and rave and then eventually calmed down and made me leave the kitchen for the night. I hadn't had a meal since lunch, but I didn't complain.

     I trudged up the stairs, legs shaking, and tripped on the last one. I fall face first onto the hard floor. A pain shoots through my knees and right elbow, and in the moment of impact, my teeth bite my lip harshly. 

     "Ow!" I complained, but it came out as a whisper. My fall must have been pretty loud because my step dad called up,
     "Don't slam you're door little missy, this one is on you. So LOSE the attitude." he then slammed the stairs back into place, and a shutter was sent through the floor. Hypocrite. I just stayed there, too scared to move-to scared to do anything.
***

     Obviously I didn't lay there the entire night, that would  be rather uncomfortable and wimpish. I got up shaking, and went quietly into my room. I slumped down on my bed exhausted. The clock read 10:15. Chase would be watching a rerun of one of his favorite tv shows while doing some last minute homework. I pulled out my phone and texted him. 

     "Chase, am I expected to do all of my homework?" He texted back almost immediately. He never does that. I almost smile when he says,
    "No way nerd girl." He sends another saying, "Your sister went missing, you can't be expected to do all of it-or even any of it. Just try to do the few daily things due tomorrow. The math review is like flash back to seventh grade." I typed, 
    "Ok, thanks Chase"
    "Np"

     I look at my backpack, and then thought of the pink backpack Chase and I found before. Inside was just a note and a cell phone. The note said that we'd be texted the requirements we'd need to get her back. I unlock it, and check the messages, but there's nothing. This kind of thing is so rare, in this part of the state anyway. Where did this come from all of a sudden? Sighing, I get up and do some homework. I finish math, and I'm halfway through English when I get a text. I jump when my phone buzzes on my desk. Picking it up I see Chase is calling. 

     "I'm going to bed now. You should too, I know you're still awake doing stuff."
I look at the time. 11:04. Oh, would you look at that..

     "Ok, ok, I will..." I pick up my pencil and write an "ste" on my homework when he speaks again.
     "Stop doing your homework"
     "I-how did u know?!"
     "I'm amazing. And I can hear your pencil scratching through the phone."
     "Oh. Ummm... Fine. Book's in my bag." I set my phone down, and let the book fall with a small thud into my backpack. I reach for my folder to put my homework in as he replies with a firm,
     "Good."
     "Thanks Chase." I say quietly, as I slip my folder in my bag and set it on the floor, hoping the sound doesn't make my step-dad blow a nutter. He is a nutter.
     "For...?" he inquires, very confused. I can hear a slight tiredness in his voice, and I feel a bad that I'm 1) dragging him into the Lilly situation, and 2) keeping him awake on a school night.
I just sorta sit in a short silence. Does he not know what he did?

     "For...helping me with...Lilly." I consider if he could even hear my voice.
     "Oh, no sweat. You needed back up. And I've always got your back."
     "Yeah well, thanks." I say, a bit awkwardly. Usually, we don't say stuff very that's all cheesy and cliche, unless we're doing it ironically. 
     "No problemo. Goodnight Steph." I was slightly surprised for a second time. He's never told me good night. A lot of odd things happening today..
"Goodnight Chase." I whisper, and hang up after we both say bye.

     I decide brushing my teeth can wait until the morning. Closing my eyes, I fall asleep quickly. My last thought was Chase and everything he's done for me. I picture him, and travel through the memories  from the years way back in third grade to just a few weeks ago at a band competition. He had worn a green and purple tie to a strictly black and white event, and I had laughed at him. Our band director was slightly annoyed, but helped him tie it anyway. Better have the wrong color tie, than not have one. And he looked good too. The tie fit his personality, and he wore a decent looking jacket, and all. He even had a fake flower, which he gave to Zach right after the show. He had turned to me, russet eyes looking into caramel brown eyes.

     "The next flower is yours if you want it."
I went to sleep looking back on all of or fun times. Drifting off to every kind word he spoke to me.