A Silent Hope

Chapter Twelve

Mackenzie

I yawned into my palm as Paul doused the small fire out. It was nearing the end of my 24 hours shift when we got called. It wasn't anything big, an old lady accidentally setting her trash on fire and panicking.

My fatigue was catching up on me, considering how much I'd been going at it at the gym recently and lack of sleep. I still woke up before dawn and went to the small hill near the park each morning whenever I couldn't sleep throughout the night. My mind still wandered off in an unwanted territory, a certain blonde the main star.

I'd see Thalia at the park often, under that oak tree writing away in her brown book with little art drawings on it. That was the only time I refused to approach her. I liked seeing her in that peaceful element. That upturn of her lips that didn't quite form a smile, the rapid movement of her hand as if she couldn't get the words down fast enough.

I never lingered, only strolling by on my way to the bakery for a coffee. I was slightly amazed at how her head wouldn't ever lift, her focus undivided.

"Mrs Reese, you gotta be careful. You could've hurt yourself." Paul told the little old lady.

I listened as they talked for a moment longer. Paul walked her back inside while Erica, the only other woman on our crew, and I got the fire engine ready to leave.

"Some of us are going to the bar tonight. You can join us?" I decided to offer.

"I'll have to decline. Got a date." She answered with no glance at me.

"Cool." I shrugged, knowing I at least tried.

Erica mostly stayed to herself as I've seen and heard from the guys. I just thought I'd be nice and put an invite out there. But it was already a good group with Paul, Vivian, Blue, Larry and I. Brian would make an appearance once in a while, but the guy seemed to get on everyone's nerves.

After my shift ended I drove home, ascending the three flights of stairs. As I've been doing for the past week, I paid extra careful not to run into my neighbour. Ensuring no one was in the hallway, I rushed to my apartment and quickly unlocked the door.

I let out the breath I was unaware of holding and headed for a shower. I even had to be wary of the gym now since Daphne was a regular. Luckily, I hadn't run into her there, yet. Letting my hair down after I was done, I slipped on a boxers and sports bra before I got ready for bed.

Waking up with body aches I don't remember having, I stretched my limbs and smiled as I heard cracking sounds. I trudged to the kitchen and heated up one of my meals I prepared before.

Standing at the kitchen counter, I slowly chewed and scrolled through my phone. I frowned when I saw my little sister's name pop up along with a picture of an olive skin girl, chocolate colored curls around her messy face. Calvin and I had smashed her face into her cake on her last birthday when she turned seventeen.

Swallowing the food in my mouth, I slid my thumb on the screen. "Sup, Kez?"

"She's driving me crazy!" Was the first thing she said.

Washing my food down with some water, I responded. "Ma? What did she do?"

"She threatened my life in front of my friends! Now they think I'm being abused at home." Kezia laughed as did I.

"From what I'm hearing, you deserve it. Sneaking out? Really? Why must you play with your young life?"

The seventeen year old laughed and I could hear Ma yelling something in the background. "It was once and I only went next door."