Stepping Out of Me

4

LANCE

Lance watched as the girl, who kept bumping into him, stormed out of the house. Something obviously upset her.

He turned and walked inside and was greeted by the sight of a confused-looking Halle and Sheree placing some snacks on the table.

"Did something happen?" Lance asked. "With that girl I mean."

"Mom..." Halle began.

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just said that she looked a bit thin."

Lance sighed. "Sheree, you know people don't like that stuff. You keep doing this."

"I didn't realize it would cause her to leave like that," Sheree replied and looked to Halle. "I'm sorry, hun. I didn't mean to interrupt your group session."

Halle nodded. "Well, Kiera said she'll send her part tonight. That's good for the project but she must think we're weird now." Halle stated. "Mom can you please just try not to say those things to her again? That's if she ever comes back here."

So that's her name, Lance made a mental note. Kiera.

"Don't you think she overreacted?" Josie said. "I mean, of course, I understand her being upset about it but leaving in the middle of our group meeting all because of one comment?" She added when Halle gave her a look.

Lance rolled his eyes at the girl. "You've already been accepted into the family. No need to shove your head up Sheree's ass too." He said to Josie. If she wasn't sticking up for Sheree, something must've been wrong.

"Lance, don't be rude!" Sheree scolded him. "She's allowed to have an opinion."

"Ah." Lance sighed. "Anyways, thanks for the info. I'll be in my room." He walked off and then glanced back at Josie. "You have sauce on your nose, by the way." He gestured to her and then walked off.

Josie mimicked him, then subtly used her sleeve to frantically wipe her nose.

As he reached the top of the stairs, Halle's voice called him. "What was that?"

Lance looked around at her innocently. "Whatever do you mean?" He said coyly.

"Why do you have to be so mean to Josie? For no reason too." She said, clearly frustrated. "you've been like this since you and Mariah called it quits."

"Calm down," Lance frowned. "Don't bring that up again."

"I have to. She didn't tell Mariah to break up with you. Neither did I. Okay? So can you please stop taking it out on her?" Halle sighed.

He looked at his sister who now seemed smaller at the bottom of the stairs. Her arms were folded and she had that same pouty expression whenever she tried to confront anyone.

Lance sighed. She was right. His earlier comment to Josie was too much. "Okay."

"Okay..."

"Okay, I'll stop," Lance replied.

Halle let out a sigh of relief. Her arms dropped to her sides. "Thank you."

He offered his sister a reassuring smile, then continued his journey. He opened his door and tossed his bag to one corner of the room. He kicked his shoes off and climbed onto the bed.

Lance's mind kept running on Kiera and the scene he encountered earlier. He knew he couldn't ask Halle about it because she'd get the wrong idea. Well, maybe the right idea but not the right reasons.

He chuckled as he thought about how nice it would've been to see the look on Sheree's face. She wouldn't stop commenting on people's weight. Maybe she finally met someone who wouldn't tolerate it.